Jacob deGrom starts Sunday as Rangers host Blue Jays with division magic number at 7

Jacob deGrom is listed as the starting pitcher for the Texas Rangers on Sunday afternoon against the Toronto Blue Jays at Globe Life Field, per the Yahoo Sports game day thread. First pitch is scheduled for 1:35 PM CDT, with the broadcast available on KRLD 1080 and the Rangers Sports Network. Spencer Miles gets the ball for Toronto.

What happened

The lineups posted Sunday show deGrom taking the ball for Texas in the series finale, with a Rangers club that enters the day at 78-77 (.503), sitting first in the AL West with a division magic number of 7. The Rangers carry a two-game winning streak into the afternoon.

Toronto sends Brett Bateman to lead off from center field, followed by Vladimir Guerrero at first base, Nathan Lukes in right, Kazuma Okamoto at third, Sean Keys at designated hitter, Josh Smith in left, Andres Gimenez at shortstop, Brandon Valenzuela behind the plate, and Ernie Clement at second.

Texas counters with Wyatt Langford in left, Corey Seager at designated hitter, Josh Jung at third, Ezequiel Duran at shortstop, Brandon Nimmo in right, Jake Burger at first, Nicky Lopez at second, Danny Jansen catching, and Evan Carter in center.

Why it matters

With a magic number of 7 and a two-game winning streak, every game in the final stretch of the regular season carries obvious weight for a Rangers club navigating the AL West race. A deGrom start in that context is the kind of scheduling alignment that tends to focus attention — though what he delivers on any given afternoon remains, as always, to be seen.

The series itself has unfolded against a backdrop of roster turbulence in Arlington. A day earlier, per prior Posterior Wire reporting, Cal Quantrill started Game 2 of this Blue Jays series as Texas worked through its rotation options. That start ended early, with Quantrill exiting due to right lat tightness and an MRI scheduled — a development that adds further significance to deGrom being listed on the mound Sunday.

The week leading into this series has been eventful for the Texas pitching staff more broadly. Nathan Eovaldi returned from a month-long absence due to elbow inflammation earlier in the week, delivering 4 scoreless innings in relief, per prior Posterior Wire coverage. Robert Garcia also returned from the injured list to bolster the bullpen during the playoff push, per earlier Posterior Wire reporting. Josh Jung, who appears in Sunday's lineup at third base, was activated from the injured list earlier in the week as well, per prior Posterior Wire items. The Rangers have been piecing together their roster in real time, and Sunday's lineup reflects how much of that work has come together — at least for one afternoon.

Joc Pederson has been making progress from a left hand fracture as the Rangers push for the playoffs, per prior Posterior Wire coverage, though no timetable or return status has been reported. His absence from Sunday's lineup is noted without further detail available.

The numbers

The Rangers enter Sunday at 78-77 (.503), leading the AL West. They carry a two-game winning streak and a division magic number of 7 into the afternoon. For those who enjoy the arithmetic: a magic number of 7 means any combination of Rangers wins and division-rival losses totaling 7 clinches the division title — a number that has a way of making a Sunday afternoon start feel a little more like appointment television.

Where the club stands

Texas sits first in the AL West at 78-77 (.503) with a division magic number of 7. The two-game winning streak heading into Sunday's finale provides some momentum, though the schedule does not ease up after this series.

After Sunday's game against Toronto, the Rangers host the New York Mets on Tuesday, September 22, with Sean Manaea listed as the probable starter for New York. Wednesday, September 23 also features the Mets at Globe Life Field, with the Rangers' probable starter listed as TBD on both of those days. The rotation picture beyond Sunday is still taking shape — particularly with Quantrill's status uncertain following his early exit and the scheduled MRI, per prior Posterior Wire reporting.

What we don't know yet

The status of Cal Quantrill beyond the scheduled MRI for right lat tightness remains unresolved, per prior Posterior Wire reporting. The results of that MRI have not been reported, and his availability going forward is unclear. The Rangers' probable starters for the Tuesday and Wednesday games against the Mets are listed as TBD, which means the rotation decisions for that series are still being sorted out — and whatever the Quantrill MRI reveals will likely factor into how Texas manages its arms through the final push.

Pederson's recovery from the left hand fracture continues, per prior Posterior Wire coverage, but no timetable has been reported. His path back to the active roster remains an open question as the regular season winds down.

What to watch

The magic number of 7 with limited regular-season games remaining means the Rangers' results over the next several days will draw close attention. Sunday's matchup between deGrom and Miles is the immediate focus, but the rotation decisions for the Mets series — and the outcome of the Quantrill MRI — will shape how Texas deploys its pitching staff down the stretch.

Jung's presence back in the lineup at third base is also worth tracking, given his recent return from the injured list per prior Posterior Wire reporting. The Rangers are close enough to a division title that the arithmetic is straightforward; the execution, as always, is the part that takes a few more days to sort out. Globe Life Field's roof, at least, is unlikely to be the variable anyone is debating this Sunday afternoon in Arlington.