Brandon Nimmo Likely to Lead Off for Texas Rangers

New outfielder expected to take over top spot in Rangers lineup after team struggled there in 2025

Published on Feb. 15, 2026

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The Texas Rangers are expected to have newly acquired outfielder Brandon Nimmo as their leadoff hitter to start the 2026 season. Manager Skip Schumaker said there is a "pretty good chance" Nimmo will hit first, as the Rangers look to improve on their poor production from the leadoff spot in 2025 when they used eight different hitters at the top of the order.

Why it matters

The Rangers' leadoff spot was a major weakness in 2025, ranking near the bottom of MLB in on-base percentage and OPS. Nimmo's combination of on-base skills, power, and speed make him an ideal fit to set the table for the rest of the Rangers' lineup.

The details

Nimmo, who turns 33 early in the 2026 season, has the most career plate appearances as a leadoff hitter compared to any other spot in the lineup. He provides more consistent production against both left-handed and right-handed pitching than the Rangers' previous leadoff option, Josh Smith, who struggled mightily against lefties.

  • The Rangers' first full-squad workout of spring training was on Sunday, February 15, 2026.

The players

Brandon Nimmo

A 33-year-old outfielder who was recently acquired by the Texas Rangers and is expected to be their new leadoff hitter.

Skip Schumaker

The manager of the Texas Rangers, who said there is a "pretty good chance" Nimmo will hit leadoff to start the 2026 season.

Josh Smith

A Rangers player who led the team with 88 starts in the leadoff spot in 2025, but struggled mightily against left-handed pitching.

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What they’re saying

“I have a pretty good idea about it. He's been pretty good at it for a long time. He kind of changes the dynamic of the game with slug plus on base. He can steal bases. He can face right-handers and lefties. So, yeah, there's a pretty good chance.”

— Skip Schumaker, Manager (dallasnews.com)

What’s next

The Rangers will continue to evaluate their lineup options throughout spring training, but Nimmo appears to be the frontrunner to be the team's new leadoff hitter when the 2026 season begins.

The takeaway

By acquiring Brandon Nimmo and slotting him atop the lineup, the Rangers are hoping to solve their long-standing issues at the leadoff spot and provide a spark to an offense that struggled mightily in that area in 2025.