Returning from the All-Star break, the Texas Rangers opened the second half of the regular season with a 2-0 win against the Detroit Tigers on Friday at Globe Life Field. The Rangers went into the break with a 2-1 series win against the Houston Astros. The team holds a third-place standing in the American League West and is pegged at 17th in the MLB. Over the break, history was made at the T-Mobile Home Run Derby, with Cal Raleigh being the first ever catcher to win a derby Monday in Atlanta, Georgia. The following day, the MLB showcased the league's finest in the 95th annual All-Star Game on Tuesday. Rangers pitcher Jacob deGrom, the team’s lone nomination, earned his fifth All-Star nod but did not take to the mound in his first as a Ranger. Ahead of the trade deadline, the Rangers sent pitcher Dane Dunning to the Atlanta Braves in exchange for pitcher José Ruiz and cash considerations. Ruiz was optioned to Round Rock Express following the deal. The Rangers leaned on their minor league affiliates to manage their 40-man roster before their opening game against the Tigers. The team selected contracts for Round Rock Express first baseman Rowdy Tellez and infielder Cody Freeman after outfielder Sam Haggerty was placed on the 10-day injured list. Defensive efficiency defined the early innings of the game, as both teams managed only four combined hits and stranded five runners over the first four innings. Pitching was the definitive doorstop for halting both teams’ offenses. The opening pitchers recorded six strikeouts each, with the relievers adding several to total 18 strikeouts throughout the game for both teams. “I can’t say enough about what our pitching did tonight, it’s a tough lineup and well-played game, but it’s good to get off to a start like this,” Rangers manager Bruce Bochy said. The earliest action for the Rangers came from an error produced by Detroit’s shortstop Javier Báez, which allowed Rangers catcher Kyle Higashioka to reach third and catcher Jonah Heim to first. Both were left on base after a strikeout from shortstop Corey Seager ended the third inning. Approaching the final stretch, Seager drove it down center field to net a double RBI in the bottom of the eighth that landed him at second base. A flyout by second baseman Marcus Semien left Seager on base and ended the inning 2-0. The Tigers looked for a hole in the Rangers' defense in their final at-bats in the top of the ninth, but a groundout and two strikeouts by reliever Robert Garcia earned him the save and a Ranger win. “It’s good for these guys, we’re doing some good things here offensively,” Bochy said. “Didn’t score a lot of runs today, but when you get to that mark, you keep losing that one game to get you [over .500]. These guys should feel good about it.” The Rangers resume their nine-game homestand with the mid-series match against the Tigers on Saturday at 6:05 p.m. at Globe Life Field. The team will only see one off day during their trio of series. Streaming for the series is available on Rangers Sports Network and Victory+. @kaleivie_ sports-editor.shorthorn@uta.edu

The Women’s Volleyball Nations League wrapped up its final week of preliminaries with a 3-2 loss for No. 8 Team USA against No. 5 China on Sunday at College Park Center. China snapped Team USA’s five-game run while extending its own to four. The victory marked China’s ninth win in the 2025 VNL. With multiple core rotation changes and several new players on the roster, Team USA faced tribulations early in the preliminary round. After rallying in week two, the team finished week three 3-1 and closed out the phase with seven wins in 12 matches. “Obviously when you make changes, you expect maybe the flow to change a little bit,” head coach Erik Sullivan said. “I thought our players did a good job of staying in our systems and competing real hard.” China stumbled early in the game, letting Team USA quickly take control and win the first two sets. Miscommunication and errors put China in an early hole. The U.S. used its size and power to overwhelm China with strong serves and aggressive net play, deepening China’s early deficit further. By set three, Team USA had conditioned China to expect heavy spikes, creating gaps in coverage that allowed well-placed dinks to land. However, China looked refreshed after the break and cut down on errors. They took the next two sets to even the match, but Team USA held firm as they battled through the fifth set in search of a win. Setter Rachel Fairbanks said China has a unique play style compared to other teams they recently faced. Even with scouting, she said it's up to them to compete against every team. Point-defining blocks and diving saves fueled a back-and-forth battle, drawing shouts from fans with each rally. The arena shook with energy as the match reached a fever pitch. With the fifth set tied at 16, China gained the upper hand and drove in the dagger that sent Team USA into the final plunge to end the set 18-16. Women’s VNL play ramps up for the final week as Team USA and 17 other national teams head into the elimination round in Łódź, Poland. The quarterfinals begin July 23 with the semifinals starting July 26 and the finals happening the following day to wrap up the week. The quarterfinals opening game will have Team USA challenge defending champions No. 1 Italy. The elimination bracket match-ups are available to view on Volleyball World, with all matches set to be available for streaming on VBTV. “We’ll go back to Anaheim and start training, work through some kinks,” libero Morgan Hentz said. “There’s definitely things we can get better at and focus on, so I think it's just that mindset of trying to get 1% better every day.” @kaleivie_