If there is one thing that the Texas Rangers hope for this season, outside of a winning record, is that a couple of key outfielders can stay healthy.

Of course, we're talking about Wyatt Langford and Evan Carter. These two players are extremely important to the Rangers' success in the American League West Division. Yet they have had trouble being healthy for an entire season.

Rangers manager Skip Schumaker is quite aware of these players' inability to stay off the Injured List. He hopes that changes in the 2026 MLB season.

On Tuesday, in the Rangers' Cactus League game against the Arizona Diamondbacks, Schumaker had Langford in center field and Carter in left field. 

“You got to see them both play center and left, and try to figure out the ways that we can be most successful and stay on the field the longest for both of them,” Schumaker told Rangers MLB.com reporter Kennedi Landry on Tuesday. “We’re just trying to see what it looks like.”

For Schumaker, now is a time to see how that outfield will look for him come Opening Day. It's a time to test, tweak, and adjust positions if and when necessary.

There are certain factors Schumaker will reportedly take into consideration around using Carter and Langford. Newly-acquired Brandon Nimmo is slotted into right field and will play there this season. So, there's no debate about that position.

Langford made it pretty clear that he's willing to play wherever his new manager wants him to be. He, just like Carter, wants a chance to play consistently and without any health issues. Carter has had more injury woes than Langford. Still, there inability to be healthy over a long stretch of time is something that Schumaker is looking at now.

“I don't care,” Langford said. “Whatever is best for us, for me and Evan, and for the team to win, really. I mean, we both obviously can play both positions. It doesn't matter really who's where.

"It's just whatever's best for, obviously, both of us staying on the field," Langford said. "… Me and Evan are both good enough and fast enough to play both. So it's not like there's a drastic difference for either one of us in those two positions.”

Will Schumaker take field conditions into account for using Carter and Langford? Would one get a start if a game is on a grass field as opposed to a turf field? What if there had been some rainfall before a game and the field was still slippery?

Right now, Schumaker is simply looking for a way to keep both of these key elements to the Rangers' success healthy and able to play consistently.

“How can I keep these guys on the field for 162? Because we're really good when those guys are on the field,” Schumaker said. “We're trying to figure all of that out and what that looks like for each player to keep them healthy for 162. …

"I think that's the goal, for the player to show us that he should be an everyday player," Schumaker continued. "I think that's what the fun part of Spring Training is. Especially with Evan, I think it boils down to what gives us the best shot to not only keep him healthy, but to win games.”

So, the Rangers have things to hash out regarding the outfield. Schumaker, who has been in a major-league dugout before, knows how a season rolls. There are going to be ups and downs, along with some injuries along the way.

How he navigates it all, especially during home games at Globe Life Field, which is a grass turf, is something Rangers fans will be watching closely.

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