The Texas Rangers' bullpen hasn’t exactly been one that has had a particularly light workload as of late.

In the midst of a stretch with nine games in nine days and multiple shorter outings from starting pitchers, the Texas bullpen has been tested and has come through time and time again, just 20 games into the 2026 season.

On Friday night in the Pacific Northwest, the Rangers bullpen was tested once again, and once again it came through.

After a short four-inning outing from Rangers ace Jacob deGrom, five relievers combined to pitch five shutout innings in a 5-0 shutout win over the Seattle Mariners.

“The bullpen did a great job again, picking us up,” deGrom said after his outing, which he said felt like he was “all over the place.”

After deGrom’s exit, first-year Rangers manager Skip Schumaker gave the ball to rookie Gavin Collyer, who stepped on a Major League mound for just the second time.

Following a leadoff walk, Collyer settled in to retire the next three Mariners he faced in the fifth and went on to record an out in the sixth as well.

The 1 1/3 scoreless innings Collyer fired amounted to his first Major League win, and a night he will undoubtedly never forget.

“[For] Collyer to get his first win, pretty cool,” Schumaker said after the game. “It’ll be a good moment, and I’m sure there are going to be some screaming in that clubhouse here pretty soon with what they do for first wins… it was just fun to see him go out there and execute like he did.”

Tyler Alexander came on and got the final two outs of the sixth inning that Collyer started, and after that, just two Mariners reached base the rest of the game.

Jalen Beeks came on for the seventh inning and pitched yet another scoreless frame, dropping his season ERA to 1.04.

In the eighth, Schumaker turned to Cole Winn, who shut down the heart of the Mariners' order, setting up Jacob Latz, who pitched a perfect ninth inning to seal the victory.

With the win, the Rangers secured the first of a three-game weekend series in Seattle and improved their 2026 record against the Mariners to 4-0.

There’s no doubt that the Rangers won’t be able to rely on their bullpen for five shutout innings consistently throughout the season, but the fact that they can win games in that manner is certainly nothing but an encouraging sign.

Don't miss out on our ROUNDTABLE community and the latest news!

It's completely free to join. Share your thoughts, engage with our Roundtable writers, and chat with fellow members.

Download the free Roundtable APP, and stay even more connected!