PITCHER MATCHUP

Walker Buehler vs Texas Rangers

How the Texas Rangers's current regulars (top 9 by at-bats) project against Walker Buehler's season-to-date arsenal — not the posted lineup for any single game.

Walker Buehler's arsenal

Throws RHPvs LHH xwOBA .351vs RHH xwOBA .338Seasons 2026–2025–2024
Four-Seam Fastball 24%Cutter 20%Sinker 16%Knuckle Curve 13%Slider 12%Changeup 8%Sweeper 7%

How the Texas Rangers's regulars project

Projected expected wOBA for each of the Texas Rangers's top-9-by-AB hitters against Walker Buehler, by batting order. A season-to-date read — lower favors the pitcher.

Lineup avg xwOBA .312
  1. 1 BN Brandon Nimmo LHB .335
    Pitch-by-pitch projection vs. Brandon Nimmo
    • Four-Seam Fastball (24% usage) projects to .342 xwOBA over 552 BIP — a meaningful edge for the batter.
    • Cutter (20% usage) projects to .323 xwOBA over 129 BIP — a roughly even matchup.
    • Sinker (16% usage) projects to .361 xwOBA over 246 BIP — a meaningful edge for the batter.
    • Knuckle Curve (13% usage) projects to .279 xwOBA over 34 BIP — a clear edge for the pitcher.
    • Slider (12% usage) projects to .353 xwOBA over 247 BIP — a meaningful edge for the batter.
    • Changeup (8% usage) projects to .357 xwOBA over 133 BIP — a meaningful edge for the batter.
    • Sweeper (7% usage) projects to .345 xwOBA over 93 BIP — a meaningful edge for the batter.
  2. 2 JB Jake Burger RHB .308
    Pitch-by-pitch projection vs. Jake Burger
    • Four-Seam Fastball (24% usage) projects to .308 xwOBA over 270 BIP — a roughly even matchup.
    • Cutter (20% usage) projects to .328 xwOBA over 74 BIP — a roughly even matchup.
    • Sinker (16% usage) projects to .368 xwOBA over 265 BIP — a meaningful edge for the batter.
    • Knuckle Curve (13% usage) projects to .290 xwOBA over 17 BIP — a roughly even matchup.
    • Slider (12% usage) projects to .242 xwOBA over 209 BIP — a clear edge for the pitcher.
    • Changeup (8% usage) projects to .314 xwOBA over 140 BIP — a roughly even matchup.
    • Sweeper (7% usage) projects to .250 xwOBA over 129 BIP — a clear edge for the pitcher.
  3. 3 JJ Josh Jung RHB .310
    Pitch-by-pitch projection vs. Josh Jung
    • Four-Seam Fastball (24% usage) projects to .327 xwOBA over 250 BIP — a roughly even matchup.
    • Cutter (20% usage) projects to .314 xwOBA over 59 BIP — a roughly even matchup.
    • Sinker (16% usage) projects to .307 xwOBA over 214 BIP — a roughly even matchup.
    • Knuckle Curve (13% usage) projects to .320 xwOBA over 21 BIP — a roughly even matchup.
    • Slider (12% usage) projects to .299 xwOBA over 147 BIP — a roughly even matchup.
    • Changeup (8% usage) projects to .306 xwOBA over 95 BIP — a roughly even matchup.
    • Sweeper (7% usage) projects to .255 xwOBA over 98 BIP — a clear edge for the pitcher.
  4. 4 ED Ezequiel Duran RHB .296
    Pitch-by-pitch projection vs. Ezequiel Duran
    • Four-Seam Fastball (24% usage) projects to .269 xwOBA over 191 BIP — a clear edge for the pitcher.
    • Cutter (20% usage) projects to .308 xwOBA over 52 BIP — a roughly even matchup.
    • Sinker (16% usage) projects to .336 xwOBA over 130 BIP — a roughly even matchup.
    • Knuckle Curve (13% usage) projects to .329 xwOBA over 11 BIP — a roughly even matchup.
    • Slider (12% usage) projects to .242 xwOBA over 108 BIP — a clear edge for the pitcher.
    • Changeup (8% usage) projects to .310 xwOBA over 78 BIP — a roughly even matchup.
    • Sweeper (7% usage) projects to .277 xwOBA over 87 BIP — a clear edge for the pitcher.
  5. 5 JP Joc Pederson LHB .329
    Pitch-by-pitch projection vs. Joc Pederson
    • Four-Seam Fastball (24% usage) projects to .346 xwOBA over 292 BIP — a meaningful edge for the batter.
    • Cutter (20% usage) projects to .364 xwOBA over 64 BIP — a meaningful edge for the batter.
    • Sinker (16% usage) projects to .375 xwOBA over 125 BIP — a meaningful edge for the batter.
    • Knuckle Curve (13% usage) projects to .274 xwOBA over 20 BIP — a clear edge for the pitcher.
    • Slider (12% usage) projects to .256 xwOBA over 130 BIP — a clear edge for the pitcher.
    • Changeup (8% usage) projects to .295 xwOBA over 140 BIP — a roughly even matchup.
    • Sweeper (7% usage) projects to .335 xwOBA over 41 BIP — a roughly even matchup.
  6. 6 WL Wyatt Langford RHB .310
    Pitch-by-pitch projection vs. Wyatt Langford
    • Four-Seam Fastball (24% usage) projects to .321 xwOBA over 366 BIP — a roughly even matchup.
    • Cutter (20% usage) projects to .321 xwOBA over 90 BIP — a roughly even matchup.
    • Sinker (16% usage) projects to .326 xwOBA over 277 BIP — a roughly even matchup.
    • Knuckle Curve (13% usage) projects to .310 xwOBA over 16 BIP — a roughly even matchup.
    • Slider (12% usage) projects to .276 xwOBA over 206 BIP — a clear edge for the pitcher.
    • Changeup (8% usage) projects to .259 xwOBA over 126 BIP — a clear edge for the pitcher.
    • Sweeper (7% usage) projects to .313 xwOBA over 92 BIP — a roughly even matchup.
  7. 7 KH Kyle Higashioka RHB .306
    Pitch-by-pitch projection vs. Kyle Higashioka
    • Four-Seam Fastball (24% usage) projects to .310 xwOBA over 175 BIP — a roughly even matchup.
    • Cutter (20% usage) projects to .319 xwOBA over 42 BIP — a roughly even matchup.
    • Sinker (16% usage) projects to .326 xwOBA over 163 BIP — a roughly even matchup.
    • Knuckle Curve (13% usage) projects to .302 xwOBA over 8 BIP — a roughly even matchup.
    • Slider (12% usage) projects to .282 xwOBA over 125 BIP — a roughly even matchup.
    • Changeup (8% usage) projects to .285 xwOBA over 73 BIP — a roughly even matchup.
    • Sweeper (7% usage) projects to .277 xwOBA over 54 BIP — a clear edge for the pitcher.
  8. 8 AO Alejandro Osuna LHB .312
    Pitch-by-pitch projection vs. Alejandro Osuna
    • Four-Seam Fastball (24% usage) projects to .338 xwOBA over 92 BIP — a roughly even matchup.
    • Cutter (20% usage) projects to .296 xwOBA over 26 BIP — a roughly even matchup.
    • Sinker (16% usage) projects to .297 xwOBA over 31 BIP — a roughly even matchup.
    • Knuckle Curve (13% usage) projects to .341 xwOBA over limited BIP — a meaningful edge for the batter (zone profile imputed from overall vs-handedness wOBA — limited per-pitch-type data).
    • Slider (12% usage) projects to .297 xwOBA over 31 BIP — a roughly even matchup.
    • Changeup (8% usage) projects to .303 xwOBA over 55 BIP — a roughly even matchup.
    • Sweeper (7% usage) projects to .289 xwOBA over 13 BIP — a roughly even matchup.
  9. 9 JS Josh Smith LHB .306
    Pitch-by-pitch projection vs. Josh Smith
    • Four-Seam Fastball (24% usage) projects to .323 xwOBA over 408 BIP — a roughly even matchup.
    • Cutter (20% usage) projects to .289 xwOBA over 104 BIP — a roughly even matchup.
    • Sinker (16% usage) projects to .368 xwOBA over 199 BIP — a meaningful edge for the batter.
    • Knuckle Curve (13% usage) projects to .284 xwOBA over 24 BIP — a roughly even matchup.
    • Slider (12% usage) projects to .281 xwOBA over 126 BIP — a roughly even matchup.
    • Changeup (8% usage) projects to .273 xwOBA over 185 BIP — a clear edge for the pitcher.
    • Sweeper (7% usage) projects to .280 xwOBA over 74 BIP — a roughly even matchup.
Full pitch-by-pitch breakdown, with pitch-zone heatmaps →

Next scheduled meeting: 2026-06-20 game page →