ARLINGTON, Texas — The crack of the bat. The smells of popcorn and hot dogs wafting through a bustling concourse. The hope of a new season, at the onset of spring.
And a Flaming Hot Cheetos pretzel, of course.
Texas Rangers Opening Day is Thursday at Globe Life Park, where the club will get the 2023 slate started with a 3:05 p.m. matchup against the Philadelphia Phillies.
That means plenty of baseball over the next six months. And plenty of caloric intake for those watching from the stands.
The Rangers on Monday announced the new additions to their concessions menu. Lately, the mostly deep-fried, oversized food items - who can forget last year's chicken-fried brisket sandwich? - have drawn more preseason buzz than the actual team. That's not quite the case this year, with Jacob deGrom set to take the mound Thursday.
But the folks at Delaware North Sportservice, the Rangers' concession company, did not disappoint.
Here are some of the highlights from Monday's announcements:
Pizza Dawwg
Straightforward: Hot dog. Pizza. Pizza hot dog. Pizza Dawwg.
Flaming Hot Cheetos Pretzel
Love 'em or hate 'em, Flaming Hot Cheetos, and, more specifically, their spicy dust, have worked their way into any number of non-Cheeto food items. This one puts the Flaming Hot Cheeto crust on a pretzel.
Corn Ribs
Honestly, this was initially a mystery to us. So we'll leave it that way. Try it for yourself.
Brisket Croissant
Few bakery items are better than a soft, flaky croissant. Now imagine biting into one and a slice of brisket wedged inside.
Boomstick Burger
This might be the most "extra" item on the list. The two-foot Boomstick hotdog is a legend at Rangers games, going back to when its namesake Nelson Cruz played for Texas. This new iteration ups the ante, replacing the hotdog with a burger. You might want to get a friend or three to share this one.
PLT Sandwich
Ditch the bacon, get a portabella mushroom. And keep the lettuce and tomato. PLT. It really rolls off the tongue.
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