Athletics at Rangers
After averting a fifth consecutive loss to close out their first road trip of the season, the Texas Rangers enjoyed a day off before opening a nine-game homestand against the resurgent Oakland Athletics on Friday night. Oakland had dropped the first four contests of its 10-game road trip before breezing to three consecutive victories in Baltimore.
Athletics first baseman Khris Davis had the most homers in baseball with 48 a year ago and has not missed a beat, belting two for the second straight day to boost his major league-leading total to nine. "We've seen him go on some runs similar to these. A lot of times, they end up being big home runs, too," manager Bob Melvin said after his club swatted 12 homers and amassed 31 runs on 38 hits in the final three games against the Orioles. The Rangers halted a four-game slide with a 5-2 victory at Arizona on Wednesday but the good vibes were dimmed when closer Jose Leclerc had to be yanked after a second straight rocky outing. “There’s always a level of concern,” manager Chris Woodward said. "He legitimately is the best pitcher on our staff. We have to get him right mentally and physically."
TV: 8:05 p.m. ET, NBCS California (Oakland), FS Southwest (Texas)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Athletics RH Mike Fiers (2-1, 5.94 ERA) vs. Rangers LH Drew Smyly (0-1, 7.11)
Fiers will be making his fifth start of the season and will attempt to bounce back from a shellacking in Houston last time out when he was tagged for six runs and seven hits in only 1 2/3 innings. The 33-year-old did not allow a run in winning each of his previous two outings, tossing six scoreless innings against both Boston and the Los Angeles Angels. Elvis Andrus is 7-for-23 with two homers against Fiers, who owns a 3-3 record and 6.16 ERA in nine appearances (eight starts) versus Texas.
Texas has scored one run in each of Smyly's first two starts but he has not helped his cause by failing to get through the fourth inning. The 29-year-old, who made a career-high 30 starts last year, lasted three innings and allowed one run on four hits in his season debut versus Houston before getting roughed up for four runs on six hits over 3 1/3 frames in a loss at the Angels last time out. Smyly, who has not faced Oakland since July 2016, has limited Marcus Semien to one hit in seven at-bats.
WALK-OFFS
1. Oakland C Josh Phegley has three homers and seven RBIs in his last four games while hitting safely in six in a row.
2. Leclerc had a streak of 25 straight scoreless appearances before giving up four runs and four hits in his last two.
3. Athletics 2B Chad Pinder was 7-for-13 with six runs scored in his last three games while Semien has hit safely in five straight.