Rangers at Reds
In a season during which multiple major-league teams are on pace to shatter club home-run records, the Texas Rangers have enjoyed plenty of success recently despite a lack of power. The Rangers eye their 14th victory in 20 contests on Sunday, when they attempt to complete a three-game sweep of the visiting Cincinnati Reds.
Texas has belted a total of nine homers through 15 games in June - only Kansas City (eight) has fewer - but that hasn't stopped the club from posting a 10-5 record this month. The Rangers improved to 21-10 since May 15 following Saturday's 4-3 triumph, getting RBI singles from Shin-Soo Choo, Asdrubal Cabrera and Jeff Mathis to build an early four-run advantage. The Reds have dropped eight of their last 11 and find themselves in a last-place tie in the National League Central with Pittsburgh. Yasiel Puig launched a two-run homer while Curt Casali added a solo shot to account for all of the offense on Saturday for Cincinnati, which only has homered 10 times this month.
TV: 1:10 p.m. ET, FS Southwest (Texas), FS Ohio (Cincinnati)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Rangers RH Ariel Jurado (4-2, 3.02 ERA) vs. Reds RH Sonny Gray (2-5, 3.65)
Jurado is 4-for-4 in quality starts since joining the rotation for good on May 26 and posted his third win in as many outings Tuesday in Boston, yielding three runs and five hits over six innings. The 23-year-old Panamanian owns a 2-0 record and 2.95 ERA in seven road appearances (two starts) and has given up exactly one homer in each of his four most recent turns. Jurado is 2-2 with a 5.14 ERA in six interleague games (two starts) as he faces Cincinnati for the first time.
Gray did not allow a home run for a fourth straight start but failed to factor in the decision last Sunday at Philadelphia after permitting three runs on four hits and three walks across 5 2/3 innings. The former first-round draft pick has done an exceptional job against left-handed hitters in 2019, holding them to a .174 average and one homer in 109 at-bats. Elvis Andrus (7-for-37) and Rougned Odor (4-for-31) are among a handful of Rangers who have struggled against Gray, who is 8-3 with a 2.72 ERA in 14 games (13 starts) versus Texas.
WALK-OFFS
1. Odor has exactly one hit in each of the last five contests and is batting .250 this month after hitting .120 in April and .172 in May.
2. Cincinnati rookie OF Nick Senzel exited Saturday's game after a foul ball deflected off his left foot and hit him in the eye. He required several stitches, and his status for Sunday is uncertain.
3. Texas has won six of its last eight on the road after beginning the season by losing 18 of its first 26 away from home.