Angels at Rangers
The Texas Rangers look to rebound after losing their first series since May 24-26 when they host the American League West-rival Los Angeles Angels for the first of four games Monday night. The Rangers were 6-0-3 in nine series since dropping two of three at the Angels late in May and won the first game at Tampa Bay on Friday, but managed nine hits combined in the final two contests after the 6-2 setback Sunday.
Elvis Andrus has hit safely in eight straight games (13-for-32) while teammate Joey Gallo is 6-for-13 with three homers in the past four contests for Texas, which holds down the second wild card position in the AL by one-half game despite the rough weekend. Mike Minor hopes to pick up where he left off in June, when he went 3-0 with a 1.70 ERA in five outings, as he takes the mound for the Rangers in the series opener and the Angels are expected call up rookie left-hander Jose Suarez to start Monday. Los Angeles continues its see-saw campaign, following up a four-game winning streak by losing the last three contests against Oakland at home by a combined score of 23-5 to fall back under .500 at 42-43. Tommy La Stella, who was named to the All-Star Game on Sunday, had three hits in Sunday’s 12-3 setback and is 16-for-43 in his last 10 outings while teammate Shohei Ohtani went deep twice and is 11-for-23 over his past seven games.
TV: 8:05 p.m. ET, FS West (Los Angeles), FS Southwest (Texas)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Angels LH Jose Suarez (2-1, 5.57 ERA) vs. Rangers LH Mike Minor (8-4, 2.40)
Suarez is slated to make his fifth start of the season and first since June 20, when he allowed five runs on eight hits over five innings in a no-decision at Toronto. The 21-year-old Venezuela native earned the win at Tampa Bay on June 15, yielding three runs on five hits across 5 2/3 innings, and has 19 strikeouts in 21 frames overall. Suarez, who is 15-14 in his five minor league seasons, is 2-0 with a 6.06 ERA in three starts on the road with Los Angeles.
Minor has won each of his last three starts, including a complete-game victory Wednesday when he allowed one run on five hits with seven strikeouts at Detroit. The 31-year-old Vanderbilt product boasts six quality starts in his last eight outings and has not permitted more than three runs in his last 12 trips to the mound. Kole Calhoun is 3-for-7 with a homer versus Minor, who is 3-0 with a 2.23 ERA in seven career appearances (five starts) against the Angels.
WALK-OFFS
1. Los Angeles 1B-DH Albert Pujols needs one hit to tie Tony Gwynn (3,141) for 19th in major league history and two to match Robin Yount (3,142).
2. Texas OF Hunter Pence (groin), who was picked as a starter for the All-Star Game as a DH, could return to the lineup as early as Monday.
3. The teams have split 10 games this season with the Rangers winning all three of the contests played at home by a combined score of 22-11.