Chicago @ Texas preview
Choctaw Stadium
Last Meeting ( Mar 28, 2010 ) Chi. White Sox 0, Texas 5
C.J. Wilson made it known late last year that he wanted to have a prominent role on the 2010 Texas Rangers. In his mind, that meant either being the closer or moving into the rotation.
Going into spring training, Frank Francisco was the leading candidate for the closer's role, so the Rangers said they would look at Wilson as a rotation candidate. Nobody knew if Wilson would really get a serious look, but, after Derek Holland and Tommy Hunter went down with injuries in spring training, Wilson immediately became a leading candidate for the Rangers’ front five.
And, so far this season, it has paid off for Wilson and the Rangers. Currently Texas’ top starter, Wilson starts his fourth game of the year in the series-opener against Mark Buehrle and the Chicago White Sox on Tuesday night.
Wilson, who was in the bullpen for four years prior to this season, earned his first career victory as a starter in his last start. He threw 6 2/3 scoreless innings, helping the Rangers to a 3-0 victory over the Boston Red Sox.
It was the third straight quality start for Wilson, who looks to extend the streak on Tuesday. Against the White Sox, Wilson has a 3.65 ERA with 10 strikeouts in 10 lifetime appearances.
Offensively, the Rangers could be without slugger Nelson Cruz. In the sixth inning against the Detroit Tigers on Monday, Cruz left the game with a right hamstring injury and is listed as day-to-day. It marked the third time in the past week that Cruz has left a game with a hamstring injury.
Still, the Texas offense rallied from a five-run deficit against Detroit on Monday, but lost it in the ninth when closer Neftali Feliz gave up back-to-back home runs.
With the White Sox coming to town, the Rangers are expected to start Ryan Garko at first base on Tuesday. Garko has a .343 career batting average against the White Sox, which is ninth best among all active opponents with at least 100 at-bats against them.
Texas, of course, also needs all the help it can get against Buehrle.
In his career against Texas, Buehrle has thrown a no-hitter, as well as posted an 11-3 record and 2.93 ERA.
But Buehrle did struggle in his last start against the Tampa Bay Rays on Wednesday, taking the loss after giving up six runs on nine hits with a walk and four strikeouts over 4 2/3 innings.
Regardless, the White Sox certainly head to Texas on a high. They are on a three-game winning streak, including two walk-off victories on Friday and Saturday. On Sunday, Paul Konerko drilling a go-ahead home run in the eighth inning.
And the White Sox have two players who were on the Rangers last year in Omar Vizquel and Andruw Jones.
Jones is swinging the bat well lately, hitting .341 with six home runs and nine RBIs in his last 12 games.
In their six meetings last year, the Rangers took the overall series, 4-2.