Tampa Bay @ Texas preview
Choctaw Stadium
Last Meeting ( Sep 27, 2009 ) Tampa Bay 7, Texas 6
The Texas Rangers had a chance to do something they hadn’t done since 1986 – sweep the White Sox in Chicago. But the Rangers couldn’t hold a lead and fell in the three-game series finale on Thursday.
The Rangers don’t have too much time to regroup, either, as they immediately return home for a three-game series against the American League East-leading Tampa Bay Rays.
Texas will go with left-hander C.J. Wilson in Game 1. The Rays counter with right-hander Wade Davis.
After making the transition from reliever to starter in spring training, Wilson got off to a red-hot start and quickly established himself as one of the Rangers’ front five. Wilson has struggled since, going 0-2 with a 9.56 ERA in his last three starts.
Against the Twins on Saturday, Wilson retired 17 of the first 18 batters he faced but then fell apart late in the game. He gave up two runs in the fifth and three in the sixth and took the eventual loss.
Still, Wilson has fared well all season against left-handed batters, holding them to a meager .102 average. Right-handers, meanwhile, are hitting .261 off him. Lifetime against the Rays, Wilson is 1-0 with a 1.35 ERA in 13 relief appearances.
Offensively, the Rangers continue to get solid production out of Michael Young, who had an RBI ground-rule double on Thursday. Julio Borbon was the only other Rangers player to record a multi-hit game.
The Rangers could get some help back today with Vladimir Guerrero returning to the lineup. A ball ricocheted off the batting cage and hit Guerrero in his left eye on Wednesday and he was held out for a second straight day on Thursday because of swelling around the area. He could be ready to go against the Rays.
The Rays, meanwhile, will be without shortstop Jason Bartlett, who was placed on the disabled list Thursday with a strained right hamstring.
Catcher Kelly Shoppach was activated when Bartlett went on the DL. Shoppach, who is from the Fort Worth area, makes his return after undergoing surgery on his right knee on April 19. In seven rehab games, Shoppach went 4-for-11 with two RBIs.
The Rays will be looking to win their third straight behind Davis. In his last start Saturday against the White Sox, Davis went 6 1/3 innings, allowing three runs on six hits with two walks.
It will be Davis’ first career start against the Rangers.