Minnesota @ Texas preview
Choctaw Stadium
Last Meeting ( May 30, 2010 ) Texas 3, Minnesota 6
With more than a month left in the season, there is still time for surprises. Admittedly, it would also be a big surprise if the Texas Rangers and Minnesota Twins somehow don’t end up in the playoffs.
The Rangers, who have an eight-game lead in the AL West, are ready to host the Twins, who have a five-game lead in the AL Central. The four-game series begins on Monday night.
Texas will send up-and-down right-hander Rich Harden to the mound, while Minnesota will counter with right-hander Nick Blackburn.
Harden, who is expected to be activated from the disabled list before the game, has been sidelined with right shoulder tendinitis since Aug. 15. He made one rehab start on Wednesday, going six innings and allowing one earned run and three hits with 10 strikeouts for Triple-A Oklahoma City.
Lifetime against Minnesota, Harden is 1-1 with a 2.30 ERA and has limited the Twins to two or less runs in all five outings. He is 1-1 with a 3.99 ERA at Rangers Ballpark this season.
Harden has struggled for the most part this season, but he did have a 2.55 ERA in his final 12 starts last season.
The bullpen has continued to be solid for the Rangers, however, as Neftali Feliz earned his 31st save on Sunday.
Offensively, the Rangers are coming off of a 6-4 victory over the Baltimore Orioles on Sunday. Texas scored three runs in both the first and fifth innings.
Josh Hamilton belted a three-run home run in the first for his 28th blast of the season. Then, in the fifth, Vladimir Guerrero went deep with a three-run homer of his own.
Hamilton and Guerrero both finished with three hits, while Elvis Andrus and Julio Borbon had two a piece.
Blackburn, meanwhile, is starting in place of Kevin Slowey for the Twins. Slowey landed on the disabled list with pain in his right triceps.
Blackburn started 18 games for the Twins this season before making a relief appearance on July 25, and eventually getting sent down to the minors.
In four starts at Triple-A, Blackburn was 1-0 with a 2.49 ERA and was already scheduled to start on Monday.
Blackburn has not faced the Rangers this season, but he is 0-1 with a 4.50 ERA in two career starts.
Offensively, the Twins rolled to a 4-0 victory over the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim on Sunday, scoring all four runs in the fifth.
Danny Valencia had a solo shot followed by a three-run double from Michael Cuddyer later in the inning.
The Twins swept the Rangers early this season in a three-game series from May 28-30 at Target Field.