Los Angeles @ Texas preview

LA Angels at Texas

Last Meeting ( Mar 27, 2013 ) Texas 3, LA Angels 6

Josh Hamilton was serenaded by a chorus of boos in his last game at Rangers Ballpark. It will also likely serve as his welcome in his return to Texas on Friday when the Los Angeles Angels begin a three-game series with the Rangers. Hamilton helped Texas to its only two World Series, but he went 0-for-4 with two strikeouts in his final game with the team – a 5-1 loss to Baltimore in a one-and-done wild card game last October. He jilted the Rangers again in the offseason, accepting a $125 million, five-year deal from the American League West rival Angels. Hamilton hasn’t gotten off to the greatest of starts with his new team, however, starting the season 1-for-12 as Los Angeles dropped two of three in Cincinnati.

The Rangers, on the other hand, took two of three from the Houston Astros on the strength of a pitching staff that recorded consecutive shutouts, struck out 43 batters – the most strikeouts by any team in the first three games of a season since 1900 – and fell one out shy of recording a perfect game. Lance Berkman, signed to fill Hamilton’s No. 3 spot in the batting order, went 6-for-10 with three RBIs in the series.

TV: 2:05 p.m. ET, Fox Sports West (Los Angeles), Fox Sports Southwest (Texas)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Angels LH Jason Vargas (2012: 14-11, 3.85 ERA) vs. Rangers LH Derek Holland (12-7, 4.67)

Vargas will make his Los Angeles debut after coming over from the Seattle Mariners in the Kendry Morales trade on Dec. 19. The 30-year-old set a career high in wins in 2012, but fared much better at home (2.74 ERA, .219 batting average allowed) than he did on the road (4.78, .266). Vargas, who suffered through a miserable exhibition season after signing a one-year, $8.5 million deal in January, faced Texas four times last year, finishing with a 1-2 record and 5.04 ERA.

Holland fell off a bit after his breakout 16-win campaign in 2011, posting an ERA of at least 5.06 in each of the first three months of the season before finishing with a more reasonable 7-3 record and 4.40 ERA after the All-Star break. He consistently struggled more often at Rangers Ballpark (5.55 ERA, 1.29 WHIP) than he did on the road (3.65, 1.14). The 26-year-old faced the Angels more than any other team last season and gave up at least six runs in three of his four starts, but somehow managed to still go 2-2.

WALK-OFFS

1. Texas is the first team since 1920 with consecutive 15-strikeout games while not allowing a run.

2. Albert Pujols, Mike Trout, Mark Trumbo and Howie Kendrick are a combined 31-for-90 (.344) with eight homers against Holland.

3. In 19 games last season, the Rangers and Angels accounted for 225 runs. No other combination of opponents for either team accounted for more than 169.

PREDICTION: Angels 7, Rangers 6