Texas @ Oakland preview
Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum
Last Meeting ( Mar 24, 2014 ) Oakland 2, Texas 6
Yu Darvish has been terrific this season, but the Oakland Athletics have posed a constant challenge for the Texas Rangers' ace. Darvish hopes to solve his prior issues against the Athletics when the teams begin a three-game set in Oakland on Monday. Texas also will try to supply Darvish with some offensive support after scoring a total of seven runs in his first three starts.
There were plenty of runs in the Rangers' most recent game on Sunday, although most of them - 16 of the 18 - were scored by the Chicago White Sox. Texas managed only two hits - both singles - as its five-game winning streak came to an ugly end. Oakland, meanwhile, completed a three-game sweep versus the Houston Astros on Sunday thanks in large part to Josh Donaldson (3-for-4, three RBIs).
TV: 10:05 p.m. ET, FSN Southwest (Texas), CSN California (Oakland)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Rangers RH Yu Darvish (1-0, 0.82 ERA) vs. Athletics RH Dan Straily (1-1, 5.40)
Darvish did not allow a run over 15 innings in his first two starts before yielding two in seven frames in Wednesday's eventual 3-2 win over Seattle. The 27-year-old native of Japan has 23 strikeouts against four walks and has held opponents to a .185 average. However, his lifetime numbers against the Athletics (1-6, 4.30 ERA) include an 0-4 mark with a 4.13 ERA last season.
Straily lasted only 3 2/3 innings in his last outing - an eventual 10-9 win over the Angels last Tuesday. He has surrendered four home runs in 16 2/3 innings this season, although no current members of the Rangers have ever homered against him. Elvis Andrus has endured significant struggles against Straily, going 0-for-14 with five strikeouts against the 25-year-old Californian.
WALK-OFFS
1. Darvish is 1-6 all-time against Oakland and 29-12 against every other team in baseball.
2. Josh Reddick, Yoenis Cespedes and Donaldson are a combined 6-for-41 with 24 strikeouts against Darvish.
3. The A's have committed at least two errors in four straight games, prompting manager Bob Melvin to tell reporters after Sunday's contest, "I don't like it. You can't continually play defense like this and get away with it."
PREDICTION: Rangers 7, Athletics 1