Oakland @ Texas preview

Last Meeting ( Jun 16, 2016 ) Texas 5, Oakland 1

The Texas Rangers' once-formidable cushion atop the American League West has shrunk considerably, mostly as a result of two lengthy and largely unsuccessful road trips over the last month. The Rangers hope to embrace the comforts of familiar surroundings again Monday, when they begin a seven-game homestand with the first of three contests against the Oakland Athletics.

Texas owned the best record in the AL at 51-27 on June 28 - one game behind the Chicago Cubs for the best record in the majors at that point - after opening a stretch during which it played 19-of-23 on the road with consecutive wins against the New York Yankees to maintain its 10-game lead in the division. Even with the positive start, the Rangers finished that 10-game trek with a 4-6 record and sandwiched another 3-6 road trip to begin the second half around a series loss at home (1-3) to AL-worst Minnesota right before the All-Star break. Texas is 26-16 in Arlington and will attempt to build on its 2 1/2-game advantage over Houston in the division as well as its three-game winning streak against Oakland. The Athletics, who will visit Globe Life Park for the first time this season and have won nine of their last 14 away from home, completed a 7-3 homestand to open the second half with three straight wins against struggling Tampa Bay.
TV: 8:05 p.m. ET, CSN California (Oakland), FSN Southwest (Texas)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Athletics RH Daniel Mengden (1-5, 5.52 ERA) vs. Rangers LH Martin Perez (7-7, 4.37)
Mengden's struggles in July continued Wednesday versus Houston, as he permitted three runs on five hits and a career-high five walks over as many innings to fall to 0-2 with a 9.33 ERA this month. The Houston native has issued 14 free passes over that stretch and walked a total of 23 batters in his eight career starts spanning 44 frames. Mengden suffered a loss at home against the Rangers on June 16 despite yielding only two runs - one earned - and striking out seven over 6 1/3 innings.
Perez was knocked around for the third straight time in Wednesday's loss to the Los Angeles Angels, surrendering seven runs on 10 hits and three walks over six-plus innings. The 25-year-old Venezuelan has been charged with 24 runs - 19 earned - during his slump, which followed a stretch during which he went 6-0 with a 3.28 ERA over eight turns. Perez allowed four runs in seven frames en route to a win at Oakland on June 14, improving to 4-5 despite a 5.73 ERA in 10 career starts versus the Athletics.

WALK-OFFS
1. Rangers CF Ian Desmond is hitting .376 at home - the best mark in the majors.
2. Athletics LF Khris Davis is batting .357 against Texas with five home runs and 15 RBIs - tying the most by one player against the Rangers this season in each category.
3. Perez is 6-1 with a 2.48 ERA in nine turns at Globe Life Park, but he is 1-6 with a 5.95 ERA in 11 starts away from home.

PREDICTION: Rangers 7, Athletics 3