New York @ Texas preview

Last Meeting ( Jul 24, 2014 ) Texas 2, NY Yankees 4

Even Yu Darvish is having trouble winning games as the Texas Rangers attempt to end their long slide when they open a three-game series against the host New York Yankees on Monday. Darvish is just 2-4 over his last seven outings after falling to the Yankees last Wednesday in a rain-shortened affair. New York won three of four in last week’s series against the Rangers, who have dropped 29 of 35 games after losing to Oakland on Sunday.

New York fell into third place in the American League East when it lost to Toronto on Sunday for the second straight day. Yankees manager Joe Girardi doesn’t subscribe to the theory that a team like Texas should help the Yankees pad the victory column. “People talk about when you’re playing teams that are struggling – ‘Is this a chance for you to move up?’” Girardi said to reporters. “Yeah, but you don’t know how well they’ll be playing when you get there.”

TV: 8:05 p.m. ET, YES (New York), FSN Southwest (Texas)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Yankees RH David Phelps (5-4, 3.77 ERA) vs. Rangers RH Yu Darvish (9-6, 2.92)

Phelps has won back-to-back starts to stretch his unbeaten streak to eight outings. He is 4-0 during the span after defeating the Rangers on Friday, when he gave up one run and five hits in five innings in the rain-shortened game. Phelps is 2-0 with a 4.38 ERA in three career appearances (two starts) against Texas.

Darvish gave up two runs and four hits in 4 1/3 in last week’s loss to New York and is 2-1 with a 1.85 ERA in four career outings against the Yankees. The All-Star hurler matched a season best with 12 strikeouts in 6 2/3 innings while beating Toronto in his previous outing and has fanned 10 or more six times this season. Darvish is 4-3 with a 2.49 ERA in nine home starts this year.

WALK-OFFS

1. Yankees 3B Chase Headley hit his first homer on Sunday since joining the club and has at least one hit in all six games since being acquired from San Diego.

2. Texas 3B Adrian Beltre went 4-for-11 with a homer in the series against Oakland after going 3-for-17 in four games against the Yankees.

3. New York 1B Mark Teixeira (lat strain) will be re-evaluated Monday but isn’t expected to play in the series against Texas.

PREDICTION: Yankees 4, Rangers 1