Los Angeles @ Texas preview
Globe Life Park in Arlington
Last Meeting ( Apr 24, 2013 ) Texas 11, LA Angels 3
The Texas Rangers haven’t scored in their last 21 innings, but they might find the perfect remedy Monday as they begin a three-game series against the fading Los Angeles Angels. Texas, which has lost 12 of its last 15 contests to fall six games behind first-place Oakland in the American League West, is facing a Los Angeles team that has fallen 13 games out of first and could be without superstar Albert Pujols for the rest of the season. The slugger was placed on the 15-day disabled list Sunday with a partial tear of the left plantar fascia.
Texas manager Ron Washington held a 40-minute closed-door meeting after his team was shut out for the third time in four games on Sunday. “I didn’t see what I thought were the Texas Rangers today,” Washington said. First baseman Mitch Moreland is mired in a 2-for-36 slump, and Washington indicated that he’ll be rested for two of the next three games.
TV: 7:05 p.m. ET, ESPN, FSN West (Los Angeles), FSN Southwest (Texas)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Angels RH Jered Weaver (5-5, 2.98 ERA) vs. Rangers RH Matt Garza (7-1, 2.87)
Weaver has been outstanding this month, going 4-1 while allowing fewer than two runs in four of his five starts - and five of his last six overall. The 30-year-old struck out nine over eight scoreless innings against Minnesota on Wednesday. Elvis Andrus is 23-for-62 (.371) with two homers against Weaver, who is 13-8 with a 3.75 ERA in 31 career outings against the Rangers.
Garza made a superb first impression with his new team on Wednesday against the Yankees, yielding one unearned run over 7 1/3 innings in the Rangers’ 3-1 victory. The 29-year-old, who was acquired from the Chicago Cubs on July 22, has gone 6-0 with a 1.23 ERA in his last six starts. He faced the Angels on June 13, when he allowed four runs over 6 1/3 frames.
WALK-OFFS
1. Texas is 25-16 against the Angels at home since the start of the 2009 season.
2. Weaver is 15-2 in July since 2011.
3. The Rangers have scored a first-inning run in just two of their last 17 games.
PREDICTION: Rangers 4, Angels 2