Los Angeles @ Texas preview
Globe Life Park in Arlington
Last Meeting ( Jul 29, 2013 ) LA Angels 3, Texas 4
Texas Rangers manager Ron Washington won’t need to hold any meetings before Tuesday’s matchup with the visiting Los Angeles Angels. His team is riding a wave of much-needed momentum after Geovany Soto hit a walk-off home run in Monday’s 4-3 victory. The win came one game after Washington held a 44-minute, closed-door meeting with his team on Sunday after the Rangers lost their fourth straight game.
While Texas remains in the playoff hunt, Los Angeles has begun looking toward next season. Several players have been mentioned in trade talks, but first baseman Mark Trumbo said the team isn’t about to give up on this year. “There are a lot of motivated dudes in here,” Trumbo said. “Although the record doesn’t reflect that, I think everybody is committed to winning.”
TV: 8:05 p.m. ET, FSN West (Los Angeles), FSN Southwest (Texas)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Angels LH C.J. Wilson (11-6, 3.18 ERA) vs. Rangers LH Derek Holland (8-6, 3.06)
Wilson allowed three runs over seven innings against the Athletics last Thursday, improving to 7-1 with a 1.96 ERA over his last eight starts. The 32-year-old is 6-3 with a 4.21 ERA in 11 starts on the road this season. Adrian Beltre is 10-for-28 with a home run against Wilson, who is 0-2 with a 7.65 ERA in five career starts against the Rangers.
Holland was a hard-luck loser last Thursday, when he allowed two runs over 7 1/3 innings in a 2-0 loss to the against the Yankees. The 26-year-old lefty has surrendered a total of six earned runs over his last three starts covering 22 1/3 innings. Howie Kendrick is 16-for-43 (.372) with two homers when facing Holland, who owns a 5.68 ERA in two starts against the Angels this season.
WALK-OFFS
1. Texas SS Elvis Andrus is batting .325 (13-for-40) during his 11-game hitting streak.
2. The Angels traded LHP Scott Downs to Atlanta for minor-league RHP Cory Rasmus, who was assigned to Triple-A Salt Lake City.
3. Washington has 577 career wins, four shy of Bobby Valentine’s Rangers record of 581.
PREDICTION: Rangers 4, Angels 1