Los Angeles @ Texas preview

Last Meeting ( Sep 11, 2016 ) Texas 2, LA Angels 3

The Texas Rangers' magic number to clinch the American League West is five, but they are not exactly looking like a contender at the moment. The Rangers will try to shave a game off their magic number and turn things back in a positive direction when they host the Los Angeles Angels in the opener of a three-game series on Monday.

Texas has dropped three of four and received sub-par starts from Derek Holland, Yu Darvish, Cole Hamels and Colby Lewis in those four games. The Rangers sit 1 1/2 games ahead of the Cleveland Indians in the race for the best record in the AL and homefield advantage throughout the playoffs, and are 48-24 at home with two weeks to go. The Angels spent the weekend spoiling another team's division title hopes by taking two of four from the Toronto Blue Jays. Los Angeles, which sits in last place in the AL West, took the final two of a four-game series as its offense, which totaled four runs during a five-game slide last week, broke out behind Albert Pujols and Mike Trout.

TV: 8:05 p.m. ET, FSN West (Los Angeles), FSN Southwest (Texas)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Angels RH Jhoulys Chacin (5-8, 5.43 ERA) vs. Rangers LH Martin Perez (10-10, 4.20)

Chacin has bounced back and forth between the rotation and the bullpen this season and will be making his second straight start after a strong outing against Seattle on Wednesday. The Venezuela native allowed one run and three hits without issuing a walk in six innings but did not factor in the decision in a game the Angels went onto lose 2-1. Chacin has made three appearances - one start - against Texas this season and surrendered a total of four runs in 12 innings.

Perez has been strong in three consecutive outings and held Houston to two runs on three hits and three walks in 6 1/3 innings last Monday. The 25-year-old allowed a total of four earned runs in 18 1/3 innings over his last three starts, the last two of which have come with five or more days' rest as he nears the end of his first full season in a major-league rotation and the team monitors his workload. Perez was not at his best at Los Angeles on July 20, when he was ripped for seven runs and 10 hits in six innings.

WALK-OFFS

1. Angels 3B Yunel Escobar is 1-for-23 in his last six games.

2. Rangers LF Carlos Gomez is 5-for-13 with two homers and four RBIs in the last three contests.

3. Pujols has recorded multiple hits in three of the last four games.

PREDICTION: Rangers 6, Angels 2