Texas @ Boston preview

Last Meeting ( May 6, 2018 ) Boston 6, Texas 1

The Boston Red Sox own the best record in baseball and just finished off a nine-game road trip with six consecutive victories. The Red Sox will play their final seven games before the All-Star break at home, beginning when the Texas Rangers visit for the opener of a three-game series on Monday.

Boston, which had five players named to the American League All-Star team on Sunday, pounded out an average of 8.3 runs over the last six games as the offense got big contributions from the likes of Mookie Betts, J.D. Martinez and Xander Bogaerts. Andrew Benintendi got off to a bit of a slow start on the trip but picked things up in Kansas City over the weekend, going 8-for-11 with seven runs scored in the series and a recording a stretch of 11 straight appearances reaching base before striking out in his final at-bat on Sunday. The Rangers are sitting in last place in the American League West but began their road trip by earning a split of a four-game series at Detroit, capped by a 3-0 victory on Sunday. Texas will try to tame Benintendi and the Boston offense with veteran left-hander Mike Minor on Monday while the Red Sox send lefty Eduardo Rodriguez to the mound.

TV: 7:10 p.m. ET, FS Southwest (Texas), NESN (Boston)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Rangers LH Mike Minor (6-4, 4.63 ERA) vs. Red Sox LH Eduardo Rodriguez (10-3, 3.84)

Minor allowed three or fewer earned runs in each of his last five starts and is 2-0 in that span. The Vanderbilt product was trying to make it three straight wins on Wednesday but had to settle for a no-decision against Houston after allowing three earned runs on seven hits and three walks in six innings. Minor earned a win at home over Boston on May 3, when he yielded three runs and seven hits in six frames.

Rodriguez turned in one of his best outings of the season on Wednesday, scattering three hits across six scoreless innings and striking out six to earn a win at Washington. The Venezuela native lost his previous two starts while serving up a total of 10 runs - nine earned - and 14 hits in 10 innings against Seattle and the New York Yankees. Rodriguez struck out a season-high 10 at Texas on May 5 but was charged with five runs in six innings and did not factor in the decision.

WALK-OFFS

1. Rangers RF Shin-Soo Choo, who was selected to the AL All-Star team as a reserve, set a franchise record by reaching base in his 47th straight game on Sunday.

2. Boston placed LHP Brian Johnson (hip) and C Christian Vazquez (finger) on the 10-day DL Sunday.

3. Texas acquired OF Austin Jackson and RHPs Cory Gearrin and Jason Bahr from the San Francisco Giants in exchange for a player to be named or cash considerations.

PREDICTION: Red Sox 7, Rangers 3