Los Angeles @ Texas preview
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Last Meeting ( Jul 10, 2024 ) Texas 2, LA Angels 7
Wyatt Langford might be a 22-year-old rookie, but one wouldn't know it with the way the Texas Rangers left fielder is delivering of late, both at the plate and on the field.
One night after mashing a walk-off grand slam, Langford went 3-for-4 with two RBIs and three runs in the Rangers' 10-6 win against the New York Yankees on Wednesday. And with the Yankees continuing to threaten in the ninth after narrowing the deficit, he robbed Giancarlo Stanton of a three-run homer with a game-ending catch at the wall.
He and the Rangers will look to keep rolling when they open a four-game series against the visiting Los Angeles Angels on Thursday.
"You look at last night and tonight, he continues swinging well, got some big hits for us, and that catch," Texas manager Bruce Bochy said postgame. "He's playing some terrific ball. He's in a good place right now."
Since the calendar turned to September, Langford is hitting .438 (7-for-16) with two home runs and eight RBIs in four games.
His offense was much appreciated in the absence of shortstop Corey Seager, who on Wednesday was placed on the 10-day injured list due to a sore right hip.
The Rangers (67-73) don't have a timeline for his potential return.
"You want to be out there with your guys," Seager said. "We're finally starting to play some good baseball, and this isn't the time you want to miss. It's definitely frustrating. ... You want to get back out there. We'll see, though. I hope (to play again this season)."
Texas enters the set against the Angels having won 11 of its past 16 games and having taken each of its past three series.
Rangers left-hander Cody Bradford (4-2, 3.21 ERA) will look for his fifth straight quality start in the opener. Over his past four starts, he has compiled a 2.77 ERA, yet he went 0-2 due to a lack of run support.
Bradford is 0-1 with a 7.56 ERA in two career starts against the Angels, both last year.
Los Angeles (58-81) heads to Texas looking to build off a 10-1 win against the Dodgers on Wednesday. It was the Angels' fourth victory in six games after a seven-game slide.
"I hope the offense is waking up and able to finish the rest of the season like that," manager Ron Washington said postgame. "It would be nice to finish the rest of the season swinging the bats and getting that type of pitching. (Griffin) Canning was outstanding tonight."
Left fielder Taylor Ward is among the Angels players who are aiming to end the season on a positive note. He enters the series on a 14-game hitting streak in which he is batting .327 (18-for-55). He went 3-for-4 with a homer and two RBIs on Wednesday.
Prior to the streak, he was batting .234 on the season.
"I definitely feel much better," he said. "I feel like I'm back to where, when I swing, I'm putting a good barrel on it. Mechanically, things are really feeling good."
Los Angeles rookie right-hander Jack Kochanowicz (2-3, 4.96 ERA) gets the call to face the Rangers for the first time in his career. His most recent start was the best of his six major league appearances, as he tossed six shutout innings in a road win over the Detroit Tigers on Aug. 29.
--Field Level Media