ARLINGTON, Texas — It’s only been a little over a week since the Texas Rangers last faced the Boston Red Sox, with the AL East combatants taking two of three from Texas at Globe Life Field in the first series of August for the defending champs. This time, however, they’ll square off in New England at historic Fenway Park.
Texas Rangers (55-63, 3rd Place AL West, 7.5 GB) @ Boston Red Sox (61-55, 3rd Place AL East, 7.5 GB)
State of affairs
The Rangers are coming off a frustrating series in the Bronx, where they also lost two of three to the New York Yankees. The games offered some drama, with a rain out, a shutout, some bounce-back performances, and a late-inning near-comeback — but in the end, the outcome was the same for Texas as they continued to see their chances in the AL West slip away.
There was drama off the field as well, as Nathan Eovaldi was pulled early from the first game of Saturday’s doubleheader with tightness in his right side and left-handed reliever Brock Burke was designated for assignment.
It’s the latest turn in the cycle of injuries that the Rangers’ rotation have suffered. As for Burke, after his temper got the better of him when he broke his hand punching a door after a bad outing in Houston in April, he’s been mostly ineffective since his return.
That’s not to say that everything is peachy in Red Soxland, either. On the field, Boston is coming off a series against the AL West-leading Astros in which they were swept. They threw a bullpen game on Saturday and then recent trade deadline acquisition James Paxton was pulled from his start on Sunday after five pitches. It would be revealed later that Paxton had suffered a right calf strain. Like Eovaldi, Paxton will get an MRI for further evaluation.
Off the field, All-Star Jarren Duran was caught on the TV broadcast shouting a homophobic slur at a fan during Sunday’s blowout loss to Houston. While there is no word of a suspension or punishment from the team or league, a public apology has been made by both Duran and the Red Sox.
Strictly talking baseball, both the Red Sox and Rangers find themselves 7.5 games out of first place in their respective divisions. But the AL East is a much more treacherous division this season as the Rangers, at 55-63, would be cellar dwellers in the East.
The matchups
Game 119, 6:10 p.m. CT - RHP Tyler Mahle (0-1, 1.80 ERA) vs. RHP Brayan Bello (10-5, 5.16 ERA)
Game 120, 6:10 p.m. CT - RHP Jose Ureña (3-7, 3.74 ERA) vs. RHP Kutter Crawford (7-9, 4.11 ERA)
Game 121, 5:10 p.m. CT: TBD vs. RHP Tanner Houck (8-8, 3.02 ERA)
The Rangers are looking to have far better luck against the Red Sox this time around. Last time, in Arlington, the Rangers lost the series at home and were outscored by a fairly hefty margin – 22-15. With Eovaldi’s status in question and both he and Cody Bradford having pitched on Saturday during a doubleheader, the pitcher for the finale is up in the air.
Starting out the series though is Tyler Mahle, making his second start after what should be classified as a successful season debut. Mahle was a hard-luck loser against the Astros last week, being bitten by the same bug that Andrew Heaney has suffered; the righty threw five innings of one-run ball, scattering five hits and being exactly what the Rangers wanted to see upon return from Tommy John surgery. Unfortunately for him, he was dueling a pitcher who ended up an out away from throwing a no-hitter.
Jose Ureña will go for Texas in Tuesday’s contest, hoping for better results than the last time he faced Boston. In the opener of the series in Arlington, Ureña was roughed up badly, giving up seven runs in four innings. As it looks like the Rangers’ rotation is still taking hits, Ureña might have more of a leash to go longer than four innings, assuming he’s effective enough to do so.
The Red Sox will welcome back Brayan Bello from the paternity list to start the opener for Boston. Bello last pitched a week ago, going 4 ⅔ innings and allowing three runs. He’s coming off a July in which he pitched to a 4.29 ERA over 35 ⅔ innings over six starts.
Kutter Crawford will take the mound on Tuesday night having had a very rough stretch as of late. In his last outing, he gave up six runs in 3 ⅔ innings to the Kansas City Royals. When he faced Texas in Arlington earlier this month, Crawford allowed five runs in 5 ⅓ innings but Ureña’s rough outing paved the way for a Boston victory.
The finale, which starts an hour earlier, will see All-Star starter Tanner Houck toe the rubber, coming off a strong start against Houston in which he pitched six innings of one-run ball. Prior to that, against the Rangers, Houck gave up six runs in five innings, taking Boston’s only loss of the series.
With 40 games to go, the Rangers are hard-pressed to make up any ground, especially as Seattle and Houston keep winning. A lot of the rest of the strategy of the season is going to hinge on the health of Eovaldi, Max Scherzer (who has shown little progress in recovering from arm fatigue) and Jacob deGrom (who hasn’t made a rehab start yet). Until then, the Rangers will just have to keep trying to make do with what is increasingly becoming a lost season.
Do you think the Rangers will finish their road trip with a series win in Boston? Share your predictions with Matt on Twitter @FisherWritesMLB.
