ARLINGTON, Texas — The Texas Rangers embark to the West Coast for the first time in 2024 as they hope their second tussle with the Oakland Athletics goes better than the first. The biggest difference between now and then is the Athletics have been riding a hot streak since Texas last saw them in mid-April.
To make matters worse, the Oakland Coliseum always seems to give Texas troubles, though this is the penultimate visit to Oakland for the Rangers after battling them in the Bay Area as division rivals for over 50 years. Before they say goodbye for good, they’ll be back for the last series in Oakland ever later in September.
For now though, Oakland is right behind Texas in the standings, just two games out of second place after a surprisingly successful start to their campaign.
Texas Rangers (19-16, 2nd Place AL West, 0.5 GB) @ Oakland Athletics (17-18, 3rd Place AL West, 2.5 GB)
Previously for Oakland…
Oakland’s last bout with the Rangers happened in Arlington, at a time when nobody was giving them much of a chance. Fresh off losing 112 games in 2023, the expectation was for them to play out this season, results be damned, and finish out their tenure at the Coliseum before moving to a minor league stadium in Sacramento for the next three years on their way to a permanent home in Las Vegas.
Beginning with a series win against the defending champion Rangers, they’ve gone on a tear. They proceeded to split a series with the New York Yankees, take one from the AL East-leading Baltimore Orioles, sweep the Pittsburgh Pirates and obliterate the Miami Marlins. Oakland is 8-2 in their last 10, including a 20-4 rout of Miami on Saturday.
The Athletics also enter this series with Texas just 2.5 games out of first place in the AL West. They’ve done so despite a lackluster offense (Saturday being an exception) that is bottom four in baseball in runs scored, and despite a 3rd-worst starting pitcher ERA. It’s their bullpen that has helped seal wins. The A’s are 12-0 when leading after seven innings. Setup man Lucas Erceg and closer Mason Miller have anchored a bullpen that sports a 3.04 ERA, just outside the top five in all of baseball.
The last time Texas took on Oakland, they played them a little light, perhaps not seeing them as a real challenge. The result was their first series loss of the season at the time, as the A’s took two of three by narrow margins. That series also saw the Rangers take its first shutout of the year, while Oakland catcher Shea Langeliers rocketed three home runs in the opening game to set the tone.
The Rangers will be wary of that fact, but will also have a couple of empty slots in their rotation to figure out while in Oakland.
What to watch for
Game 36, 8:40 PM CT: LHP Andrew Heaney (0-4, 5.10 ERA) vs. LHP Alex Wood (1-2, 6.32 ERA)
Game 37, 2:37 PM CT: TBD vs. RHP Ross Stripling (1-5, 4.24 ERA)
Game 38, 2:37 PM CT: RHP Michael Lorenzen (2-1, 3.52 ERA) vs. LHP J.P. Sears (2-2, 3.89 ERA)
Game 39, 90 minutes following Game 38: TBD vs. TBD
The Rangers placed Nathan Eovaldi on the injured list after his start against the Washington Nationals on Thursday. The ace came out with a groin injury and is expected to not be with the team in Oakland. Eovaldi’s spot was next set for Tuesday in an afternoon game for Texas, but that could now be a bullpen game with either Grant Anderson or Owen White making a spot start. If that’s the case, then it’s going to be critical for Andrew Heaney to continue his string of going deeper in games in Monday’s opener.
Heaney had his best start in almost a year against the Nationals on Wednesday, going seven innings, surrendering just one run in 74 pitches. That’s the kind of efficiency that Texas needs without Eovaldi available to anchor the staff and with the quirk of a scheduled doubleheader baked into this four game set with Oakland.
Michael Lorenzen is tasked with the first game of the split doubleheader, having made a nice comeback start against the Royals last Friday. In that game, Lorenzen gave up just one run in six innings, an outing in which he only needed 86 pitches.
Outside of one bad start against the Reds, Lorenzen has been consistent for the Rangers, which is something that they need now that they have a full five-man rotation rehabbing on the injured list.
The second game of the doubleheader could go to Dane Dunning on slightly short rest, not necessarily a problem with the Thursday off-day, but the club could also bring back Jack Leiter to start the game as the team’s allotted extra player.
Leiter made a good impression in his Major League debut in April, even though the box score says otherwise after some plays weren’t made behind him. Currently for Triple A Round Rock, Leiter has made four starts and has a 2.84 ERA; he’s a little home run prone, having given up six in that time, but also has 37 strikeouts to just eight walks. Texas could use Leiter on Tuesday and go with the bullpen game in Wednesday’s nightcap – either one would work with the off day on Thursday.
Oakland has tabbed Alex Wood, Ross Stripling, and J.P. Sears for the mound with the potential for a bullpen game in the second part of the doubleheader. These three were the same trio that faced Texas in Arlington.
Wood battled through four innings against Texas, allowing three walks and five hits including a home run, but ultimately only gave up two runs in an eventual Oakland victory. Stripling was roughed up by Texas, however, as the Rangers scored six times against the veteran on 11 hits and three walks.
Sears, meanwhile, kept inducing weak contact from the Rangers, going 6 ⅓ innings while allowing just one hit and striking out five in a scoreless effort. For a Texas offense that is having trouble stringing together hits, they’ve got to take what they learned from the last time they faced these three and capitalize on what they discovered.
Containing Langeliers will also be a focus for the team, but getting to the starters early needs to be a priority. As mentioned before, the A’s bullpen is very good, and the closer Miller is establishing himself quickly as one of the league’s most electric arms.
The Rangers will be without Wyatt Langford for the foreseeable future, as the rookie hit the IL with a hamstring strain. As the 2024 lineup is learning how to play off each other and find consistency in their hitting, having another gap is just another challenge to overcome for the defending World Series champions.
Do you think the Rangers will make it four series wins in a row in Oakland? Share your predictions with Matt on Twitter @FisherWritesMLB.
