Series Thread: Rangers Travel to Oakland for Three Games August 7-9

[saddles]

Series Preview via AP​

Texas Rangers (66-46, first in the AL West) vs. Oakland Athletics (32-80, fifth in the AL West)

Oakland, California; Monday, 8:40 p.m. CDT

PITCHING PROBABLES: Rangers: Dane Dunning (9-4, 3.22 ERA, 1.14 WHIP, 79 strikeouts); Athletics: Ken Waldichuk (2-7, 6.52 ERA, 1.74 WHIP, 89 strikeouts)


BOTTOM LINE: The Texas Rangers are looking to continue a six-game win streak with a victory over the Oakland Athletics.


Oakland is 32-80 overall and 17-39 in home games. The Athletics are 17-26 in games when they record at least eight hits.

Texas is 66-46 overall and 26-26 in road games. The Rangers have gone 52-12 in games when they scored five or more runs.

Monday’s game is the eighth time these teams meet this season. The Rangers have a 5-2 advantage in the season series.

TOP PERFORMERS: Esteury Ruiz has 19 doubles, a triple and a home run for the Athletics. Zack Gelof is 10-for-40 with a double, four home runs and five RBI over the past 10 games.

Adolis Garcia leads Texas with 29 home runs while slugging .533. Marcus Semien is 13-for-37 with four home runs and 10 RBI over the past 10 games.

LAST 10 GAMES: Athletics: 4-6, .242 batting average, 5.36 ERA, outscored by 13 runs

Rangers: 7-3, .265 batting average, 3.41 ERA, outscored opponents by 21 runs

INJURIES: Athletics: Tony Kemp: day-to-day (ribs), Richard Lovelady: 15-Day IL (arm), Ryan Noda: 10-Day IL (jaw), Yacksel Rios: 60-Day IL (finger), Carlos Perez: 10-Day IL (thumb), James Kaprielian: 15-Day IL (shoulder), Mason Miller: 60-Day IL (elbow), Zach Jackson: 60-Day IL (elbow), Drew Rucinski: 60-Day IL (illness)

Rangers: Josh Jung: day-to-day (thumb), Brad Miller: 10-Day IL (hamstring), Nathan Eovaldi: 15-Day IL (elbow), Jonah Heim: 10-Day IL (wrist), Jacob deGrom: 60-Day IL (elbow), Jake Odorizzi: 60-Day IL (shoulder), Brett Martin: 60-Day IL (shoulder)

 

[saddles]

 

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[saddles]

From Jeff Wilson:

Not all injury news over the weekend was bad news.

Right-hander Nathan Eovaldi (forearm) played light catch Friday and dialed up the intensity Saturday, throwing on flat ground. He exited both sessions with no pain and said that his arm just needs to be built up again.

Bochy said that could take around two or three weeks, and he would be open to letting Eovaldi finish his build up in games. It would be like spring training, when pitchers work one more inning than the previous outing.

With Martin Perez in the bullpen and likely to be joined by another, the Rangers could let Eovaldi return able to throw three innings and build from there.

 

[True Rangers Fan]

Drafting top World Series contenders after Trade Deadline

2. Texas Rangers

Petriello: It feels almost unfair to the Braves to have any other team second. It feels like it should be more like “1) Braves, 2-6) spots held empty out of respect, 7) the next-best team.” That’s how large the gap feels here, in part due to how they’re the only team that’s absolutely guaranteed to win their division, and in part because of how loaded their roster is. But a second team we must pick, and so I choose the Rangers, who probably did the most in the weeks leading up to the Deadline to improve their right-now chances, adding not only Max Scherzer and Jordan Montgomery, but also Aroldis Chapman earlier in July.

And, I might add, Austin Hedges, who, despite his extreme offensive shortcomings, is something like the best defensive catcher in baseball, which is suddenly an extremely important addition given the uncertainty over whether All-Star Jonah Heim’s wrist will allow him to return this year. Maybe they’ll win the division, and maybe they won’t, but they’ll be in the postseason either way. Suddenly, instead of starting a top three of, let’s say, Jon Gray, Dane Dunning, and Andrew Heaney (if Nathan Eovaldi’s arm prevents him from being available) it’s Scherzer, Montgomery, and [pick one]. Add that to the only lineup that’s scored more runs than Atlanta? Honestly, if they do this, it’s the greatest short-term turnaround in history, given that they lost 102 games all of two years ago.

 

[WastinSomeTime]

Drafting top World Series contenders after Trade Deadline

2. Texas Rangers

Petriello: It feels almost unfair to the Braves to have any other team second. It feels like it should be more like “1) Braves, 2-6) spots held empty out of respect, 7) the next-best team.” That’s how large the gap feels here, in part due to how they’re the only team that’s absolutely guaranteed to win their division, and in part because of how loaded their roster is. But a second team we must pick, and so I choose the Rangers, who probably did the most in the weeks leading up to the Deadline to improve their right-now chances, adding not only Max Scherzer and Jordan Montgomery, but also Aroldis Chapman earlier in July.

And, I might add, Austin Hedges, who, despite his extreme offensive shortcomings, is something like the best defensive catcher in baseball, which is suddenly an extremely important addition given the uncertainty over whether All-Star Jonah Heim’s wrist will allow him to return this year. Maybe they’ll win the division, and maybe they won’t, but they’ll be in the postseason either way. Suddenly, instead of starting a top three of, let’s say, Jon Gray, Dane Dunning, and Andrew Heaney (if Nathan Eovaldi’s arm prevents him from being available) it’s Scherzer, Montgomery, and [pick one]. Add that to the only lineup that’s scored more runs than Atlanta? Honestly, if they do this, it’s the greatest short-term turnaround in history, given that they lost 102 games all of two years ago.

My pick one right now is Dunning. Of course that can change depending how Dunning and Heaney finish the season.

 

[Kelleyman]

Defense counts for something. Think Hedges sticks around a bit. High energy guy too

 

[True Rangers Fan]

a lot of reports are coming out about the White Sox today from former players. Hate to see Elvis finish out his career in such a cesspool.

 

[Uncle Siggy]

Defense counts for something. Think Hedges sticks around a bit. High energy guy too

This is kinda old but should explain why the Rangers acquired him...

The Call-Up: Austin Hedges | Baseball Prospectus

The Padres call up a .257/.317/.392 career hitter, and it's must-see TV.

www.baseballprospectus.com

 

[Kelleyman]

This is kinda old but should explain why the Rangers acquired him...

The Call-Up: Austin Hedges | Baseball Prospectus

The Padres call up a .257/.317/.392 career hitter, and it's must-see TV.

www.baseballprospectus.com

I have had my eye on this catcher for years hoping his offense would improve but still he is a great pick up due to his elite defense
And yes he has demonstrated this

 

[Kelleyman]

So my baseball construction philosophy has alway been finding great defense up the middle with the big bats on the corners
Still always thought the hardest to get a big bat out of is the catcher position. We found a good one in Heim but you can’t just let go of Hedges
Nice to have a couple unicorns up the middle
Corey is an elite hitter without elite defense but works well with Marcus. 2 big hitters there

So we are really deficient in LF and the vote is out in CF but our farm is really well constructed to fill these spots later on

So if pitching holds up and our injuries heal we remain a very dangerous team. Even Ben Verlander ranks us #2 ahead of his fav the Astros

Good times ahead of things play out right

 

[DT LUNA]

I have had my eye on this catcher for years hoping his offense would improve but still he is a great pick up due to his elite defense
And yes he has demonstrated this

I have remarked twice on how well he has done since becoming a Ranger. Very good at blocking pitches in the dirt.

 

[Kelleyman]

I have remarked twice on how well he has done since becoming a Ranger. Very good at blocking pitches in the dirt.

Should prove interesting who we keep up when Heim comes back. Given his injury though I don’t see Hedges moving and not even if Heim is healthy. I suspect Heim gets a lot of DH time

 

[DT LUNA]

Should prove interesting who we keep up when Heim comes back. Given his injury though I don’t see Hedges moving and not even if Heim is healthy. I suspect Heim gets a lot of DH time

Think so too till he is able to catch again.

 

[Kelleyman]

Look down further and you might see Altuve lol

 

[saddles]

Whatever each of us wants, it has never appeared the Rangers have ever been interested in keeping a defense-only catcher. Acquiring Hedges was only done because of Heim suddenly becoming incapacitated for what could have been long term.

Hedges hasn't revealed anything of an unexpected nature since being acquired. Therefore, I don't think they will change their minds. I think he is gone when Heim proves he is close to his old self.

Keeping two catcher-only bench players, when you only have 4 bench players, is really hard to do without shorting yourself significantly on your bench.

 

[Kelleyman]

2 bucks a ticket

 

[saddles]

 

[saddles]

2 bucks a ticket

I sat in those bleachers dozens of times.

 

[DT LUNA]

I sat in those bleachers dozens of times.

Me too