Rangers at Angels
The Texas Rangers will go for their third consecutive victory when they visit the struggling Los Angeles Angels for the finale of the four-game series Sunday. The Rangers knocked off the Angels 4-1 on Saturday as Adrian Beltre recorded three hits, including his first homer of the season, but finished the game with serious injury concerns.
Outfielder Shin-Soo Choo suffered a right calf strain during pregame and his status is uncertain while catcher Robinson Chirinos fractured his right forearm after getting hit by a pitch and is out indefinitely for Texas. Left-hander Martin Perez will try to make it three of four in the series for the Rangers and will oppose veteran right-hander Jered Weaver, who battled a neck injury during the spring. Los Angeles is 1-4 to start the season for the first time since 2010 and faces a 10-game road trip after Sunday’s contest. Albert Pujols registered his 1,700th career RBI for the Angels’ only run Saturday and 2014 American League MVP Mike Trout is off to a slow start (4-for-19, no RBIs, six strikeouts).
TV: 3:35 p.m. ET, FSN Southwest (Texas), FSN West (Los Angeles)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Rangers LH Martin Perez (0-0, 3.00 ERA) vs. Angels Jered Weaver (2015: 7-12, 4.64)
Perez struggled with control and walked four in his season debut Tuesday as he was left without a decision after allowing two runs on two hits in six frames. The Venezuela native made 14 starts last season and managed just three victories while posting a 4.46 ERA, going 0-5 on the road. C.J. Cron is 3-for-6 against Perez, who is 1-1 in five appearances (four starts) with a 2.28 ERA against the Angels.
Weaver is coming off the worst season of his 10-year career and makes his season debut as he attempts to find more velocity. “I know it’s gonna take some work to get back to where I want to be,” Weaver told Yahoo.com. “The motivation for that is all the people that don’t think I can get back.” Elvis Andrus is 24-for-80 with two homers against Weaver, who is 15-8 with a 3.45 ERA in 37 career starts versus Texas.
WALK-OFFS
1. Pujols moved past Jim Thome for 24th place on the all-time list with his 1,700th RBI and is two away from Reggie Jackson for 23rd.
2. Texas SS-OF Ian Desmond has just three hits in 23 at-bats with eight strikeouts in his first six games with the team.
3. The Angels recalled RHP A.J. Achter, who pitched a scoreless inning Saturday, and optioned RHP Cam Bedrosian to Triple-A Salt Lake.