Athletics at Rangers
A season that is expected to end in the playoffs - if not the World Series - has not started particularly well for the Texas Rangers. The Rangers have lost four of their first five games and could use a victory in the rubber match of their three-game set against the visiting Oakland Athletics on Sunday.
Texas managed only two hits in Saturday's contest - and none until two outs in the seventh - as they absorbed a 6-1 defeat to Oakland. The Rangers have given up at least four runs in all five games and are allowing 6.4 runs per game on the young season. The Athletics, meanwhile, received three hits from Jed Lowrie on Saturday and two RBIs from Yonder Alonso in addition to the terrific start from Kendall Graveman. Alonso is 4-for-7 with a walk with three runs scored and two RBIs in the series for the A's, who are seeking back-to-back wins for the first time this season.
TV: 3:05 p.m. ET, NBC Sports California (Oakland), Fox Sports Southwest (Texas)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Athletics LH Sean Manaea (0-0, 6.40 ERA) vs. Rangers LH Martin Perez (0-1, 4.50)
Manaea gave up four runs in six innings against the Angels in his season debut after a respectable rookie season (7-9, 3.86 ERA) in 2016. He faced Texas four times last year, going 1-1 with a 4.18 ERA and a 22-to-2 strikeout-to-walk ratio. Elvis Andrus (7-for-11) caused Manaea a lot of problems, as did Ryan Rua (5-for-11).
Perez allowed three runs over six frames against Cleveland last Tuesday, although yielding six hits and four walks was not an ideal way to begin his season. The 26-year-old Venezuelan tied his career high with 10 victories last year and his ERA of 4.39 was right in line with the previous two campaigns. Lowrie has faced Perez 19 times - more than any other A's player - and has posted a .368 average, while Khris Davis is 5-for-10 with two doubles and a homer against him.
WALK-OFFS
1. Oakland 3B Trevor Plouffe was scratched with an illness Saturday and is questionable for Sunday.
2. Texas OF Nomar Mazara was leading the majors in hitting at .588 before going 0-for-4 with three strikeouts Saturday.
3. Rangers 3B Joey Gallo has gone hitless in four of his first five games and enters Sunday with a .125 average.