Rays at Rangers
The Texas Rangers finished a disappointing road trip on a high note and could add a big bat to the lineup as early as Monday, when they host the Tampa Bay Rays for the opener of their three-game series. The Rangers used some solid pitching and Joey Gallo’s 15th homer of the season to post a 3-1 triumph at Toronto on Sunday and complete a 3-6 road trip, and they have won just two of eight since a 10-game winning streak.
Adrian Beltre (calf) went 7-for-17 in three rehab games and will be re-evaluated Monday before potentially being activated to make his season debut for Texas. The Rangers send Martin Perez to the mound in the series opener while Erasmo Ramirez will start for the Rays despite throwing 12 pitches to record the save in Sunday's 8-6, 15-inning victory at Minnesota. Evan Longoria and Logan Morrison belted back-to-back homers in the 15th as Tampa Bay took two of three from the Twins to improve to 8-3 on the road this month. Corey Dickerson recorded four singles in eight at-bats Sunday to raise his average to .337 and has hit safely in 18 of his last 20 games for the Rays.
TV: 8:05 p.m. ET, FSN Sun (Tampa Bay), FSN Southwest (Texas)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Rays RH Erasmo Ramirez (3-0, 2.92 ERA) vs. Rangers LH Martin Perez (2-5, 3.77)
Ramirez gave up two runs in each of his two starts since rejoining the rotation, combining to surrender 10 hits with seven strikeouts over 11 1/3 frames. The 27-year-old Nicaraguan has walked six batters and struck out 27 in 37 innings while yielding 26 hits and posting a 0.86 WHIP. Shin-Soo Choo is 2-for-4 with a homer and a walk versus Ramirez, who is 0-1 with a 5.72 ERA in 11 career appearances (four starts) against Texas.
Perez went 1-4 with a 4.26 ERA over six starts in April and has improved this month with a 1-1 record and 3.16 mark in four outings after permitting three runs and six hits over 6 1/3 innings in a no-decision at Boston on Wednesday. The 26-year-old Venezuelan has served up only four homers in 57 1/3 frames - one in May. Longoria is 6-for-12 with three doubles and a homer against Perez, who is 0-2 with a 5.33 ERA versus the Rays.
WALK-OFFS
1. Tampa Bay CF Kevin Kiermaier is 9-for-21 with four extra-base hits during his five-game hitting streak.
2. Texas placed LHP Dario Alvarez (elbow) on the 10-day disabled list Sunday and recalled 3B Drew Robinson from Triple-A Round Rock.
3. The Rays pushed their total to an American League-high 74 homers with a pair of blasts Sunday and have gone deep 23 times in their last 12 contests.