Rangers at Mets
The Texas Rangers look to avoid dropping seven games below .500 for the first time since May 8 but they are only four games out of the second wild card in the American League. The Rangers attempt to salvage a split of a two-game interleague series at the New York Mets on Wednesday afternoon before heading back to Texas for a 10-game homestand.
Joey Gallo clubbed his 31st homer in Tuesday's 5-4 loss for the Rangers and has gone deep six times with 12 RBIs during a seven-game hitting streak. Adrian Beltre has homered in back-to-back games and has six RBIs while hitting safely in four in a row. New York's Travis d'Arnaud hit his first homer of the year at Citi Field and first overall since June 27 as the Mets halted a four-game skid. Outfielder Yoenis Cespedes ended a drought of his own with his third homer at Citi Field this season and first at home since June 17.
TV: 12:10 p.m. ET, FSN Southwest (Texas), SNY (New York)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Rangers LH Martin Perez (5-10, 5.46 ERA) vs. Mets RH Rafael Montero (1-7, 5.78)
Andrew Cashner was scratched from Tuesday's start, forcing the Rangers to move A.J. Griffin up one day and slot Perez into Wednesday. Perez is in a tailspin, having lost four consecutive starts and giving up 15 runs and 18 hits over nine innings in his last two turns, including seven runs at Minnesota on Friday. Cespedes is 5-for-13 with a double and triple off Perez.
Montero has escaped with a pair of no-decisions despite rocky performances in his last two starts, giving up four runs and 10 hits at Colorado and five runs with five walks at Seattle. Conversely, he recorded consecutive quality starts in his previous two turns and lost both -- each at home. Montero is winless at Citi Field this season, going 0-6 in 12 appearances (five starts).
WALK-OFFS
1. Rangers 2B Rougned Odor is 2-for-22 in his last six games.
2. Mets OF Michael Conforto swatted his 23rd homer and has hit safely in 10 of 11 games.
3. Texas placed RHP Keone Kela on the 10-day disabled list and promoted RHP Ricardo Rodriguez from Double-A Frisco.