Rangers at Blue Jays
The Texas Rangers will try to secure their first series sweep of the season when they wrap up a three-game set against the host Toronto Blue Jays on Sunday. The Rangers have won a season-best three straight contests after taking the first two games from the Blue Jays.
Texas’ bats have heated up even with offensive stars Elvis Andrus and Adrian Beltre on the disabled list. The Rangers belted three home runs in Saturday’s 7-4 win, including their first back-to-back blasts of the season from Jurickson Profar and Robinson Chirinos. The Blue Jays have dropped four straight contests and six of their last seven. Toronto has lost the last three games despite scoring four or more runs after starting 13-0 when crossing the plate at least four times.
TV: 1:07 p.m. ET, FS Southwest (Texas), Sportsnet One (Toronto)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Rangers LH Martin Perez (2-2, 9.82 ERA) vs. Blue Jays LH J.A. Happ (3-1, 3.72)
Perez’s season had a rocky beginning, but he put together a quality start to beat Seattle last time out. The 27-year-old Venezuelan struck out four while allowing two runs and seven hits over six innings to lower his season ERA more than three runs. Perez is 1-1 with a 2.08 ERA in three career starts against the Blue Jays and threw five scoreless innings in his only previous outing in Toronto.
Happ put together his best performance of the season Tuesday against Boston, striking out 10 while allowing one run and four hits over seven innings in a no-decision. The 35-year-old is missing bats at a career-best rate, averaging 12.7 strikeouts per nine innings and generating swinging strikes at a rate of 14 percent. Happ is 3-2 with a 3.07 ERA in five career starts against the Rangers.
WALK-OFFS
1. Blue Jays OF Teoscar Hernandez has reached base in 12 of his 13 games this season.
2. Profar has registered five RBIs in his last seven games after driving in just two runs in his first 15 contests.
3. Toronto 3B Josh Donaldson (shoulder) began a rehab assignment at Single-A Dunedin on Saturday.