Rangers series preview: Boston Red Sox

The Rangers will finally close out their 20 games in 20 days with a home series against the Boston Red Sox. This will be the first time in his career that Mitch Moreland will play in Arlington in road grays.

Boston is first in the AL East, three games ahead of the Yankees, and currently on a four game win streak. They have a 47-35 record and they’re 7-3 for their last 10.

The Rangers are fourth in the AL West and hold a 40-42 record. They’re 4-6 for their last 10.

The Red Sox had a three game sweep of the Rangers when they played in Boston at the end of May.

GAME ONE Porcello vs Perez

Martin Perez is coming off 10-day DL to face the reigning AL Cy Young.

This season Porcello is 4-10 with a 5.06 ERA. In his last seven starts, Porcello is 1-5 with a 6.07 ERA. Each of those starts he’s gone at least six innings. He is 6-4 in his career against the Rangers with a 5.66 ERA. Earlier this season he went 6.2 against the Rangers and gave up five runs on 11 hits and struck out four.

Rougned Odor has a 1.667 OPS going 6-9 with four RBI. Beltre is 10-28 with two walks, .936 OPS. Choo has the most plate appearances against Porcello and is 13-43 with six doubles, six RBIs, four walks, but 10 strikeouts. Napoli is 8-27 with a walk and 12 strikeouts.

Perez is 2-2 with a 6.12 ERA in his career against Boston. He went 6.1 innings earlier this season against them, gave up four runs on nine hits, two walks, and three strikeouts but got the no decision.

GAME TWO Darvish vs Price

David Price is 3-2 with a 4.61 ERA for the season and in his last start he went seven innings against the Twins giving up just three runs on six hits and seven strikeouts, earning the win. Price is 3-5 with a 5.52 ERA in his regular season career against the Rangers. He faced the Rangers twice in 2016, once in June and once in July. In the June start he went just 2.1 and gave up six runs on 12 hits and got the no decision. In the July 5th game, he went eight innings and gave up three runs on eight hits and one walk, struck out 10 but got the loss.

(Should be All-Star) Elvis Andrus has the most plate appearances against Price and his 21-44 with seven walks and nine RBIs, 1.952 OPS. Napoli has the second most plate appearances but is just 11-46 with two homers, four walks and 24 strikeouts. Choo is 11-29 with two homers, two walks, five RBIs and a 1.027 OPS. Beltre is 13-44 with four doubles, two home runs, two walks, seven RBIs and 10 strikeouts.

Darvish hasn’t faced the Red Sox since May of 2014... one of his many near no-hitters. He’s faced just four batters on their current lineup, Pedroia is 4-11 with three strikeouts. The other three, Bogaerts, Bradely, Young each have three plate appearances, no hits.

GAME THREE Fister vs Cashner

Doug Fister is 0-1 with a 4.91 in two starts this season. Fister is 5-6 with a 5.19 ERA in his career against the Rangers.

Odor is 7-16 with three doubles, two homers, seven RBIs and three strikeouts with a 1.438 OPS against Fister. Choo is 12-33 with three doubles, two homers, two walks, five RBI, and four strikeouts.

Cashner has faced Boston just once, earlier this year when he went five innings and gave up five runs on six hits and four walks, striking out two. Cashner got the loss.