Texas Rangers Series Preview: Arizona Diamondbacks

After yesterday’s off day, the Rangers are set to play a quick two game series against the Arizona Diamondbacks to wrap up the first homestand of the season.

Game one will see right-hander Kyle Gibson make his Rangers debut. A free-agent Texas signed in the off season, Gibson has pitched against Arizona once in his career. In 2014, he held the Diamondbacks to one run over seven innings in a 6-3 win. Last season, Gibson went 13-7 with a 4.84 ERA with a 9.00 K/9 rate and 1.44 WHIP.

RHP Merrill Kelly will pitch for Arizona. This is his second season in the big leagues — as a rookie last season he went 13-14 with 4.42 ERA, with a 7.76 K/9 rate and 1.31 WHIP.

In the final game, it’ll be a matchup of aces, with LHP Madison Bumgarner taking the mound for Arizona and Lance Lynn for Texas.

Bumgarner had a shoutout going into the sixth inning on his Opening Day outing, although he got the loss after Eric Hosmer chased him from the game after hitting a two-out three-run double.

Bumgarner last faced the Rangers in 2015, picking up a loss after giving up six runs on nine hits in seven innings.

Lynn went 1-1 with a 4.50 ERA in two starts last season against Arizona. In his career against the D-backs, Lynn is 6-1 with a 3.22 ERA in 13 games.