Rangers face the Rays with 1-0 series lead

Sep 4, 2027, 04:02 am

Tampa Bay Rays (83-57, first in the AL East) vs. Texas Rangers (70-71, second in the AL West)

Arlington, Texas; Friday, 8:05 p.m. EDT

PITCHING PROBABLES: Rays: Nick Martinez (13-4, 2.99 ERA, 1.10 WHIP, 91 strikeouts); Rangers: Trevor Williams (0-0, 3.93 ERA, 1.42 WHIP, 23 strikeouts)

LINE: Rays -117, Rangers -104; over/under is 8 runs

BOTTOM LINE: The Texas Rangers host the Tampa Bay Rays with a 1-0 series lead.

Texas has a 39-30 record in home games and a 70-71 record overall. Rangers hitters have a collective .398 slugging percentage to rank ninth in the AL.

Tampa Bay is 83-57 overall and 36-32 on the road. Rays hitters have a collective .402 slugging percentage to rank eighth in the AL.

Friday's game is the fifth time these teams meet this season. The season series is tied 2-2.

TOP PERFORMERS: Jake Burger has 21 doubles, 23 home runs and 79 RBI for the Rangers. Justin Foscue is 8 for 30 with two doubles and three home runs over the past 10 games.

Liam Hicks has 13 doubles, a triple and 17 home runs for the Rays. Junior Caminero is 12 for 39 with two home runs over the last 10 games.

LAST 10 GAMES: Rangers: 5-5, .270 batting average, 5.44 ERA, outscored opponents by four runs

Rays: 6-4, .249 batting average, 3.30 ERA, outscored opponents by one run

INJURIES: Rangers: Cole Winn: 15-Day IL (shoulder), Peyton Gray: 15-Day IL (elbow), Michael Helman: 60-Day IL (hand), Josh Jung: 10-Day IL (calf), Kyle Higashioka: 10-Day IL (flexor tendon), Nathan Eovaldi: 15-Day IL (elbow), Carter Baumler: 60-Day IL (ribs), Robert Garcia: 60-Day IL (shoulder), Jack Leiter: 60-Day IL (ankle), Jose Corniell: 15-Day IL (elbow), Jalen Beeks: 60-Day IL (back)

Rays: Cole Sulser: 15-Day IL (back), Jake Fraley: 60-Day IL (groin), Jon Heasley: 60-Day IL (elbow), Ben Williamson: 10-Day IL (hamstring), Edwin Uceta: 60-Day IL (shoulder), Gavin Lux: 60-Day IL (shoulder), Ryan Pepiot: 60-Day IL (hip)

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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.