Athletics-Rangers Series Preview

By Matt Furtado / KHTK Sports 1140 

After getting off to a hot start in the 2014 season, the Oakland Athletics stumble into Arlington, Texas to face the co-division leading Rangers on Monday. The A's have hit a bit of a tough spell lately losing five of the last seven games. The green and gold were 13-5 before being swept by the Rangers and splitting a four game set with the Houston Astros last week.

Yu Darvish will toe the rubber for the Rangers in the series opener tonight. For most of the American League, Yu Darvish is one of the most unhittable pitchers in baseball, but the Athletics beg to differ. The A's have hit Darvish well – in eight career starts against Oakland, the Japanese pitcher is 1-6 with a 4.32 ERA. Sonny Gray will start the first of the three game set for the Athletics tonight, and is looking to redeem himself after suffering a 3-0 loss to Texas last Wednesday. Yoenis Cespedes is still questionable for the series after a hamstring injury has kept him out of the lineup for the past three games. If Cespedes does not return, expect to see Brandon Moss playing left field. Scott Kazmir and Jesse Chavez are the probable starting pitchers for the Athletics on Tuesday and Wednesday. They will be opposed by Texas lefties Martin Perez and Robbie Ross Jr. Kazmir and Chavez have both been bright spots for the Athletics this season. The two starters are a combined 4-0 with a 1.97 ERA. Before the injuries to the A's starting rotation, Chavez had a spot in the bullpen waiting for him. He has now been thrown into the starting rotation for the first time in his career and the righty has shown, in his five starts, that he belongs. The A's and Rangers both enter the series atop the American League West Division with records of 15-10.

All three games of the series are slated to start at 5:05 P.M. Pre-game starts at 4:45 P.M.

Tune-in to KHTK Sports 1140 to listen to the Athletics take on the Rangers!