Texas Rangers look to stay hot against struggling White Sox

The Texas Rangers host the Chicago White Sox for a three-game set beginning tonight at Globe Life Park. Texas will look to win their 5th consecutive series.

Winners in nine of their last eleven games and each of their last four series, the Texas Rangers will look to stay hot in a three-game set against the Chicago White Sox beginning tonight.

The series forecasts as follows:

Game 1: Yovani Gallardo (12.08 ERA) vs. Dylan Covey (3.45 ERA)

Game 2: Bartolo Colon (4.72 ERA) vs. Carlos Rodon (3.70 ERA)

Game 3: Cole Hamels (3.61 ERA) vs. Reynaldo Lopez (3.73 ERA)

Matchup to Watch

The series finale is of course the matchup to watch. With the way the Rangers are playing, you should watch every game, but game three stands out as a matchup of aces. Cole Hamels is the owner of an encouraging 3.61 ERA and a winner in three of his last five starts. He also has a lot to prove with the MLB trade deadline just around the corner.

Every start Hamels has left in a Texas Rangers uniform is a tryout for another team. Scouts will be watching his every move from now until he is traded. Hopefully Texas benefits from Hamels’ tryouts by winning the rest of his starts.

The veteran lefty will be motivated; however, the Ranger offense will have to play its part. Last time they faced Reynaldo Lopez, they watched him toss eight innings of shutout ball. Lopez struck out eight Rangers in the May 20th start.

Though, much has changed since then. Texas now has Adrian Beltre and Elvis Andrus in the lineup. They will also have the hottest hitter in all of baseball leading off against Lopez. That’s right, Shin-Soo Choo will look to extend his on-base streak to 41 games. If he does so, he will overtake Philadelphia Phillies’ outfielder Odubel Herrera with the longest on-base streak in the 2018 MLB season.

Players to Watch

Choo is the player to watch for obvious reasons, but other Rangers deserve some attention as well. Best friends Adrian Beltre and Elvis Andrus will have dominant series’. Even in his old age and with his disrupted season, Beltre has not lost a beat. He has slashed .391/.500/.609 over his last six games. He is also the only Ranger currently hitting above .300 on the season (.313).

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Beltre is in the midst of trade talks as well; however, he recently stated his desire to be a Texas Ranger in 2019. He is clearly comfortable in Texas. His leadership is needed here, as is his talent. Beltre knows that and that is why the Rangers will try to keep him. Expect a great weekend series from Beltre, just as you expect from him every weekend.

Elvis Andrus seems to be getting back into a rhythm after missing over two months of the regular season. He went 2-for-5 in the final game against the San Diego Padres Wednesday night. Both of his hits were vintage Andrus doubles off the left field wall at Globe Life Park.

Next: Rangers' Untouchables in Trade Negotiations

Andrus has always been the engine that makes the Texas Rangers offense go. While Shin-Soo Choo has succeeded in that role over the past month and a half, there is always room for another energizer.