The Kansas City Royals (4-11) will be trying to avoid losing three consecutive series when they face the Texas Rangers (8-6) in the first game of their three-game series on Monday night.
Jacob deGrom, 1-0, 4.32 ERA, will get the start for the Rangers. The Royals will counter with Jordan Lyles, 0-2, 5.19 ERA.
Texas is 7-3 in its last 10 games against Kansas City.
**This preview was written before Sunday’s games were played**
The Rangers played well over the past week and they’ve won four of their last six games. They will try to keep the momentum going with a win over the Royals, which will give them their fifth win in their last seven games.
Texas is averaging 5.36 runs per game. Their .245 batting average is 18th in the league. Their .314 on base percentage is 22nd, while their .403 slugging percentage is 18th.
Corey Seager leads the Rangers with a .359 batting average, while Adolis Garcia leads the team with three home runs and 14 RBI.
Texas’ pitching has been good, with the team giving up 4.50 runs per game. Opponents have a .245 batting average against the Rangers, which is 11th in the league. Their 4.06 ERA is also 11th, while their 1.27 WHIP is eighth.
In his last start, deGrom gave up seven hits and two runs in seven innings, leading to an 8-5 win over the Royals. They will need a similar effort from him if they want to get the win.