The Miami Marlins (43-48) will host the Texas Rangers (41-49) on Thursday as the second half of the MLB season gets underway. This is not a matchup that happens often, as it will be the first head-to-head meeting between these two clubs since 2017.
As the trade deadline approaches, the Rangers are not close to contention. They are third in the AL West, 17.5 games out of first. The Rangers are 7.5 games out of the final wild-card spot, but there are a lot of teams in front of them as they are 11th in the AL overall. The Rangers come into the second half of the season on a losing streak after being swept at home in four games by the Seattle Mariners.
Earned. Not Given. ?? pic.twitter.com/J4Pe57SDNa
— Texas Rangers (@Rangers) July 20, 2022
Texas is 11th scoring 4.5 runs per game, eighth with 117 home runs, and second with 74 stolen bases. Corey Seager leads the club with 22 home runs, 52 RBI, and a .324 on-base percentage. The Rangers pitching staff is 21st with a 4.10 ERA and is 20th in defensive efficiency.
Jon Gray (6-4, 3.71 ERA) will make his 16th start of the season of when he faces Miami. He is 2-4 with a 4.12 ERA in 11 road starts this season. Gray is 3-3 with a 4.19 ERA in seven career appearances against Miami, but he has not faced them since 2019. This will be the first appearance for Gray since July 13, when he tossed seven shutout innings and only allowed one hit in a 5-2 win over the Oakland A's.