Rangers look to get back on winning track vs. Athletics
The Texas Rangers aim to get back above .500 when they continue a nine-game homestand by hosting the Athletics on Monday in the first of a three-game series in Arlington, Texas.
The Athletics will send left-hander Jacob Lopez (3-5, 4.20 ERA) to the mound to start while their American League West rivals will counter with rookie right-hander Jack Leiter (5-6, 4.37).
Texas comes into the series after taking two games from AL Central-leading Detroit over the weekend but dropping the final game of the set 2-1 on Sunday evening. The Rangers collected just 12 total hits in the three games (four in each contest) but gave the league-leading Tigers all they wanted and more.
The Athletics lost twice in three games in Cleveland, most recently an 8-2 setback on Sunday. The loss was made even worse by the injury suffered by outfielder Denzel Clarke as he ran the bases in the eighth inning. He was lifted from the game with right hip discomfort and is listed as day-to-day pending further evaluation.
Leiter has been enigmatic this season, starting off the year with four wins over his first nine starts before enduring a stretch of six starts with four losses and no victories. That swoon ended in his most recent outing as Leiter allowed three runs on five hits and four walks over 5 1/3 innings in a game the Rangers won 7-3 at Houston on July 11.
'Not in a negative way, but there's so many things I can do better,' Leiter said. 'I think just the room for improvement feels very high. It's just a matter of continuing to get better, learn these small lessons, learn from the guys.'
Leiter has not recorded a decision and has amassed a 4.91 ERA in two career appearances (one start) against the Athletics. Both of those came last season as he surrendered six runs (four of them earned) on nine hits and three walks in 7 1/3 innings.
Lopez has made 14 appearances for the Athletics in 2025, with 10 of them starts. He has been solid over his past seven starts, going 3-1 and allowing more than two runs only twice of those seven games.
Lopez yielded two runs on four hits and two walks while striking out five in winning his most recent start at home over Toronto on July 12. He has been successful because of his overall command of the strike zone, by working the count to his advantage with plenty of first-pitch strikes and -- for the most part --avoiding walks.
'I only throw low-90s or whatever people want to say, but I have five pitches that I like to mix in,' Lopez said. 'I think that's a huge part of pitching. I'm just keeping hitters off-balance and trying to be smart.'
Lopez has faced the Rangers twice in his career, with both of those appearances this season. He threw 1 2/3 innings of scoreless relief at home on April 22 before absorbing a loss a week later on the road when he allowed three runs on six hits and a season-high four walks over 2 2/3 innings.
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