The Rangers are 24-26 and walking wounded — Corey Seager, Wyatt Langford, Josh Smith and Cody Freeman are all on the shelf — but they finally caught a break with their ace. Eovaldi got scratched May 11 with left-side tightness, then came back on May 18 and threw 7 shutout innings against the Astros with 8 strikeouts. That bumped him to 5-4 with a 3.62 ERA, and the lat scare looks like it's behind him.
- Day-To-DayMacKenzie Gore SP — An MRI on Gore's left lat came back negative, and he is on track to make his next scheduled start Sunday versus the Angels, Shawn McFarland of The Dallas Morning News reports.
- Day-To-DaySebastian Walcott SS — Rangers GM Ross Fenstermaker said Tuesday that Walcott could be ready for game action in August, "if all things according to plan" in his rehab from the internal brace procedure he underwent on his right elbow, Shawn McFarland of The Dallas Morning News reports.
- 10-Day-ILWyatt Langford LF — Langford will undergo another strength test on his right forearm Wednesday and could begin swinging a bat by Friday, MLB.com reports.
- 10-Day-ILCorey Seager SS — Rangers president of baseball operations Chris Young said Monday on 105.3 The FAN that Seager (back) will be placed on the injured list, Shawn McFarland of The Dallas Morning News reports.
- 10-Day-ILJosh Smith 2B — Smith (lower body/wrist) was diagnosed with viral meningitis Friday and is receiving treatment in a hospital, Kennedi Landry of MLB.com reports.
- 10-Day-ILCody Freeman 3B — Freeman (back) will begin a rehab assignment with the Rangers' Arizona Complex League affiliate Thursday.
- 15-Day-ILCarter Baumler RP — Baumler (intercostal) has been shut down from his rehab assignment, MLB.com reports.
- 15-Day-ILRobert Garcia RP — Garcia (shoulder) began throwing from 80 feet out Friday, Jeff Wilson of AllDLLS.com reports.
- Day-To-DayLogan O'Hoppe C — O'Hoppe isn't in the lineup for Thursday's game against the Athletics, Rhett Bollinger of MLB.com reports.
- 10-Day-ILYoan Moncada 3B — Moncada isn't in the lineup for Thursday's game against the Athletics, Rhett Bollinger of MLB.com reports.
- 10-Day-ILTravis d'Arnaud C — D'Arnaud (foot) told reporters Saturday that he does not have a timetable for his return from the 10-day injured list, Rhett Bollinger of MLB.com reports.
- 15-Day-ILDrew Pomeranz RP — Pomeranz (elbow) tossed a bullpen session Thursday, per MLB.com.
- 60-Day-ILYusei Kikuchi SP — Kikuchi (shoulder) said Wednesday that he's slated to begin a throwing program soon and expressed hope that he'll be able to return to the Angels early in the second half of the season, Rhett Bollinger of MLB.com reports.
- 60-Day-ILBen Joyce RP — Joyce (shoulder) is currently conducting his rehab program at the Angels' complex in Arizona, MLB.com reports.
- 60-Day-ILRobert Stephenson RP — The Angels announced that Stephenson underwent ligament and flexor repair surgery on his right elbow Wednesday and is likely to miss the remainder of the season, Rhett Bollinger of MLB.com reports.
- 60-Day-ILAnthony Rendon 3B — The Angels placed Rendon (hip) on the 60-day injured list Tuesday.
On the other side: Walbert Ureña, the 22-year-old rookie the Angels have leaned on while the rotation crumbles around Yusei Kikuchi's shoulder. The kid sports a 2.70 ERA in a 1-4 record, which tells you everything about the run support he's been getting in Anaheim. Since moving into the rotation in April he's been the steadiest arm on the staff. Tonight he gets a Rangers lineup missing four regulars.
The Halos are 18-34 and just finished getting shellacked by the A's earlier in the week. Logan O'Hoppe is banged up, Travis d'Arnaud has no timetable, Yoan Moncada is on the IL, Anthony Rendon is on the 60-day — it's the same broken roster it's been all year. Mike Trout (12 homers) is basically the offense, and even he can't carry a club with this little around him.
The market has Texas around -135 on the moneyline with a total sitting at 7.5/8. Books are siding with the better pitcher and the better roster, but the EV breakdown is interesting — public money is piling onto the Rangers while the sharper number flags the Angels home dog as the value play. Ureña's been good enough to keep this one tight if Eovaldi shows even an ounce of rust from the lat issue.
The pick here is the under getting a long look. Eovaldi's last time out was a shutout, Ureña hasn't given up more than 3 earned in any May start, and neither lineup is exactly the 1927 Yankees right now. If the Rangers grab this and the rubber match Sunday, they're suddenly a .500 team with their full rotation lined up — which, given the injury list, would be a minor miracle.