MacKenzie Gore (4-6, 4.07 ERA) gets the road start for Texas while Kevin Gausman (4-5, 4.04 ERA) counters for Toronto in a 7:07 PM ET first pitch. The season records are nearly identical — Rangers 38-42, Blue Jays 39-41 — and the ERA gap between the starters is essentially noise. What isn't noise is how each of them got to this point.
The Blue Jays just dropped 2 of 3 at home to the Houston Astros, falling back below .500 for the umpteenth time this season. Toronto hasn't held a winning record since April 3. The Rangers, meanwhile, managed to lose 2 of 3 in Miami to close out their road trip. Both teams are spinning their wheels in the same mud, and whoever stops the slide first on Thursday gets a little breathing room.
The biggest pitching story in this matchup belongs to Gausman and what happened in Chicago 6 days ago. The Cubs battered him for 7 runs in the first inning alone — a Carson Kelly grand slam on a hanging slider was the exclamation point — and Gausman barely got out of the 2nd, finishing with 7 earned runs on 7 hits and 4 walks in just 2 innings of a 16-2 blowout. His ERA shot from 3.13 to 4.04 in a single outing. What makes it stranger is the start before that: Gausman held the Yankees to 1 hit over 7 innings. He told reporters afterward that he couldn't explain the collapse beyond the walks. Manager John Schneider said his command never showed up. Rogers Centre against a shorthanded Rangers lineup is about the most forgiving bounce-back spot Gausman could ask for.
- Day-To-DaySebastian Walcott SS — Walcott (elbow) will begin to ramp up his activity soon and is still on track for a late-July or early-August return to a minor-league affiliate, Kennedi Landry of MLB.com reports.
- 7-Day ILCorey Seager SS — Seager (concussion) appears to be trending toward a return from the 7-day injured list ahead of Thursday's game in Toronto, Evan Grant of The Dallas Morning News reports.
- 10-Day-ILDanny Jansen C — Jansen (forearm) was able to throw out to 60 feet Saturday, Shawn McFarland of The Dallas Morning News reports.
- 10-Day-ILEvan Carter CF — The Rangers placed Carter (oblique) on the 10-day injured list Saturday.
- 15-Day-ILJack Leiter SP — Leiter underwent arthroscopic surgery to remove a loose body from his right ankle region Tuesday and should be considered out indefinitely, Kennedi Landry of MLB.com reports.
- 15-Day-ILJalen Beeks RP — Beeks (2-1) earned the win in relief Saturday against the Cubs after tossing 1.1 scoreless innings. He struck out one with no hits or walks allowed.
- 15-Day-ILChris Martin RP — The Rangers placed Martin on the 15-day injured list Monday with a right shoulder impingement.
- 60-Day-ILJordan Montgomery SP — Montgomery (elbow) allowed one hit and struck out a batter over a scoreless inning in a rehab start for Double-A Frisco on Sunday.
- Day-To-DayErnie Clement 2B — Clement (hip) is out of the lineup for Wednesday's game against the Astros.
- Day-To-DayGeovanny Jesus Planchart C — no
- Day-To-DayChay Yeager RP — Yeager will undergo season-ending UCL surgery on his right elbow Wednesday, Arden Zwelling of Sportsnet.ca reports.
- 10-Day-ILAddison Barger RF — Blue Jays manager John Schneider said Wednesday that Barger (elbow) will fly back to Toronto soon to be examined by the medical staff before potentially beginning a rehab assignment, Keegan Matheson of MLB.com reports.
- 10-Day-ILLenyn Sosa 2B — Sosa (wrist) will begin a rehab assignment Monday with the Blue Jays' Arizona Complex League affiliate, Mitch Bannon of The Athletic reports.
- 15-Day-ILMax Scherzer SP — Blue Jays manager John Schneider said that Scherzer (back) checked out well after throwing a bullpen session Monday, Ben Nicholson-Smith of Sportsnet.ca reports.
- developmental listFernando Perez P
- 60-Day-ILYimi Garcia RP — Garcia (elbow) experienced renewed elbow soreness following his most recent rehab appearance June 18 and hasn't pitched since, MLB.com reports.
Corey Seager's availability is the Rangers' biggest question mark going into this series. He's been on the 7-day concussion IL since a plate collision in mid-June, but completed live batting practice and fielding work in Miami and appears close to returning. Whether he's actually in the lineup Thursday is still unclear. His absence has been a real hole in the Rangers' middle-of-the-order production. The pitching situation in Texas is also getting lean — Jack Leiter just had ankle surgery with no timetable, Jordan Montgomery is still grinding through a 60-day IL stint, and Gore is essentially the most reliable arm in the rotation right now. He gave up just 1 earned run over 6 innings against San Diego his last time out, so he's capable. He just needs the offense to show up behind him for once.