Jack Leiter (3-5, 4.69) draws Sonny Gray (7-1, 3.20) in the opener, and the gap on paper is wide. Gray is coming off a 6.1-inning win against his old Yankees, while Leiter just got bounced after 4.2 innings and 5 earned in his last trip out against Cleveland. If you want a tone-setter, that's it.
Boston has been a mess. The Red Sox haven't won a game in their last 5 (a tie, then 4 straight losses), getting outscored on a road trip through New York and Tampa before finally coming home at 27-39. Interim manager Chad Tracy has been juggling a lineup card with Roman Anthony, Trevor Story, Triston Casas, and now a day-to-day Marcelo Mayer all unavailable. There aren't a lot of places to hide.
Texas, meanwhile, sits at 34-34 and has rattled off 3 wins in their last 4, including back-to-back grind-out jobs in Kansas City. They're still playing without Joc Pederson (hip), Josh Smith, Danny Jansen, and Jordan Montgomery, so this isn't a juggernaut rolling in — but it's a club that's been competitive every night, which is more than Boston can say.
- Day-To-DayJoc Pederson DH — Pederson (hip) is not in the lineup for Thursday's contest in Kansas City.
- 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-ILJosh Smith 2B — Smith (glute/wrist/illness) moved his rehab from Double-A Frisco to Triple-A Round Rock.
- 10-Day-ILDanny Jansen C — Jansen is not in the Rangers' starting lineup against the Guardians on Friday.
- 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) threw a 20-pitch live batting practice session Wednesday, MLB.com reports.
- 60-Day-ILRobert Garcia RP — The Rangers transferred Garcia (shoulder) from the 15-day injured list to the 60-day IL on Monday.
- Day-To-DayMarcelo Mayer 2B — Mayer is absent from Wednesday's lineup versus the Rays due to back and neck stiffness, Ian Browne of MLB.com reports.
- Day-To-DayHobie Harris RP — Harris was optioned to Triple-A Rochester on Saturday, Jesse Dougherty of The Washington Post reports.
- 10-Day-ILRoman Anthony LF — Red Sox interim manager Chad Tracy said Monday that Anthony (finger) remains shut down from swinging a bat, Christopher Smith of MassLive.com reports.
- 10-Day-ILNick Sogard 3B — Sogard is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Guardians, Tim Healey of The Boston Globe reports.
- 15-Day-ILJovani Moran RP — The Red Sox placed Moran on the 15-day injured list Saturday, retroactive to Friday, with left elbow inflammation, Tim Healey of The Boston Globe reports.
- 60-Day-ILGarrett Crochet SP — Crochet said Wednesday that his lat strain "is a lot worse" than the Red Sox originally thought, Tim Healey of The Boston Globe reports.
- 60-Day-ILPatrick Sandoval SP — Sandoval (biceps) will make his next rehab start for Triple-A Worcester on Thursday, MLB.com reports.
- 60-Day-ILTrevor Story SS — Story underwent surgery to repair a sports hernia Thursday and will be sidelined 6-10 weeks, Tim Healey of The Boston Globe reports.
The matchup hinges on whether Leiter can give the Rangers length. He's flashed real swing-and-miss stuff this year but the command has wandered, and Fenway is not the park to be nibbling in. If he keeps Boston off the board into the 5th, the Texas bullpen has been sturdy enough to close it. If he doesn't, Gray on the other side will make every Sox run feel like 2.
Bottom line: the Sox are reeling, the rotation behind Gray is a wreck with Garrett Crochet out long-term, and Boston needs this one to stop the bleeding before it becomes a full-on identity crisis at Fenway.