Rangers begin 4-game series against the Rays

Tampa Bay Rays (83-56, first in the AL East) vs. Texas Rangers (69-71, second in the AL West)

Arlington, Texas; Thursday, 8:05 p.m. EDT

PITCHING PROBABLES: Rays: Shane McClanahan (10-6, 3.19 ERA, 1.11 WHIP, 103 strikeouts); Rangers: Cal Quantrill (6-5, 3.01 ERA, 1.10 WHIP, 68 strikeouts)

LINE: Rays -129, Rangers +106; over/under is 7 1/2 runs

BOTTOM LINE: The Texas Rangers host the Tampa Bay Rays to open a four-game series.

Texas has gone 38-30 at home and 69-71 overall. The Rangers have gone 22-13 in games decided by one run.

Tampa Bay has an 83-56 record overall and a 36-31 record on the road. The Rays are 32-6 in games when they did not allow a home run.

The matchup Thursday is the fourth meeting between these teams this season.

TOP PERFORMERS: Joc Pederson leads the Rangers with 24 home runs while slugging .482. Ezequiel Duran is 13 for 37 with three home runs and 11 RBIs over the past 10 games.

Junior Caminero has 20 doubles, a triple, 37 home runs and 88 RBIs for the Rays. Yandy Diaz is 10 for 40 with two doubles, two home runs and four RBIs over the past 10 games.

LAST 10 GAMES: Rangers: 5-5, .269 batting average, 5.76 ERA, even run differential

Rays: 7-3, .260 batting average, 3.07 ERA, outscored opponents by nine runs

INJURIES: Rangers: Josh Jung: 10-Day IL (calf), Kyle Higashioka: 10-Day IL (flexor tendon), Cole Winn: 15-Day IL (rotator cuff), Peyton Gray: 15-Day IL (elbow), Nathan Eovaldi: 15-Day IL (elbow), Carter Baumler: 60-Day IL (ribs), Michael Helman: 60-Day IL (hand), Robert Garcia: 60-Day IL (shoulder), Jack Leiter: 60-Day IL (ankle), Jose Corniell: 15-Day IL (elbow), Jalen Beeks: 60-Day IL (back)

Rays: Jake Fraley: 60-Day IL (groin), Jon Heasley: 60-Day IL (elbow), Cole Sulser: 15-Day IL (back), Ben Williamson: 10-Day IL (hamstring), Edwin Uceta: 60-Day IL (shoulder), Gavin Lux: 60-Day IL (shoulder), Ryan Pepiot: 60-Day IL (hip)

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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.