Texas Rangers

Padres, Rangers series shifts to Texas

Published May. 10, 2017 11:52 a.m. ET

The Texas Rangers see a familiar foe when they open an eight-game homestand Wednesday: the San Diego Padres.

The teams split a two-game interleague set in San Diego after Texas prevailed 11-0 on Tuesday.

Yu Darvish (3-2, 2.76 ERA) gets the nod for the Rangers on Wednesday while the Padres counter with Luis Perdomo (0-0, 4.03).

Texas is anxious to get back to Arlington to hopefully jump-start a wobbly month. The Rangers are 3-6 since the calendar flipped to May.

What has been steady, though, is Darvish, as his workload shows his considerable distance from Tommy John surgery.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OA567lCiUic

Darvish, who missed the 2015 season after his elbow was repaired, threw at least 113 pitches in each of his past three starts.

"This is a big, strong individual, and yes he has had Tommy John before," Rangers manager Jeff Banister said. "He has worked his way back. He is into I think a part of the stage that he can go with those types of pitch counts. I think he feels very comfortable with it."

Darvish is starting on regular rest -- one day fewer than his previous two outings, but Banister said he doesn't think that is an issue. And part of that is the trust he has with his three-time All-Star.

"It has been a great, honest communication with him in what he is capable of doing in between starts and where his confidence level is at," Banister said. "Yet we need to continue to monitor it."

Darvish has shown well against the National League with a 7-2 mark and a 2.09 ERA. He won his only start against the Padres, throwing eight innings of two-run ball in 2015.

Perdomo, who is making his debut against the Rangers, still seeks a decision this season. He has worked at least five innings in each of his four starts but has little to show for it.

In his last outing, he held the Colorado Rockies to one run over six innings. However, with the Padres going 0-for-11 with runners in scoring position, Perdomo was again pitching on the wrong day.

"It was another game circumstance that dictated pulling him for a pinch hitter," Padres manager Andy Green said. "Six quality innings. He could have gone out for the seventh very easily, wanted to very badly. But we wanted to take a chance to score a run that were hard to come by."

Banister is expected to stack his order with left-handed hitters. Lefties are hitting .371 off Perdomo, while righties are batting .180.

Perdomo might have drawn the short straw again in opposing Darvish.

Darvish has become the anchor of the Rangers' injury-riddled rotation and has won each of his past two home starts. The only Texas starter to reach 10 strikeouts (twice) in a game figures to go deep in this one.

"There's no doubt when he first came back, as with any pitcher, there is that unknown," Banister said. "What is it supposed to feel like and what does it feel like? There are a lot of anxieties with that, and I think we are getting to that point where there is a lot less anxiety about having had Tommy John surgery."