Texas Rangers

Texas takes 4-game win streak into matchup with Houston

Published Apr. 19, 2019 3:23 a.m. ET

Houston Astros (12-6, first in the AL West) vs. Texas Rangers (10-7, third in the AL West)

Arlington, Texas; Friday, 8 p.m. EDT

PITCHING PROBABLES: Astros: Justin Verlander (2-0, 3.52 ERA, 1.04 WHIP, 30 strikeouts) Rangers: Drew Smyly (2-1, 7.15 ERA, 1.85 WHIP, 11 strikeouts)

LINE: Rangers favored by 1 1/2 runs; over/under is 9 runs

BOTTOM LINE: Texas enters the matchup as winners of their last four games.

The Rangers are 7-5 against the rest of their division. Texas is slugging .447 as a unit. Asdrubal Cabrera leads the club with a .607 slugging percentage, including eight extra-base hits and six home runs.

The Astros are 8-3 in division matchups. Houston has slugged .454, good for fourth in the American League. Jose Altuve leads the club with a .634 slugging percentage, including nine extra-base hits and seven home runs. This is the first meeting of the season for these two teams.

TOP PERFORMERS: Elvis Andrus leads the Rangers with 27 hits and has 13 RBIs. Joey Gallo is 8-for-36 with a double, five home runs and 10 RBIs over the last 10 games for Texas.

Altuve leads the Astros with seven home runs and is batting .310. Michael Brantley has 15 hits and is batting .385 over the last 10 games for Houston.

LAST 10 GAMES: Rangers: 5-5, .246 batting average, 5.00 ERA, outscored opponents by one run

Astros: 9-1, .294 batting average, 3.14 ERA, outscored opponents by 27 runs

Rangers Injuries: Edinson Volquez: 60-day IL (elbow), Yohander Mendez: 60-day IL (elbow), Luke Farrell: 60-day IL (jaw), Scott Heineman: 60-day IL (shoulder), Rougned Odor: 10-day IL (knee), Ronald Guzman: 10-day IL (hamstring), Asdrubal Cabrera: day-to-day (finger).

Astros Injuries: Joe Smith: 10-day IL (achilles), Lance McCullers Jr.: 10-day IL (elbow).