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After sweeping the Angels by a combined score of 17-2 and getting a day off the Tribe takes on the pathetic Texas Rangers, who arrive with a record of 43-81 having lost 26 of 34 since the break. On the road the Rangers are even worse; their record is an almost inconceivable 15-47. They traded their best run producer by far, Joey Gallo, at the deadline along with five pitchers. They have thrown in the towel and are just going through the motions.
Or maybe not. They just played three games in Boston where they split the first two and went to extra innings in the third. The players they have left have not quit. They just aren't winning much.
Since the All-Star break the Rangers as a team are hitting .202/.580 and averaging 2.94 runs per game. They're doing a great impersonation of the Indians in April. They have no hitters with an OPS over .770 and only one guy over .724. Right-fielder Adolis Garcia has an OPS of .809 against RHP's but nobody else is over .750.
Their team ERA at home is 4.02 against 5.42 on the road. Their ballpark is supposed to be great for hitters, but their pitchers are much worse on the road this year.
Tonight's starter is 26-year-old lefty Taylor Hearn, 2-4, 3.97. Hearn has appeared in 35 games, 31 in relief, so he is being transitioned to a starter. So far his max pitch count has been 72 as they are gradually stretching him out. That was in his last start where he went five innings allowing two runs against the Twins. In his last three appearances he has pitched 4, 4, and 5 innings allowing only 3 ER's, so he has been very good; he just doesn't go very far into games yet. Maybe tonight they let him try for 80-85 pitches.
Hearn is tough on lefties but right-handers are hitting .253/.788 against him. He's been tough with two out and RISP, limiting hitters to a .172 average. Unlike the rest of the staff he's been about the same both at home and on the road.
Eli Morgan goes for the Tribe. Morgan is coming off his best game yet, a 6-inning, 3-hit, 0-run gem against the Twins. In six of his last seven starts Morgan has pitched five or more innings and allowed three or fewer runs. His ERA in August is 3.52 over four starts, two against strong offenses (Toronto, Oakland) and two against Detroit and Minnesota. Tonight he gets the worst offense he's seen yet. The Twins are averaging 4.2 runs since the break while the Tigers are close to 5.0; both are well above the Rangers' 2.94.
Or maybe not. They just played three games in Boston where they split the first two and went to extra innings in the third. The players they have left have not quit. They just aren't winning much.
Since the All-Star break the Rangers as a team are hitting .202/.580 and averaging 2.94 runs per game. They're doing a great impersonation of the Indians in April. They have no hitters with an OPS over .770 and only one guy over .724. Right-fielder Adolis Garcia has an OPS of .809 against RHP's but nobody else is over .750.
Their team ERA at home is 4.02 against 5.42 on the road. Their ballpark is supposed to be great for hitters, but their pitchers are much worse on the road this year.
Tonight's starter is 26-year-old lefty Taylor Hearn, 2-4, 3.97. Hearn has appeared in 35 games, 31 in relief, so he is being transitioned to a starter. So far his max pitch count has been 72 as they are gradually stretching him out. That was in his last start where he went five innings allowing two runs against the Twins. In his last three appearances he has pitched 4, 4, and 5 innings allowing only 3 ER's, so he has been very good; he just doesn't go very far into games yet. Maybe tonight they let him try for 80-85 pitches.
Hearn is tough on lefties but right-handers are hitting .253/.788 against him. He's been tough with two out and RISP, limiting hitters to a .172 average. Unlike the rest of the staff he's been about the same both at home and on the road.
Eli Morgan goes for the Tribe. Morgan is coming off his best game yet, a 6-inning, 3-hit, 0-run gem against the Twins. In six of his last seven starts Morgan has pitched five or more innings and allowed three or fewer runs. His ERA in August is 3.52 over four starts, two against strong offenses (Toronto, Oakland) and two against Detroit and Minnesota. Tonight he gets the worst offense he's seen yet. The Twins are averaging 4.2 runs since the break while the Tigers are close to 5.0; both are well above the Rangers' 2.94.
