Pirates to take on Rangers on the road

Published

Pittsburgh Pirates (13-14, fourth in the NL Central) vs. Texas Rangers (14-14, third in the NL West)

Arlington, Texas; Wednesday, 2 p.m. EDT

PITCHING PROBABLES: Pirates: Jameson Taillon (1-3, 4.07 ERA, 1.10 WHIP, 25 strikeouts) Rangers: Shelby Miller (1-1, 7.53 ERA, 1.97 WHIP, 10 strikeouts)

LINE: Pirates favored by 1 1/2 runs; over/under is 10 1/2 runs

BOTTOM LINE: Texas and Pittsburgh will square off at Globe Life Park in Arlington on Wednesday.

The Rangers are 10-5 in home games. The Texas offense has compiled a .261 batting average as a team this season, good for sixth in the American League. Elvis Andrus leads the team with an average of .361.

The Pirates are 7-7 on the road. Pittsburgh has hit 23 home runs as a team this season. Josh Bell leads them with six, averaging one every 16.3 at-bats.

TOP PERFORMERS: Shin-Soo Choo leads the Rangers with 16 extra base hits and is batting .333. Joey Gallo is 11-for-34 with two doubles, a triple, four home runs and 10 RBIs over the last 10 games for Texas.

Bell leads the Pirates with six home runs home runs and is slugging .592. Bryan Reynolds is 11-for-26 with five doubles, a home run and an RBI over the last 10 games for Pittsburgh.

LAST 10 GAMES: Rangers: 4-6, .283 batting average, 5.90 ERA, outscored opponents by six runs

Pirates: 2-8, .229 batting average, 5.40 ERA, outscored by 27 runs

Rangers Injuries: Edinson Volquez: 60-day IL (elbow), Drew Smyly: 10-day IL (arm), Yohander Mendez: 60-day IL (elbow), Taylor Hearn: 10-day IL (elbow), Luke Farrell: 60-day IL (jaw), Scott Heineman: 60-day IL (shoulder), Ronald Guzman: 10-day IL (hamstring).

Pirates Injuries: Edgar Santana: 60-day IL (elbow), Chad Kuhl: 60-day IL (elbow), Nick Burdi: 10-day IL (biceps), Chris Archer: 10-day IL (thumb), Corey Dickerson: 10-day IL (shoulder), Lonnie Chisenhall: 10-day IL (finger), Jose Osuna: 10-day IL (neck), Kevin Newman: 10-day IL (finger), Erik Gonzalez: 60-day IL (collarbone), Jacob Stallings: 10-day IL (neck), Francisco Cervelli: day-to-day (hand/wrist).