The Texas Rangers open the second half of the Major League Baseball season with a nine-game homestand, starting Friday night against the Cleveland Guardians.
The team announced its starting pitching rotation for the Cleveland series, with Jon Gray (6-5, 3.29 ERA) scheduled to start Friday. The right-hander has not started since a July 5 loss against the Boston Red Sox.
The Guardians will counter with right-hander Aaron Civale (3-2, 2.56) at Globe Life Field in Arlington.
Left-hander Andrew Heaney (5-6, 4.71) will go for the Rangers on Saturday against Cleveland right-hander Gavin Williams. Left-hander Martín Pérez (7-3, 4.81) will pitch against Guardians right-hander Tanner Bibee on Sunday.
Looking ahead to next week, Dane Dunning (8-2. 2.84) will start on Monday, and All-Star Nathan Eovaldi (10-3, 2.83) on Tuesday as the Rangers take on the Tampa Bay Rays, Manager Bruce Bochy said Thursday.
The Rangers (52-39) lead the Houston Astros by two games in the American League West, entering the final two months of the season.
The Guardians (45-40) lead the Central division (45-45). The Rays have the best record in the league (58-35) and sit atop the East standings.
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NOTEBOOK
— The Rangers’ 2024 schedule was announced on Thursday. The team opens the season at home against the Chicago Cubs on March 28.
You can check out the entire schedule here.
— Former Rangers standout Rusty Greer on Thursday was named high school baseball coach at Fort Worth Christian, which made the announcement on Twitter.
Greer was an outfielder for the Rangers for nine seasons (1994-2002) and was inducted into the team’s Hall of Fame in 2007. He had a lifetime .305 batting average.
— Relief pitcher Matt Bush was signed by the Rangers to a minor-league contract.
Bush had been with the Milwaukee Brewers before being released on June 3.
The 37-year-old Bush was with the Rangers (2016-2022) before being traded to the Brewers for left-handed pitcher Antoine Kelly and utility player Mark Mathias.
Bush was the No.1 overall pick in the 2004 MLB draft by the San Diego Padres.
— The Rangers have interest in trading for Chicago White Sox starting pitcher Lucas Giolito, the New York Post reported Friday.