Rangers at Rockies Pre-Game Notes: Texas Seeking Second Sweep of 2020 Season

After winning the first two games of the series, the Texas Rangers are seeking their second weekend sweep of the season, this time at Coors Field against the Colorado Rockies.

After winning the first two games of the series, the Texas Rangers are seeking their second weekend sweep of the season, this time at Coors Field against the Colorado Rockies.

Texas Rangers (10-9) @ Colorado Rockies (12-8)

Sunday, August 16, 2020
2:10 p.m. CT
Coors Field | Denver, CO

Probables
TEX: LHP Kolby Allard (0-0, 1.00 ERA)
vs
COL: RHP Jon Gray (0-2, 6.41 ERA)

Broadcast

Texas Rangers
TV: FOX Sports Southwest Plus
Radio: 105.3 The Fan, KFLC

Colorado Rockies
TV: AT&T SportsNet Rocky Mountain
Radio: KOA, KNRV

Texas Rangers Starting Lineup

1. DH Shin Soo-Choo
2. CF Nick Solak
3. LF Willie Calhoun
4. RF Joey Gallo
5. 3B Todd Frazier
6. 2B Rougned Odor
7. 1B Derek Dietrich
8. SS Elvis Andrus
9. C Jeff Mathis

Colorado Rockies Starting Lineup

1. CF Garrett Hampson
2. SS Trevor Story
3. RF Charlie Blackmon
4. 3B Nolan Arenado
5. 1B Daniel Murphy
6. DH Matt Kemp
7. LF Raimel Tapia
8. 2B Ryan McMahon
9. C Drew Butera

Injury Report

Danny Santana (10-day IL: forearm tightness)
The Rangers activated Santana ahead of Sunday's game. They're still not comfortable with him playing the outfield as he works his way back from a sore forearm. He will primarily be utilized at DH, first base, and potentially second base.

Brett Martin (10-day IL: left rotator cuff inflammation)
In response to activating Danny Santana, the Rangers placed Brett Martin on the 10-day IL retroactive to August 13 with left rotator cuff inflammation. There had been no word of his injury before Sunday. Surely, the club will provide an update following Sunday's bout with the Rockies.

Robinson Chirinos (10-day IL: left ankle sprain):
Chirinos' ankle is worse than originally thought. He was placed on the 10-day IL retroactive to August 11.

Update from Rangers manager Chris Woodward on Friday:

"The last two games, obviously I didn't say anything, but he was not even close to being available. We were in a little bit of a bind there with only one catcher, but we got through it. I think it's the best. Robbie agrees. He needs to get fully healthy. He wasn't contributIng like he wanted to, but that had a lot to do with his health. If we can get him back to full health, we'll get the version of Robbie that we envisioned and that he wants to be."

Nick Goody (10-day IL: back spasms)
Goody had dealt with some back issues last weekend, but was able to make two appearances out of the bullpen earlier last week. Clearly, the back issues never fully subsided and the Rangers placed him on the 10-day IL effective August 12. Jimmy Herget was recalled to replace him in the bullpen.

Joe Palumbo (10-day IL: ulcerative colitis flare up)
Update from Chris Woodward on Friday:

“He’s doing better. The medication they put him on really worked. He’s really happy about it. I think it’s a few more days of light physical activity and then he can start getting back to throwing. He feels good. He was really worried that nothing was working. He just kept having flare up after flare up. He was losing weight like crazy. He’s not a big guy to start with, so he doesn’t have a whole lot of weight to lose. We were a little concerned, he was as well. Right now, he’s in a good spot. Hopefully, we get him throwing soon.”

Corey Kluber (45-day IL: shoulder tear)
He is three weeks into a four-week shutdown. He went back to his home in Boston during this time.

José Leclerc (45-day IL: shoulder tear)
Leclerc has the same prognosis as Corey Kluber. He is only a few days behind Kluber, roughly a week and a half into a four-week shutdown.

Edinson Vólquez (45-day IL: strained oblique)
Vólquez suffered the injury last Tuesday night in the fifth inning against the Seattle Mariners. Chris Woodward says he hope Vólquez can make a return, but the 45-day window leads right to near the end of the season. Vólquez will rehab in Arlington.

Rangers Lineup vs Jon Gray

1. DH Shin Soo-Choo: 2-for-6, 3 SO
2. CF Nick Solak: N/A
3. LF Willie Calhoun: 0-for-2
4. RF Joey Gallo: 0-for-3, 1 BB, 2 SO
5. 3B Todd Frazier: 2-for-4, 1 SO
6. 2B Rougned Odor: 0-for-4, 1 SO
7. 1B Derek Dietrich: 7-for-17, 1 HR, 1 BB, 3 SO
8. SS Elvis Andrus: 0-for-1, 1 BB
9. C Jeff Mathis: 2-for-4, 1 3B, 1 BB, 2 SO

Other Notes

• Nick Solak is currently on a six-game hitting streak (.480 average (12-for-25), 1 HR, 4 2B, 4 RBI, 6 R, 1 BB, 1 SB).
• Only five batters in the Rockies lineup have faced Rangers starter Kolby Allard—all five have faced him only one time. Only Trevor Story and Charlie Blackmon registered hits (both singles).
• For today’s games, all MLB players, managers, coaches and umpires will wear a symbolic Negro Leagues 100th anniversary logo patch as part of a league-wide centennial celebration of the founding of the Negro Leagues.

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