Rangers-Reds preview
CINCINNATI -- Derek Holland is expected to be reinstated from the disabled list on Tuesday and start for the Texas Rangers that night when they begin a two-game interleague series against the Cincinnati Reds at Great American Ball Park. Holland has been on the disabled list since June 22 with left shoulder inflammation and hasn't pitched for the Rangers since June 20. He made three rehab starts for Triple-A Round Rock and had a bullpen session on Saturday. "We're hopeful he'll be ready to go, but when a guy has worked his way back from the disabled list you don't know what's going to happen until you get through it," said manager Jeff Banister. "It's a much different pace pitching back in a major league game." Holland will be facing the Reds for the first time in his career. With Holland going on Tuesday, Yu Darvish will start Wednesday's series finale for Texas on six days' rest. The American League West-leading Rangers lost two of three at Tampa Bay over the weekend but remain in control of the division. Cincinnati split a four-game series against the Los Angeles Dodgers that concluded on Monday afternoon. Texas is below .500 this season against teams with a losing record. Cincinnati (53-71) isn't the typical losing team, at least not at the moment. Since the All-Star break the Reds are 21-14 and have won eight of 11 series. "I just think that part of it is one of those stats you can look at and scratch your head at," said Banister of the poor mark against losing clubs. "But I don't think there is any merit to saying we don't play as hard or we let down, we're not focused. No that's not the case." The Rangers will be facing one of Cincinnati's most consistent starting pitchers in right-hander Dan Straily, who was a member of three teams during spring training before finally sticking with the Reds. Straily is no stranger to facing the Rangers, having made 11 career appearances against them, including 10 starts. In seven starts since the All-Star break, Straily is 5-0 with a 2.25 ERA. Opponents are batting .217 against him and he hasn't allowed more than two runs in any of his starts since the break. Control has been the key for Straily, who hasn't walked a batter in 22 2/3 innings. He leads the Reds' pitching staff in wins, innings, strikeouts and quality starts. This after being traded, waived and eventually claimed by the Reds prior to Opening Day. "I didn't know where I was going to be," Straily said. "I just wanted to keep that carrot out there." Texas and Cincinnati enter this week's series tied 7-7 and one series apiece in their interleague matchups. The teams split a two-game series at Globe Life Park in Arlington in June. Cincinnati will try to rebound from a rough 18-9 loss to the Dodgers on Monday. "It's a loss," said Reds manager Bryan Price. "It was uglier and took a lot longer than 1-0 or 4-3. We just didn't have an answer for their offense. We had a lot of hits and scored some runs. That's what you take out of it. You move on. It's one ballgame. You start fresh tomorrow." |