To earn playoff spot, Rangers must get offense going against Angels

Los Angeles Angels left-hander Yusei Kikuchi will make his return from the 60-day injured list against a scuffling Texas Rangers lineup on Sunday in Arlington, Texas.

The Rangers suffered a 3-0 setback on Saturday as Angels starter Ryan Johnson and relievers Michael Fulmer and Ryan Watson combined on a one-hit shutout.

Texas has been shut out twice in its past four games and has scored just four runs over that span. Despite the offensive struggles, the Rangers are 2-2 during that stretch and sit one game behind the Houston Astros for first place in the American League West. They are also tied for the final wild-card spot with the Cleveland Guardians despite a 4-6 record in the past 10 games.

"You have some guys that collectively aren't feeling great at the plate," Rangers manager Skip Schumaker said. "You hope to get hot soon. If we want to give ourselves a chance to play in October the bats have to get going."

The Rangers' offense will try to come to life against Kikuchi (0-3, 5.81 ERA) in the rubber match of the three-game series. Kikuchi has been sidelined since April with left shoulder inflammation.

In four rehab starts -- two at Triple-A Salt Lake and two at Class A Rancho Cucamonga -- Kikuchi posted a 15.63 ERA, giving up 24 runs (22 earned) in 12 2/3 innings. Angels manager Kurt Suzuki said Kikuchi will benefit from returning to a major league environment.

"The results weren't probably what (Kikuchi) wanted, but I think the velocity was there and all the other metrics looked OK," Suzuki said. "We know he's probably just going to get better and better. That's what we're assuming. When it comes to adrenaline and the big league ball game and stuff like that, we feel like it's going to be back to normal."

Kikuchi is 4-3 with a 5.63 ERA in 12 career appearances (11 starts) against the Rangers. He has 52 strikeouts and 16 walks over 56 innings.

Veteran right-hander Cal Quantrill (5-4, 3.13 ERA) is scheduled to take the ball for the Rangers. He threw seven shutout innings in his most recent start, yielding four hits, no walks and five strikeouts in a 5-0 home win against the Washington Nationals on Tuesday.

Quantrill is 1-1 with a 3.19 ERA in 10 appearances, including eight starts, against the Angels. He has 39 strikeouts and 16 walks over 48 innings.

When Cody Bradford came off the injured list, Quantrill was relegated to the bullpen and made one relief appearance on Aug. 8, throwing a hitless inning in a 5-1 victory against the Baltimore Orioles. But when Nathan Eovaldi (right posterior elbow inflammation) was placed on the 15-day injured list on August 10, Quantrill returned to the starting rotation.

"It was a hard conversation to tell him he's not in the rotation anymore because Bradford's now healthy," Schumaker said. "And then a week later, we threw him back in there. That is not easy."

Quantrill signed with the club on a minor league deal in February and opened the season at Triple-A Round Rock. He has embraced whatever role the Rangers have given him and has made 17 relief appearances and nine starts this season.

"You get what you earn and I think that this has been an opportunity to become a better pitcher, and reestablish myself and prove that I can pitch deep into games," Quantrill said. "But I can also be good out of the ‘pen. I knew what I was signing up for here."

Rangers first baseman Jake Burger was hit by a pitch on the left wrist in the third inning Saturday. He exited in the fifth and is listed as day-to-day.

"That got him good," Schumaker said. "He's pretty swollen, pretty sore. So far, the X-rays are negative."

Burger leads the Rangers with 73 RBIs and ranks second on the team with 21 home runs.

--Field Level Media