Tonight at 8:10 p.m. ET, the Texas Rangers (87-71) continue their pursuit of a wild-card spot as the team hosts the Los Angeles Angels (78-80) in the opening game of a four-game set in their final regular-season series. The game can be live streamed for free here. Fans of the Angels can hear all of the action on the radio at KLAA 830 while Rangers fans can do the same at 103.3 ESPN.
The Rangers enter the final series of the 162-game season just one game out of the second wildcard spot currently held by the Cleveland Indians (88-70) while the Angels endured a disappointing campaign and will be on the outside looking in on the playoffs but will still relish in trying to keep their division rivals out of the postseason.
Texas will send Matt Garza (10-6 3.90 ERA overall, 4-5, 4.56 with Texas) to the mound while the Angels will counter with Jerome Williams (9-10, 4.55).
The Rangers are keyed up to try and play their way into the postseason by winning this series.
"This is a situation that every ballplayer should look forward to -- playing games with the intensity that we're playing," Rangers outfielder Alex Rios said per MLB.com. "When you play meaningful games, it's so exciting. It's just fun to play like this."
Through 151 games, Rios has hit .279 with 18 homers and 77 RBIs between the Rangers and Chicago White Sox this season.
Though the Angels are out of contention and have lost to Texas in 11 out of 15 meetings this year, Los Angeles has been surging as of late having won nine of their last 10 series coming into tonight's meeting.
Angels outfielder Mike Trout knows the importance of finishing strong.
"We're going to try our best to beat them and try to get some momentum and some positive notes going into the offseason and Spring Training," Trout told MLB.com.
Trout has had another outstanding year for the underperforming Angels. Through 153 games this season, Trout is fifth in the majors with a .324 average and has 26 homers, a career-high 92 RBIs and ranks second with 108 runs scored in his second full year with the club. Trout will be well-rested in this series after taking a day off on Wednesday as he continues his pursuit of 200 hits. He has 187 hits so far on the season, a new career-high.
Trout also ranks third in the league in on-base percentage (.431), on-base plus slugging (.988), and walks (105) and is also fifth in slugging (.557).
Rangers shortstop Elvis Andrus is fifth in the league in stolen bases with 41, and has only been caught stealing eight times this year while third baseman Adrian Beltre boasts the second most hits in the league with 194.
Williams is listed as a probable starting pitcher for the Halos tonight after taking a ball to his foot while throwing during batting practice on Monday. If he can't go, Matt Shoemaker, Tommy Hanson or Joe Blanton may get the nod.
For the Rangers, Lance Berkman will be limited to a pinch hitting role for the rest of the season due to inflammation in his hip and a chronic knee problem. The Rangers also announced this week that if they make the playoffs, outfielder Nelson Cruz may not rejoin the team after all. Cruz was suspended for his connection with the Biogenesis scandal earlier this year.
The Rangers will look to further their playoff push by opening their last regular season series with a victory tonight while the Angels will fight to keep their division rivals out of it.
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