Rangers @ Athletics

Who will WIN this matchup?

Texas Rangers (51-51)

@ Oakland Athletics (58-45)

Starting Pitchers:

Jurado (TEX): 5-6; 4.92 ERA

Anderson (OAK) 9-5; 3.82 ERA

Last 10 Games Played:

Texas Rangers: 1-9

Oakland Athletics: 6-4

Current odds:

Texas Rangers: (+165)

Oakland Athletics: (-185)

• Following a rugged road trip against a pair of division leaders, the Oakland Athletics look to strengthen their hold on a wild-card berth when they open a nine-game homestand with the first of four against the sliding Texas Rangers on Thursday night. Oakland lost two of three in Houston to fall 7 1/2 games behind the Astros in the American League West. The Athletics went 3-4 on their trek through Minnesota and Houston and remained one game ahead of Tampa Bay for the second wild card. “There’s a lot of baseball left,” Athletics manager Bob Melvin said. “We’ve overcome some gaps before, but it’s really not what we’re looking at right now. We’re just looking at trying to continue to play really well, as we have been.”

• Oakland has won six of nine meetings, including all three at home versus Texas, which fell off the pace in the wild-card chase after dropping nine of its last 10 games. Rougned Odor is coming off a huge three-game series in Seattle, going 7-for-12 with four homers, seven RBIs and six runs scored.

• Jurado has struggled since the calendar flipped to July, falling to 0-3 with an 8.31 ERA for the month after he was knocked around for five runs and eight hits in five innings at Houston on Saturday. The 23-year-old Panamanian has been reached for 16 runs and 24 hits over 17 1/3 innings over his last four outings. Jurado has not faced the Athletics this year but was hit hard in two appearances in Oakland last season, posting a 12.79 ERA while taking the loss both times.

• Anderson did not factor in the decision last time out in Minnesota after giving up three solo homers among four hits over six innings to register his fourth consecutive quality start. He is 2-0 with a 2.36 ERA over that span, which included three of four starts away from home, and will be seeking his third quality start versus the Rangers this season. Anderson is holding Texas to a .204 batting average this season, but Elvis Andrus is 3-for-5 with a pair of triples against him.

• Athletics OF Ramon Laureano is 26-for-65 with seven homers and 14 RBIs in 18 games in July.

• Rangers OF Joey Gallo, the team leader with 22 homers, could be headed to the injured list due to a wrist issue and he was placed on the IL Thursday afternoon.

• Athletics DH Khris Davis is 1-for-16 in his last four games overall and 6-for-37 versus Texas in 2019.