The Texas Rangers expect to receive a jolt to their lineup when they clash with the Toronto Blue Jays on Wednesday in the finale of a three-game series in Arlington, Texas.
Rangers manager Bruce Bochy said he “fully anticipates” shortstop Corey Seager will be activated from the injured list Wednesday. Seager has missed 15 straight contests and 25 total games this season with a nagging right hamstring injury.
Seager hasn’t played since exiting a May 10 contest in Detroit. He has been in the lineup just five times since he suffered the injury on April 22.
Bochy said Seager will be the designated hitter on Wednesday.
“If we have one of the best hitters in the game in our lineup,” Bochy said, “it’s going to make everybody else better, too.”
The Blue Jays officially haven’t announced their starting pitcher for Wednesday’s game.
They are expected to send journeyman left hander Eric Lauer (1-1, 3.31 ERA) to the mound to start the game against Rangers right-hander Tyler Mahle (5-2, 1.80 ERA).
Texas claimed a 2-0 win on Tuesday to even the series at one victory apiece, as Josh Jung singled in the deciding run in the eighth inning. The Rangers have won two of their past three games after losing a season-worst six in a row.
Toronto has mustered just four runs during its current 1-4 stretch.
Mahle proved he is human in his most recent start, allowing a season-high three runs on five hits and three walks over five innings. He struck out three in a game the Rangers lost 4-1 to the Chicago White Sox on Friday, marking the first time in 11 starts to begin the season that he allowed more than two runs.
“Tyler competed out there without his best command, but that’s who he is,” Bochy said about Mahle’s performance in the loss. “He was a tad off and in five innings, gave up three and that says he was keeping us in the ball game. And that’s all we can ask.”
Mahle has faced Toronto just once in his career, giving up four runs on five hits and a walk in a six-inning no decision when he was with Minnesota in 2022.
Lauer was called up from Triple-A Buffalo on April 30 after signing a minor-league contract in the offseason.
He started his latest MLB stint with three relief appearances before starting the past two games. He allowed one run on three hits in three innings in a no-decision at home against Detroit on May 17 before going 4 1/3 innings in Tampa Bay in a 3-1 loss on Friday.
Lauer allowed all three runs on six hits with two walks and two strikeouts in that setback.
“It’s a weird role to bounce back and forth because you want that solid ground to stand on, mostly for in between,” Lauer said. “As starters, we have very specific routines that we go through all week trying to mold and shape that, but it’s been nice because (the team) has given me plenty of notice.”
Lauer has one career appearance against the Rangers, forging a 3.60 ERA in a start in 2018 when he was with San Diego. He allowed two runs on three hits and a walk over five innings in that game while striking out four batters.
–Field Level Media
