Rangers look to get back on winning track vs. Athletics
The Athletics will send left-hander Jacob Lopez (3-5, 4.20 ERA) to the mound to start while their American League West rivals will counter with rookie right-hander Jack Leiter (5-6, 4.37).
Texas comes into the series after taking two games from AL Central-leading Detroit over the weekend but dropping the final game of the set 2-1 on Sunday evening. The Rangers collected just 12 total hits in the three games (four in each contest) but gave the league-leading Tigers all they wanted and more.
The Athletics lost twice in three games in Cleveland, most recently an 8-2 setback on Sunday. The loss was made even worse by the injury suffered by outfielder Denzel Clarke as he ran the bases in the eighth inning. He was lifted from the game with right hip discomfort and is listed as day-to-day pending further evaluation.
Leiter has been enigmatic this season, starting off the year with four wins over his first nine starts before enduring a stretch of six starts with four losses and no victories. That swoon ended in his most recent outing as Leiter allowed three runs on five hits and four walks over 5 1/3 innings in a game the Rangers won 7-3 at Houston on July 11.
"Not in a negative way, but there's so many things I can do better," Leiter said. "I think just the room for improvement feels very high. It's just a matter of continuing to get better, learn these small lessons, learn from the guys."
Leiter has not recorded a decision and has amassed a 4.91 ERA in two career appearances (one start) against the Athletics. Both of those came last season as he surrendered six runs (four of them earned) on nine hits and three walks in 7 1/3 innings.
Lopez has made 14 appearances for the Athletics in 2025, with 10 of them starts. He has been solid over his past seven starts, going 3-1 and allowing more than two runs only twice of those seven games.
Lopez yielded two runs on four hits and two walks while striking out five in winning his most recent start at home over Toronto on July 12. He has been successful because of his overall command of the strike zone, by working the count to his advantage with plenty of first-pitch strikes and -- for the most part --avoiding walks.
"I only throw low-90s or whatever people want to say, but I have five pitches that I like to mix in," Lopez said. "I think that's a huge part of pitching. I'm just keeping hitters off-balance and trying to be smart."
Lopez has faced the Rangers twice in his career, with both of those appearances this season. He threw 1 2/3 innings of scoreless relief at home on April 22 before absorbing a loss a week later on the road when he allowed three runs on six hits and a season-high four walks over 2 2/3 innings.
--Field Level Media
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Independent
7 minutes ago
- The Independent
Play ball, take 2: The MLB Speedway Classic resumes at Bristol after rain suspension
A record crowd for a regular-season Major League Baseball game got to see all the pomp and pageantry with the MLB Speedway Classic before the rain washed out the game itself in the bottom of the first inning. Fans returning Sunday only wanted to watch the Atlanta Braves and Cincinnati Reds play ball. They enjoyed enough of star Tim McGraw and Pitbull in the rain that suspended the first MLB regular-season game in the state of Tennessee. 'We got to see all of that (Saturday), so as long as we see game today I think we'll be good,' Cindy Lowe of Mount Airy, North Carolina, said. Craig Morton agreed. He and his family, with three children, were ready to see baseball even if Morton is the Reds' fan surrounded by relatives rooting for the Braves. They had a good time seeing McGraw and country singer Jake Owen. Sunday was dry at Bristol Motor Speedway even with overcast skies. 'We're really glad that they played the game today instead of last night because we sat here a couple hours in the rain and everybody was saturated even with rain gear,' Morton said. 'The kids are happy so we're happy.' This MLB Speedway Classic was first announced nearly a year ago as part of Commissioner Rob Manfred's push to take MLB to places where baseball isn't played every day live. MLB played a game at the 'Field of Dreams' movie site in Iowa in both 2021 and 2022. Alabama and North Carolina, too. MLB didn't try to sell every ticket inside the speedway that drew 156,990 for the Battle of Bristol college football game in 2016. The track with a racing capacity of 146,000 meant the final attendance number could reach 90,000 or more even with sections blocked off. The previous paid attendance of 84,587 was set Sept. 12, 1954, when Cleveland Stadium hosted the New York Yankees. Simply canceling this game wasn't an option. The Reds are in the chase for a wild-card spot, and this is the last time these teams meet this season. Teams had police escorts to make sure they got back to Bristol on Sunday. For fans, the commute back to Bristol Motor Speedway, billed as 'The Last Great Colosseum' with its history as a half-mile bullring of a racetrack, was easier for some than others. Steven Long of Atlanta, Georgia, was on a party bus to his hotel in Knoxville with a bunch of distributors. He drove the 110 miles back to Bristol on Sunday by himself even though he had hoped to be driving home. He couldn't miss the first MLB game at a racetrack. 'I had to come back,' said Long, who wore his Braves jersey hoping for a win. MLB will be announcing an attendance figure later Sunday. Officials already knew this event would draw a record crowd with 85,000 tickets sold as of Monday. The big question Sunday was how many people would return for baseball itself after the big party that MLB and Bristol threw for fans Saturday. For Lowe and Jason Lawson, this is a moment they couldn't miss after buying tickets in May. 'The history, the nostalgia of Bristol Motor Speedway combined with Major League Baseball all in one I think,' Lowe said. Long was being joined by a couple of friends. He saw one benefit of returning even if others chose not to. 'We'll have more space around us, so we won't be on top of each other,' Long said. Indeed. Fans had plenty of room to spread out, dance and enjoy the capping event of the MLB Speedway Classic. ___
The Independent
7 minutes ago
- The Independent
Dina Asher-Smith sets championship record to seal 200m title at British nationals
Dina Asher-Smith produced a championship record and pipped Amy Hunt to gold in the women's 200m at the UK Athletics Championships. The 29-year-old held off a fightback from 100m UK champion Hunt and got her head beyond the line a thousandth of a second before her rival, with Daryll Neita third in Birmingham. Asher-Smith led round the bend but Hunt looked to overtake the three-time Olympic medallist - but the line came just in time for Asher-Smith. There was a nervous wait before the stadium announcement revealed she took the crown with a time of 22.14 seconds. Asher-Smith said: 'It was an excellent race, we needed a photo-finish because neither of us knew who had won. 'I have done this for long enough to know the only thing that matters is the Championships and Tokyo round-by-round, so I mind my own business and focus on myself. I am in great shape, and there are a few things in there that I can still tweak, so I am happy.' Asher-Smith's time would have been enough for her to get bronze in Paris last year, showing the upward trajectory of her performance, and she believes she is in a good place ahead of the upcoming World Championships in Tokyo. She added: 'I've been in great shape for quite a long time but it's about being in a good place that makes sense to you. It's a really strong place to be ahead of a championship.' Georgia Hunter Bell added another UK title to her collection with victory in the 800m. She had to work hard for her title though, facing competition from Jemma Reekie - who finished second - and it was not until the final 150m that she got her nose in front, crossing the line in 1:59.53 to claim gold. Hunter Bell runs in both the 800m and 1500m races but has still not made a decision on which discipline she will pick at the Tokyo games. She explained: 'I am not going to make the decision until after I have run my next Diamond League 1500 and 800, so I have a bit of time to think. 'The cons are that I am probably in better shape over 800 on the world stage, but the 1500 is first - it is hard to decide.' Asked whether she thinks she can beat Keely Hodgkinson, who may run in the same race in Tokyo next month, she added: 'I don't know. 'We train together all the time. But she's such a good athlete and it will be the first time we've raced where we're kind of close.' Paris 2024 silver medallist Josh Kerr earned an emphatic victory in the men's 5000m final. He was always one of the most prominent in the field and he started to stretch out the pack alongside Rory Leonard, who sprinted clear from the pack. However, Kerr claimed the lead with two laps to go and did not look back, leaving his opponents to finish in 13 minutes 23.78 seconds. Jack Kavanagh and Leonard were second and third respectively. He said: 'It was always going to be tough out there over the last mile but I really enjoyed the first eight laps. Elsewhere, Amber Anning won the women's 400m final in front of Victoria Ohuruogu and Charlie Dobson claimed gold in the men's race. Zharnel Hughes completed a double gold, setting a new championship record as he won the men's 200m just 24 hours after winning the 100m. He dedicated his 100m gold to his late aunt, whose funeral took place in Anguilla this weekend, and which he was forced to miss in order to compete in Birmingham.
Daily Mail
8 minutes ago
- Daily Mail
Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams savaged by fans after embarrassing practice video goes viral
Caleb Williams has gone viral for all the wrong reasons after a humiliating practice video of the Chicago Bears quarterback surfaced on social media. Williams, who is gearing up for his second season with the Bears after being drafted first overall last year, suffered disaster when carrying out a standard passing drill at Chicago's training camp this week. Footage shows him trying to throw four balls at three different targets and missing almost every time, before he turns around and screams in frustration. And after watching the clip of his nightmare practice drill, NFL fans quickly ripped into the 23-year-old online. 'Absolutely terrible feet and he is not driving the ball with his hips. Class dismissed,' one user wrote on X. Another put: 'How are you a pro QB missing that bad'. A third brutally claimed: 'There's third graders who can do this.' #Bears QB Case Keenum said Caleb Williams has been grinding and "wants it." His reaction to not completing this drill as he would have liked in today's practice seems to illustrate that very point. #DaBears — Josh Buckhalter (@JoshGBuck) August 2, 2025 'Not one of those was close,' said a fourth. While one simply posted: 'This is hilarious'. Williams showed plenty of promise in his rookie season with the Bears, but it was a disastrous campaign overall for his team They endured a 10-game losing streak which saw Matt Eberflus fired as head coach. Chicago ended the season on a miserable 5-12 record, last in the NFC North. On an individual note, Williams registered 3,541 passing yards for 20 touchdowns in 17 appearances, while racking up a 62.5 percent pass completion rate. He also had 489 rushing yards. The former USC college star was sacked a league-high 68 times in his rookie campaign, 16 times more than Houston Texans' CJ Stroud - who was the second most sacked quarterback last season. Williams will be hoping that figure drops in 2025 after the Bears bolstered their offensive line by trading for guards Joe Thuney and Jonah Jackson, while agreeing to terms with center Drew Dalman.
