The Oakland Athletics and Texas Rangers, tied atop the AL West, begin a pivotal four-game series in West Sacramento on Monday night. Probable starters are Nathan Eovaldi (TEX) and Luis Severino (OAK).
Both teams hold an 8-7 record, with the Athletics boasting a strong 7-1 mark when getting eight or more hits. Key players to watch include Shea Langeliers (5 HR) for Oakland and Brandon Nimmo (3 HR) for Texas.
The Athletics enter with better recent form, going 7-3 over their last 10 games compared to the Rangers' 4-6 stretch. This series could provide early separation in the tightly contested AL West division race.