Texas Rangers vs Colorado Rockies Pre-Game Notes (7/21/20): Kiner-Falefa Earns Starting Job
ARLINGTON, Texas — Baseball is back!
The Texas Rangers are hosting the Colorado Rockies at Globe Life Field for the first of two exhibition games before the regular season begins on Friday.
Colorado Rockies (8-7) @ Texas Rangers (12-8)
Tuesday, July 21, 2020
7:05 p.m. CT
Globe Life Field | Arlington, TX
Probables
COL: RHP Ashton Goudeau (0-1, 3.38 ERA)
vs
TEX: RHP Kyle Gibson (1-0, 0.00 ERA)
Broadcast
Colorado Rockies
TV: MLB Network
Texas Rangers
TV: FOX Sports Southwest, MLB Network
Radio: KRLD, KFLC
Colorado Rockies Starting Lineup
- CF David Dahl
- SS Trevor Story
- RF Charlie Blackmon
- 3B Nolan Arenado
- 1B Daniel Murphy
- 2B Ryan McMahon
- DH Raimel Tapia
- LF Sam Hilliard
- C Tony Wolters
Texas Rangers Starting Lineup
- LF Shin-Soo Choo
- SS Elvis Andrus
- CF Danny Santana
- RF Joey Gallo
- 2B Rougned Odor
- 1B Todd Frazier
- C Robinson Chirinos
- DH Nick Solak
- 3B Isiah Kiner-Falefa
Injury Report
Robinson Chirinos (ankle)
He's in the starting lineup for Tuesday night's game. He expects to start on Opening Day.
Willie Calhoun (hip flexor strain)
He ran the bases before Tuesday night's game. Chris Woodward said on Monday they have him penciled in for the second game of the regular season and could potentially DH in either the first or second game of the season. All signs point to avoiding the 10-Day IL.
Brett Martin (COVID-19)
Martin has been cleared for activity with the team. He threw a bullpen session on Monday. He will remain on the COVID-IL until he is ready to rejoin his teammates for games.
Joely Rodriguez (lat muscle strain)
He threw a bullpen session on Tuesday. Rodriguez said he feels good and Woodward said he looked good. He won't be ready for Opening Day, but he seems to be progressing nicely.
Rafael Montero (non-injury related)
Montero is still working back after being late to camp due to the birth of his child. Chris Woodward said he's a little further behind in his throwing program than they wanted him to be by this point.
Isiah Kiner-Falefa Earns Starting Job
In his pre-game meeting with the media, manager Chris Woodward announced that Todd Frazier will play the bulk of time at first base to begin the season while Isiah Kiner-Falefa starting at third base.
"Kiner has earned a spot," Woodward said. "If I didn’t feel so good about Kiner, obviously Frazier would be playing third and we would be mixing guys around. I want to give Kiner the opportunity and moving Frazier over to first, I wanted to get his bat in the lineup as well. Both those guys should be in there."
Middle of the Lineup
Chris Woodward has Gallo, Odor, and Frazier hitting four-through-six respectively on Tuesday night. With Gallo and Odor both being left-handed hitters, it goes against the traditional tactic of alternating right- and left-handed hitters. Woodward isn't too worried about it.
"If you look at the left-right left-right, it could make sense," Woodward said. "But Rougie hits lefties. Joey hits lefties. I think Joey leads all of baseball in homers vs. lefties. I know they could be susceptible to a really nasty lefty, but both guys have no fear of lefties. And Rougie is so good with runners in scoring position, as is Todd Frazier, and Joey gets on base at such a high clip, both of those guys could have multiple guys on base multiple at-bats in a game. I don't really care if they bring in the lefty with Joey and Rougie back to back."
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