How to Watch Rangers Open Four-Game Astros Series: TV Channel, Stream, Radio

This could be a critical stretch for the Texas Rangers. It opens with the Houston Astros on Monday.

Texas (24-28) nenters the game only 2.5 games back of the Athetics (27-26) in the American League West, but it feels like a chasm after a 3-6 road trip and being swept by the Los Angeles Angels.

The Athletics are the only team above .500 in the division, and they're just one game above it. The Rangers have been scuffling for more than a month, and they can't seem to gain any ground.

But the Houston Astros (23-31) have started gaining ground. Even though they're well behind the Rangers by record, after sweeping the Chicago Cubs on Sunday, they are 4.5 games back in the division. Houston has clawed its way back into legitimate contention.

This series, a four-game stretch that ends on Thursday, could be critical for both teams. For the Rangers, as hard as it may seem, they need a series victory at home.

The Rangers host the Astros for four games before transitioning to a three-game series with the Kansas City Royals on Friday. After that series ends on Sunday, they take a quick three-game road trip to St. Louis to open June and then get a day off before a three-game series with the Cleveland Guardians, who lead the AL Central.

Here is a breakdown of the game, including how to watch, the starting pitchers, injuries and other notes.

How to Watch Texas Rangers vs. Houston Astros

Texas Rangers relief pitcher Kumar Rocker throws a baseball from the pitcher's mound. — Texas Rangers relief pitcher Kumar Rocker. | Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

Time: 6:05 p.m. CT, Monday

Where: Globe Life Field, Arlington, Texas

TV: Rangers: Rangers Sports Network, can be streamed on Victory+; Astros: Space City Home Network.

Radio: Rangers: KRLD 1080, KFLC 1270; Angels: KBME 790 AM/94.5 FM HD-2, KLTN-TUDN 102.9 FM

Pitching Matchup

Texas: RHP Kumar Rocker (2-4, 3.60) vs. Astros: RHP Tatsuya Imai (1-2, 8.31)

After Rocker threw the best game of his career in Colorado last Tuesday behind an opener, left-hander Tyler Alexander, the Rangers are opting to use Rocker as a starter in Monday's game. To be fair, Texas was playing a hunch that an opener might get Rocker through the first inning the a game, an inning where he has the worst ERA of any inning he’s pitched in.

It worked. He worked 7.2 innings of shutout baseball before he yielded the final out to the bullpen. His road ERA dropped by more than three points to 4.66 after that start. So, is it just a road thing? Did that one start reset Rocker?

We’ll see. He is a much better starter at home than on the road, with a 2.81 ERA this season.

The Rangers are facing Imai for the first time. The Japanese superstar made just two starts before he went on the injured list with right arm fatigue in April. He’s coming off a start against Minnesota in which he gave up five hits and three earned runs in 4.2 innings. Intriguingly, he struck out five and walked none.

Rangers Injuries

10-Day Injured List: INF Cody Freeman (lumbar stress reaction), OF Wyatt Langford (right forearm strain); INF Josh Smith (right glute strain), SS Corey Seager (lower back inflammation).

15-Day Injured List: RHP Luis Curvelo (right biceps strain), LHP Robert Garcia (left shoulder inflammation), RHP Cole Winn (right arm fatigue).

60-Day Injured List: LHP Jordan Montgomery (Tommy John surgery recovery), LHP Cody Bradford (left UCL surgery), RHP Carter Baumler (right intercostal strain).

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