Rangers Lineup for Red Sox Answers Question About Key Slugger’s Availability

The Texas Rangers have released their lineup for the first game of their three-game series with the Boston Red Sox on Friday.

Texas Rangers designated hitter Joc Pederson. | Jeff Curry-Imagn Images

The Texas Rangers’ next task is to get over .500 for the season. Their chance comes Friday against the Boston Red Sox.

At legendary Fenway Park, the Rangers (34-34) open a three-game series with the Red Sox (27-39) having gotten back to .500 for the first time since May 1. It’s been a rough six weeks. The Rangers tried and failed six times to get back to .500 before doing so against Kansas City on Thursday with a 4-2 win.

The next step is to get back above .500. The last time the Rangers were one game above .500 was on April 25 when they beat the athletics to improve to 14-13 on the season.

The Rangers also enter Friday’s action one game back of the Seattle Mariners in the AL West. After a relatively moribund May, Texas has gone 9-3 in its last 12 games.

Texas Rangers Lineup for May 12

Texas Rangers third baseman Josh Jung. | Denny Medley-Imagn Images

DH Joc Pederson (L)

3B Josh Jung

RF Brandon Nimmo (L)

LF Wyatt Langford

SS Ezequiel Duran

CF Evan Carter

1B Jake Burger

C Kyle Higashioka

2B Nicky Lopez

With the Rangers facing right-hander Sonny Gray, the expectation would be that Joc Pederson would be in the lineup at designated hitter. But since he left Wednesday’s game in Kansas City with a hip issue the Rangers have been treating him day-to-day. He didn’t play on Thursday.

But he’s back at the top of the order for Texas on Friday. It’s worth noting that Pederson has hit much better in the last six weeks and is slashing .235/.345/.441 with eight home runs and 23 RBI.

He’s hit even better since he moved into the leadoff spot on May 12. In that span he’s slashed .247/.351/.568 with six home runs and 15 RBI. He’s in that spot because while his slugging is still not where he’d like it to be, he’s emerged with one of the best on-base percentages on the team.

This may be the Rangers’ only chance to start Pederson this weekend. Boston intends to start left-handed pitchers on Saturday and Sunday and Pederson typically doesn't face lefties. The rest from the starting lineup could benefit him before returning home next week against Minnesota.

Friday will also likely be Evan Carter’s only start of the season. The center fielder is still having problems hitting lefties and, while his defensive is elite, he’s a matchup problem against left-handed pitching. Rangers manager Skip Schumaker said during the last homestand that, for now, Carter is not starting against left-handers, which would rule him out Saturday and Sunday from the starting lineup unless something changes.