NEW YORK YANKEES (7-10)

at TEXAS RANGERS (10-9)

First pitch: Monday, 8:00 p.m. ET
Line: N/A

Cesar Ramos and the first-place Rangers kick off a three-game series with Nathan Eovaldi and the Yankees at Globe Life Park in Arlington.

The Rangers (10-9) come into Monday night’s game tied for first place with the A’s in the American League West. The Yankees (7-10), meanwhile, are in the cellar in the American League East. The Rangers had a rough weekend in Chicago, as they were swept by the first-place White Sox, scoring just four runs in 29 innings. After dropping seven of eight, the Bombers got back on track this weekend with a series win over the Rays at Yankee Stadium. On the hill for manager Jeff Banister will be LHP Cesar Ramos (2-1, 2.75 ERA, 43 SO, 15 BB in 52 1/3 innings pitched in 2015), who is making his season debut—and Rangers debut. He’s starting in place of LHP Cole Hamels (3-0, 2.52 ERA, 23 SO, 11 BB in 25 IP), who is dealing with left groin soreness. Ramos didn’t make any starts for the Rays last season, and of his 251 career appearances, only 10 of them have been starts. On the hill for the Bombers will be RHP Nathan Eovaldi (0-2, 6.11 ERA, 22 SO, 3 BB, 4 HR in 17 2/3 innings). The 26-year-old throws absolute gas, but he’s been anything but sharp in his first three starts. This will be the first meeting of the season between these two clubs.

The Yankees get on base (.316 OBP – 5th in AL, 62 BB – 4th in AL, 127 SO – 13th in AL), but they have trouble getting those base runners in (66 R – T-10th in AL, .194 with RISP – 13th in AL). No Yankees starter is hitting over .300. LF Brett Gardner (.294, 2 HR, 4 RBI, .429 OBP) leads the club in hitting, and he’s followed by veteran C Brian McCann (.280, 3 HR, 7 RBI, .390 OBP). RF Carlos Beltran (.277, 4 HR, 9 RBI, .294 OBP) leads the club in homers, but SS Starlin Castro (.277, 2 HR, 10 RBI, .329 OBP) has cooled off after a scorching start. CF Jacoby Ellsbury (.258, 0 HR, 7 RBI, .290 OBP) continues to disappoint, while 3B Chase Headley (.149, 0 HR, 2 RBI, .293) and DH Alex Rodriguez (.145, 2 HR, 6 RBI, .242 OBP) are off to two of the worst starts in all of baseball. If the Yankees get a late lead, they’re awfully difficult to beat. Even with RP Aroldis Chapman serving a 30-game suspension, Joe Girardi’s club owns a 2.91 ERA behind the eight-ninth inning dominance of RPs Dellin Betances (0.00 ERA, 22 SO, 2 BB in 9 IP) and Andrew Miller (0.00 ERA, 4 SV, 0 BLSV, 15 SO, 0 BB in 8 IP). Ellsbury (1-for-9) has struggled against Ramos in his career, but Gardner (3-for-9 with a double) and 1B Mark Teixeira (.220, 3 HR, 8 RBI), who has gone 4-for-9 with a double and two walks, have hit him well.

Who’s the hottest hitter on the Rangers? That would be rookie RF Nomar Mazara (.356, 2 HR, 6 RBI, .404 OBP). Veterans Elvis Andrus (.333, 0 HR, 11 RBI, .364 OBP, 3 2B, 2 3B) and Adrian Beltre (.319, 3 HR, 12 RBI, .367 OBP, 6 2B) have been excellent as well. The Rangers don’t hit a lot of home runs, as Beltre leads the club with just three. LF Ian Desmond (.200, 2 HR, 6 RBI, .297 OBP) and DH Prince Fielder (.181, 2 HR, 14 RBI, .244 OBP) have been dreadful, and it’s hard to see Texas winning the division if they continue to be non-factors. Desmond is 5-for-21 with a homer and three RBIs against Eovaldi, though he’s struck out eight times against the hard-throwing righty. No lead is safe for the Rangers, as the bullpen possesses an alarming 5.40 ERA (9.00 ERA at home) and has blown three saves.