On Deck will be here all season to provide you with everything you need to know (and a few things you don't) about every Rangers series during the 2016 season.
The Opponent: The A's come in sitting in fourth place after recently losing nine of 10 games, but they did win a weekend series in Tampa Bay.
Past Meetings: The A's beat the Rangers in the season series with 10 wins out of the 19 meetings.
Pitching Matchups: Monday — Derek Holland (3-2, 6.09 ERA) vs. Sean Manaea (0-1, 11.37); Tuesday — Cole Hamels (4-0, 2.95) vs. Eric Surkamp (0-3, 6.55); Wednesday — Martin Perez (1-3, 3.23) vs. Rich Hill (5-3, 2.68)
What's Hot: Ian Desmond is just a man possessed right now. In his last seven games, he has 10 RBIs and is batting .370. He has two doubles, a triple and two homers. Martin Perez had one of his best outings of the year his last time out, as he went 6 1/3 innings and gave up two runs against the Tigers. Sam Dyson hasn't allowed a run in his last five appearances and has given up just one hit.
Danny Valencia has been a monster in his last four games, jacking five home runs and driving in seven over that time. Yonder Alonso is batting .333 with three doubles in his last six games.
What's Not: Shawn Tolleson might have driven the final nail in his coffin as the Rangers closer on Saturday night. He's now given up four runs on six hits in his last three games. Derek Holland is coming off two horrific starts in which he's allowed 16 runs in just more than five innings.
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Sean Manaea, a heralded rookie pitcher, was bad his last time out. He gave up eight runs in two innings. Oakland catcher Steve Vogt is hitting .160 in his last six games and has no extra-base hits or RBIs in that time.
Familiar Faces: Former Rangers skipper Ron Washington, the all-time wins leader among Rangers managers, is now the third-base coach for the A's after he unexpectedly resigned late in the 2014 season.
