MLB Game Preview - Chicago Sox at Texas

Sun Aug 20, 2017 3:05 PM EDT

ARLINGTON, Texas -- It's no coincidence that the Texas Rangers started to make their way back up in the wild-card standings about the same time right-hander A.J. Griffin came off the disabled list.

Griffin (6-3, 5.07 ERA) has made three starts since coming off the disabled list Aug. 3 because of a left intercostal strain. Griffin has pitched well since coming off the DL. He's 2-1 in those three starts with a 3.38 ERA and opponents are batting just .198 against him.

Griffin will look to continue that trend Sunday when the Rangers face right-hander Miguel Gonzalez (6-10, 4.67 ERA) and the Chicago White Sox in the final of their four-game series. With a win, the Rangers can wrap up the homestand 8-2 after their 17-7 win over the White Sox Saturday.

Griffin is eager to see if he can keep the momentum going for himself and the Rangers.

"That was our goal the whole year," Griffin said. "It didn't go the way we wanted it to at the beginning, but I feel like we're coming together as a team right now. I feel like we're playing with good energy and we're executing. Everyone knows their roles, and we're doing a lot better job of just playing complete baseball."

He is coming off a 93-pitch start against Detroit on Tuesday in which he allowed one run on five hits in five innings in a 10-4 Texas victory. The 93 pitches are the most Griffin has thrown since his return to the rotation, and he feels like he's getting stronger.

"I've felt pretty good so far," he said. "For the most part I feel like we've done a pretty good job of keeping guys off balance and sticking to strengths and just executing pitches. I feel like it's been going pretty well. They're being a little careful with me on the pitch count so I've got to get deeper in the game on a few less pitches and keep that in mind and keep trying to execute. When I do that good things happen, and I can go deeper in the game."

Griffin has faced the White Sox just once, that coming in 2013 when he allowed four runs in 7 1/3 innings when he was with Oakland.

Like Griffin, Gonzalez will enter his Sunday start pitching well. He's 1-0 with a 1.29 ERA over his last two starts. He's also familiar with the Rangers, having made six starts against Texas with a 2-3 record and a 4.54 ERA.

Gonzalez may not have infielder Yoan Moncada helping him defensively or at the plate Sunday. Moncada, who homered in the series opener Thursday for the first road homer of his career, missed Saturday's game because of shin splints. There's a chance he could sit out Sunday's game, too.

"He's been playing with it for a couple of days," Chicago manager Rick Renteria said. "He was feeling it enough like it would impede him a little bit."

Moncada, who was the club's top prospect before getting called up July 19, isn't too concerned about the issue.

"It's not something that you have to be concerned about," Moncada said.