MLB Game Preview - NY Yankees at Texas

Sat Sep 28, 2019 8:05 PM EDT

Yanks look for more power from Stanton in Texas

With two games left before starting the postseason, the New York Yankees have little left to accomplish.

When the Yankees face the host Texas Rangers for the second game of a three-game series on Saturday, they hope to continue getting productive at-bats from Giancarlo Stanton and adding to their record-setting home run total.

The Yankees, who will open the postseason at home next Friday night against the Minnesota Twins, will not finish with the best record in the majors.

New York (103-57) began the Texas series with a 14-7 win on Friday by getting a big night from Stanton as the team raised its season homer total to a major-league-record 305.

In his seventh game back from a lengthy injured-list stint caused by a sprained right knee, Stanton homered, had a two-run single, recorded his second three-hit game of the season and reached base five times.

"These at-bats are important, especially for some guys," Yankees manager Aaron Boone said of Stanton, who has had just 52 at-bats this season. "Obviously coming back off the IL and Giancarlo trying to get built up, so for him to have some really good consistent at-bats controlling the strike zone, it was good to see him do that."

Stanton's third homer of the season was one of six the Yankees hit to give them 305. The Yankees enter Saturday with two more homers than Minnesota.

Cameron Maybin, Brett Gardner, Gio Urshela, Mike Ford and Austin Romine also homered for the Yankees on Friday.

"We get excited when we hit homers," Boone said.

Texas (76-84) is closing out its third straight losing season since winning consecutive AL West titles in 2015 and 2016. The Rangers were 68-71 when Mike Minor beat the Yankees in New York on Sept. 2, but since then, Texas is 8-13, and the Friday loss was its 10th in the past 12 games.

Texas scored at least seven runs for the fourth time in five games thanks in part to homers from Danny Santana, Scott Heineman and Shin-Soo Choo. The Rangers also allowed double-digit runs for the third time in four games, and they have pitched to an 8.56 ERA in the past seven games.

"If you make mistakes to these guys, they make you pay," said Texas manager Chris Woodward, whose team has a 6.52 ERA in 23 games this month. "They're kind of like Minnesota when we played Minnesota. If you miss over the middle of the plate, they're going to do damage. They're really good at hitting mistakes in the air off the barrel (of the bat)."

While Stanton will continue getting more at-bats after his lengthy absence, right-hander Luis Severino (1-0, 0.00 ERA) will make his third start since coming off the injured list Sept. 17. Severino has thrown a combined nine scoreless innings against the Los Angeles Angels and Toronto Blue Jays, allowing five hits and two walks while striking out 13.

Severino earned his first win Sunday when he fanned nine and pitched five innings of three-hit ball against the Toronto Blue Jays.

"Our ace is back," Yankees right fielder Aaron Judge said. "I'm excited about it, and just at the right time."

Severino is 0-1 with a 6.30 ERA in two career starts against Texas.

Rangers right-hander Luke Farrell (1-0, 2.38 ERA) will his make fourth career start and first this season on Saturday. He has pitched 11 1/3 innings in his eight appearances this year, and he last pitched Wednesday, when he threw two scoreless innings against the Boston Red Sox.

Farrell has faced the Yankees once in his career, when he tossed a perfect inning on Sept. 4 in the Bronx, striking out two.

--Field Level Media