Los Angeles @ Texas preview

Last Meeting ( Jul 31, 2012 ) LA Angels 6, Texas 2

The Texas Rangers are feeling the heat, and will turn to rookie right-hander Yu Darvish to try and cool off the Los Angeles Angels. The Rangers, whose lead in the American League West has shrunk to three games over Los Angeles, host the Angels on Wednesday in the third of a four-game series. Texas has lost four of its last five games, including the first two games of the series. Darvish is 2-1 against Los Angeles, including a 9-2 victory over the Angels on July 21 when he matched a season high with 11 strikeouts.

The Rangers, who average 4.97 runs per game, have scored only 17 in their last five contests – most of them coming in a 15-8 loss to Los Angeles on Monday. They will try to get well against the Angels’ Garrett Richards, who will take Dan Haren’s spot in the rotation. Haren has tightness in his back. Texas needs Josh Hamilton to return to form. The 2010 AL MVP hit .177 in July and saw his average drop 32 points to .287.

TV: 8:05 p.m. ET, FS West (Los Angeles), FS Southwest (Texas)

PITCHING MATCHUP: RH Garrett Richards (3-2, 3.91 ERA) vs. Rangers RH Yu Darvish (11-7, 4.05)

Richards lost his last start 4-1 to Kansas City on July 24 when he allowed four runs and five hits in five innings. In his previous start, he pitched seven shutout innings in a 13-0 victory at Detroit on July 17. Richards has a 1.59 ERA with two no-decisions in two career starts against Texas – both in 2011. He left after 19 pitches in one of those outings because of a strained muscle. Mike Napoli has a homer and a walk in two at-bats against Richards.

Darvish has lost three of his last four starts and has seen his ERA rise nearly one-half run during that span. He was roughed up for six runs (five earned) and eight hits in 6 1/3 innings in a 9-5 loss to the Chicago White Sox on Friday. He has 25 strikeouts in 18 2/3 innings against Los Angeles, which is batting .174 against him. Albert Pujols, Mark Trumbo and Kendrys Morales are a combined 1-for-22 while rookie phenom Mike Trout is 4-for-9 with a homer and three RBIs.

WALK-OFFS

1. Rangers RHP Neftali Feliz will undergo Tommy John surgery and will miss the rest of the season – and most of 2013.

2. Angels LHP Scott Downs was placed on the 15-day disabled list because of a strained left shoulder. LHP Hisanori Takahashi was recalled from Triple-A Salt Lake.

3. Moments before Tuesday’s 4 p.m. ET trade deadline, the Rangers acquired RHP Ryan Dempster from the Chicago Cubs for a pair of minor leaguers – 3B Christian Villanueva and RHP Kyle Hendricks. Dempster, who was 5-5 and second in the National League with a 2.25 ERA, is expected to start Thursday against the Angels.