Texas @ Kansas City preview

Last Meeting ( Jun 18, 2018 ) Texas 6, Kansas City 3

Shortstop Elvis Andrus is back from a broken right elbow and looks to help the Texas Rangers win their fourth consecutive contest when they visit the Kansas City Royals on Tuesday for the middle contest of their three-game series. Andrus, who missed more than two months with the injury, went 0-for-3 with two walks on Monday in his return to the lineup.

Adrian Beltre belted a three-run homer and Shin-Soo Choo reached base five times on a homer, double and three walks as Texas recorded a 6-3 victory in the series opener. Choo has reached safely in each of his last 32 games, the second-longest streak in the majors this season behind a 40-gamer by Philadelphia's Odubel Herrera. Kansas City continues to sink in embarrassing fashion as it has dropped seven straight contests and 13 of its last 14 to fall 28 games below .500. The Royals are a woeful 2-14 this month as they've been outscored 95-35.

TV: 8:15 p.m. ET, FS Southwest (Texas), FS Kansas City

PITCHING MATCHUP: Rangers LH Cole Hamels (3-6, 3.69 ERA) vs. Royals RH Jason Hammel (2-7, 4.89)

Hamels is winless over his last four starts, with one of the two setbacks during the drought occurring against the Royals on May 27. The 34-year-old served up home runs to Drew Butera and Salvador Perez as Kansas City reached him for five runs and eight hits over 6 1/3 innings. Hamels is 3-2 with a 3.51 ERA in six career starts against the Royals but hasn't allowed an earned run in 13 frames (1-0 in two starts) at Kauffman Stadium.

Hammel outdueled Hamels last month, when he allowed four hits and registered a season-high 10 strikeouts in 5 1/3 scoreless innings of 5-3 victory. The 35-year-old is 2-2 with a 2.56 ERA over his last five outings after starting the season by going 0-5 with a 6.28 ERA over nine starts. Hammel is 2-3 with a 4.07 ERA in nine career appearances (seven starts) against the Rangers and has shut down Rougned Odor (2-for-16).

WALK-OFFS

1. The Royals traded RHP Kelvin Herrera - their closer - to Washington on Monday for INF Kelvin Gutierrez, OF Blake Perkins and RHP Yohanse Morel.

2. Texas optioned C Jose Trevino to Double-A Frisco, recalled Ricardo Rodriguez from Triple-A Round Rock and designated fellow RHP Deck McGuire for assignment.

3. Kansas City is a major league-worst 10-27 at home.

PREDICTION: Rangers 7, Royals 1