Jordan Lyles v Adrian Sampson, Lineup & Notes - Starling Back, J-Mart Back to Indy

Game: The Ranger game starts at 8:05 EDT at Globe Life Park and will be on AT&T SportsNet & 93.7 The Fan.

Lineup: Adam Frazier 2B, Starling Marte CF, Gregory Polanco RF, Josh Bell 1B, Melky Cabrera DH, Colin Moran 3B, Fran Cervelli C, Bryan Reynolds LF, Cole Tucker SS, (Jordan Lyles P). The lineup has a little more bite against righties and with Marte back. We'll be watching Gregory to see how he settles in after a few more at bats; he's pulling the ball more, but with a career high 50% grounder rate and career low 12.5% hard-hit rate (although his soft-contact rate is low, too) per Fangraphs.

Gregory is still feeling his way back 2019 Topps Heritage

Pitchers: RHP Jordan Lyles (2-1/2.15) opens the set against an ol' Bucco farmhand, RHP Adrian Sampson (0-1/4.50). Jordan was thumped for the first time this year in his last outing against the Snakes and will try to get back on the bike tonight. Lyles hasn't seen Texas since 2016 and hasn't missed them - he's got a 1-5/8.15 lifetime line against them (nine outings, seven starts). Sampson is making his second start this year. He's also worked for Seattle and will be on the bump for his eighth MLB start/first outing against the Bucs. Sampson was part of the 2015 deal that landed JA Happ.

Notes:

• Starling is back; he came off the IL today. Jason Martin was sent back to Indy to clear a roster space after hitting .229 for the Pirates.
• Texas has scored 29 runs in their last two games to break out of their own five-game losing streak. They're second in runs scored in MLB, tied with the Dodgers and behind Seattle. They're also excellent at home (10-4 v 4-9 on the road), so tough set comin' up.
• This is the first trip back to Texas for Keone Kela and Jeff Banister since becoming Pirates a few months ago.
• Jose Osuna has joined Indy to continue his rehab; he had been working with Class A Bradenton. He's been playing all four corner positions - 1B, 3B, LF & RF.
• JT Brubaker, who was lifted from his last start with elbow tightness, has landed on the MiLB IL with an elbow strain; no estimate yet on recovery time. He was considered the next man up if the Pirates needed a starting minor league arm, at least until Mitch Keller finds his groove.
• The Eastern League named Altoona Curve 3B Hunter Owen as their Player of the Week. Owen hit .417/.440/1.000 with three doubles, a triple, three homers (in 25 PA's!), drove in six runs and scored seven times.
• The Goose, Phil Gosselin, was added to Philly's active roster, joining Cutch, S-Rod, and Juan Nicasio.