Rangers vs. Giants: Live Stream, Injuries, Pitching Matchups and Fantasy Preview

In a matchup that will give the West Coast some much-deserved national spotlight, the Texas Rangers travel to the Bay Area to take on the San Francisco Giants. 

After starting the season on fire, the Rangers have hit a rough patch. They are 3-7 in their last 10 games, with the starting rotation being torn apart by injuries and poor performances. Colby Lewis has been the most consistent performer, but beyond him there are a lot of questions that have to be resolved. 

The Giants have the opposite problem; plenty of pitching, not nearly enough offense. Of course, that's been the case with this team for years. What's remarkable about their success is they have done it with Tim Lincecum having an ERA close to 6.00. 

Where: AT&T Park in San Francisco, CA

When: Friday, June 8 through Sunday, June 9

Watch: Fox Sports Southwest (Rangers); Comcast Sportsnet Bay Area (Giants)

Game Times: Friday at 10:05 p.m. EST; Saturday and Sunday at 4:05 p.m. EST

Live Stream: MLB.tv

Rangers Injury Report (via CBS Sports)

15-day DL: SP Derek Holland (Shoulder); SP Neftali Feliz (Elbow)

Giants Injury Report

15-day DL: RP Dan Runzler (Side); 2B Freddy Sanchez (Shoulder); 3B Pablo Sandoval (Hand); SP Eric Surkamp (Elbow)

60-day DL: RP Brain Wilson (Elbow)

Questionable: RP Sergio Romo (Knee); LF Melky Cabrera (Hamstring)

Pitching Matchups

Friday: Matt Harrison (7-3, 4.37 ERA) vs. Barry Zito (5-2, 2.98 ERA)

Saturday: Scott Feldman (0-4, 7.01 ERA) vs. Ryan Vogelsong (4-2, 2.38 ERA)

Sunday: Alexi Ogando (1-0, 2.27 ERA) vs. Tim Lincecum (2-6, 5.83 ERA)

Rangers Fantasy Must-Starts

Josh Hamilton

You didn't really need me to tell you this one, did you?

Hamilton has cooled off since his torrid start to the season, yet he is still hitting .341/.397/.697 with 21 home runs and 58 RBI. No one should have expected him to hit .400 all year, so the drop in average is not a shock. 

Playing in San Francisco's big park usually does not do hitters any favors, but Hamilton is not like most hitters. He has power that few players can match, with the ability to hit the ball out to all fields. 

Alexi Ogando

Giving some love to the pitching, I like Ogando in his start on Sunday. Lincecum has done nothing to make us think he is going to come out of his funk, so the odds of Ogando getting a win look good right now. 

In addition to that, Ogando has the power stuff to dominate a weak lineup like San Francisco's. I would not be concerned about his transition into the rotation for this start. He can go five or six innings with at least a strikeout an inning and only one or two runs allowed. 

Giants Fantasy Must-Starts

Ryan Vogelsong

I have no idea how Vogelsong is doing it, but he has turned into one of the two most dependable starters on the Giants' staff. He has gone at least six innings in all 10 of his starts this season, with respectable strikeout numbers. 

Pitching in AT&T Park does help him a lot, since he is a fly ball pitcher and a lot of the balls hit in the air just die in that spacious outfield. Until we see him have a bad start, it is hard not to bet on him in this spot. 

Buster Posey

There are not a lot of strong offensive performers for the Giants, but Posey has been a bright spot. He has two favorable pitching matchups on Friday and Saturday, so he should be good for a handful of hits, with at least a couple extra-base hits. 

The power numbers have not always been there this season, but as an overall hitter, he picked up right where he left off before his injury last year. 

Prediction

This is going to be a fun series to watch. I think the Rangers will find enough pitching to defeat Barry Zito and Tim Lincecum on Friday and Saturday, with the Giants stealing the middle game. 

Rangers win series 2-1

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