Rangers Starting Rookie Tuesday at Astros

The Texas Rangers will start rookie Yerry Rodríguez against the Houston Astros on Tuesday night after previously incorrectly announcing that rookie Cody Bradford would be on the mound.

The Rangers left the Tuesday spot open after deciding on Sunday to skip Nathan Eovaldi’s turn in the rotation to give the All-Star a little more rest, with rookie Owen White also being an option.

Texas lost the series opener 10-9 on Monday. Game 2 is scheduled for 7:10 p.m. at Minute Maid Park with Astros starting right-hander J.P. France (5-3, 3.13).

Rodríguez, a reliever, is likely being used as an opener with Bradford and White being available. The right-handed Rodríguez has pitched in 11 games this season and has yet to record a win, loss, hold or save. He does have a blown save and an ERA of 5.06 in 10 2/3 innings, with 11 strikeouts. 

Rodríguez last pitched on Saturday, giving up three runs in 2.0 innings on four hits in a 16-3 loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers. He did strike out five.

Bradford last pitched against the Dodgers on Saturday, as he threw 1 1/3 innings of relief and gave up one hit and one earned run. He’s been up and down with the Rangers this season, as he made his MLB debut on May 15 and was sent back down the day after.

The Rangers have used him as a spot starter and reliever this season, with him earning his first MLB win in relief on July 7 in a start against Washington. He gave up five hits and one run in five innings.

His last appearance against Houston was on July 3 in relief, where he threw 2 1/3 innings of scoreless, hitless baseball and struck out four.

White was recalled by the Rangers on Sunday as a potential long reliever, according to manager Bruce Bochy. But he also revealed that he hoped not to use White on Sunday — which he didn’t — and that White was an option to start on Tuesday.

The Rangers are expected to start left-hander Andrew Heaney (6-6, 4.58) against Astros left-hander Framber Valdez (8-6, 2.94) on Wednesday.