ALCS Game 6: Rangers lineup versus Phil Hughes

Here’s the Rangers’ lineup for Game 6 of the ALCS tonight against Phil Hughes:

1. Elvis Andrus, SS
2. Michael Young, 3B
3. Josh Hamilton, CF
4. Vladimir Guerrero, DH
5. Nelson Cruz, RF
6. Ian Kinsler, 2B
7. David Murphy, LF
8. Bengie Molina, C
9. Mitch Moreland, 1B

No surprises, really. As expected, Cruz is playing after leaving Game 5 with a hamstring strain. Molina rejoins the lineup after sitting out Game 5 because Matt Treanor is C.J. Wilson’s personal catcher. Murphy gets the nod over platoon-mate Jeff Francoeur with a right-hander on the mound for the Yankees.

So far this postseason the Rangers have hit a combined .269 with a .336 on-base percentage and .470 slugging percentage versus right-handed pitching and they beat Hughes in Game 2, getting to him for seven runs on 10 hits and three walks in four innings.

Bob Nightengale of USA TODAY Sports reports that the Diamondbacks and reliever T.J. McFarland have avoided arbitration, agreeing on a $1.45 million salary for the 2019 season. McFarland, in his third of four years of arbitration eligibility, filed for $1.675 million while the Diamondbacks countered at $1.275 million. McFarland ended up settling for just under the midpoint of those two figures.

McFarland, 29, was terrific out of the bullpen for the D-Backs last season, finishing with a 2.00 ERA and a 42/22 K/BB ratio in 72 innings. While the lefty may not miss a lot of bats, he does induce quite a few grounders. His 67.9 percent ground ball rate last season was the third highest among relievers with at least 50 innings, trailing only Brad Ziegler (71.1%) and Scott Alexander (70.6%).

McFarland was dominant against left-handed hitters, limiting them to a .388 OPS last season, but the D-Backs deployed him nearly twice as often against right-handed hitters, who posted an aggregate .764 OPS against him. It will be interesting to see if the club decides to use him more as a platoon reliever in 2019.

Follow @Baer_Bill