Rangers notes: Bullpen remains steady despite minor slips in Houston

The Rangers’ resurgent bullpen remains steady. Don’t let the seven runs allowed in the last two games in Houston fool you.

Four of those seven runs were unearned, including a passed ball that allowed a run late with Sam Dyson on the mound against the Astros on Sunday.

Manager Jeff Banister dismissed the homer Ross Ohlendorf allowed to Chris Charter Sunday as “one bad pitch.”

Rookie Keone Kela, who has pitched just four innings (five appearances) since Sept. 8, will only be used in games the Rangers are tied or leading. He also won’t work on back to back days with an eye towards having him rested for the postseason. Kela’s 59 innings pitched before Monday’s opener against the Tigers are 10 more than his career-high a year ago in the minors.

“We’ve got to be able to have Kela throughout [the playoffs],” Banister said.

The Rangers bullpen leads the American League with a 2.24 ERA and .200 opponent batting average in  72 1/3 innings in September.

Holland fine

Left-hander Derek Holland will start Thursday’s opener against the Los Angeles Angels, as scheduled. Holland was struck in his left middle finger in the first inning Saturday in Houston. He did not play catch Sunday but threw a bullpen session before Monday’s game.

McConaughey stoked

Actor and Texan Matthew McConaughey is stoked about a potential Lone Star playoff series between the Texas Rangers and Houston Astros.

The Lone Star rivals are both trying to make the postseason and could potentially meet in the American League Championship Series, giving the Silver Boot series a whole new level of importance.

“I’m so glad there are two Texas teams in the race right now,” said McConaughey, who was at Globe Life Park Monday to promote his Just Keep Livin Foundation, which is in its fourth year of a partnership with the Rangers. The Rangers and the JKL foundation created an after-school program for local students centered on encouraging them to improve their physical and mental health through exercise, teamwork, gratitude, nutrition and community service.

Rangers designated hitter Prince Fielder helped support McConaughey before Monday’s game.

“Seeing that I have two kids myself, me and my wife, I always want to give other kids the opportunity to make the best choices for health,” Fielder said. “Just so they have the confidence to be the best they can be.”

McConaughey stayed around for the Rangers-Tigers game Monday night before heading back to New York to finish a film. He grew up an Astros fan in Longview, but admitted he’s “much more of a Rangers fan now.”

“I’m sure enjoying that we’ve got a little interstate rivalry going on,” he said. “When Houston came to the American League, that’s what I was hoping for. People traveling the highways, coming to Dallas or going to Houston. I hope we’re making a lot of that.”

You can bet they will if the teams meet in the postseason. And McConaughey will be there.

Saturday change

Saturday’s game with the Los Angeles Angels has been moved from 7:05 p.m. to 12:05 p.m. The game will be televised nationally by Fox (KDFW/Ch. 4). Parking lots will open at 9 a.m. and the gates will open at 10:30 a.m.

Key stat

8 Or more triples for two Rangers players for the first time in club history. Rougned Odor recorded his eighth on Sunday. Delino DeShields has 10.

Quotable

“I’ve got enough people to tell me how it goes. [My wife] will let me know. I don’t think she misses a pitch. With technology, I don’t have to turn the TV on. My phone with vibrate in my pocket and let me know.” — Banister on whether he’ll be checking on the late Astros’ scores from Seattle Monday through Wednesday.

This story was originally published September 28, 2015 at 8:25 PM with the headline "Rangers notes: Bullpen remains steady despite minor slips in Houston."