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White Sox-Rangers Preview

May 10, 2016 - 5:37 AM The Chicago White Sox brought in Todd Frazier in the offseason to provide long-desired stability at third base and some power in the middle of the lineup, but a rough week dropped the slugger's average below the Mendoza Line.

His latest performance might help him finally get into a groove.

Frazier looks to help the White Sox win a fifth straight as they send Carlos Rodon to the hill to face the host Texas Rangers on Tuesday night.

After hitting a career-high 35 homers for Cincinnati last season, Frazier was traded in a three-team deal that Chicago (23-10) hoped would give them a solid corner infielder after many years of a revolving door of players at third.

Frazier, though, entered Monday's series opener mired in a 2-for-28 slump that dipped his average to .194. He broke out in a big way against the Rangers, homering in the sixth, hitting a tiebreaking grand slam in the 12th and finishing with four hits and a career-high six RBIs in an 8-4 victory.

Although Frazier hasn't hit much for average, his 10 homers rank among the AL leaders.

''It felt good. It felt really good,'' Frazier said. ''With experience, you understand that it's going to come around. Just glad it came today and in extra innings.''

The White Sox, with baseball's second-most victories behind the crosstown Cubs, have won six straight meetings with the Rangers (18-15), including a three-game sweep on the South Side last month.

Rougned Odor homered Monday for Texas, which rallied to tie it in the eighth and ninth against a White Sox bullpen that entered with a major league-best 1.82 ERA.

''We ran into a guy that got hot,'' said manager Jeff Banister, ejected in the ninth after arguing balls and strikes. ''That was tough.''

Rodon (1-4, 4.36 ERA) looks to give Chicago a better performance in this one. After a solid first two outings, he's gone 0-3 with a 6.30 ERA over his last four after falling 5-2 to Boston on Wednesday.

He surrendered a two-run homer to David Ortiz in the fifth that put the Red Sox ahead for good before finishing the sixth.

The 23-year-old also has walked 14 over 33 innings.

"Right now, I'm thinking this game is pretty hard, but when you're going good, it seems easy," Rodon said. "I'll try to get out of this funk and get some wins for this team."

Prior to his rough stretch, Rodon gave up two runs and struck out seven in 6 2/3 innings of Chicago's 4-3, 11-inning win over the Rangers on April 23. He's 1-0 with a 2.41 ERA and 22 strikeouts over 18 2/3 innings in three starts against Texas, which counters with Derek Holland in a matchup of left-handers.

Holland (3-2, 5.40) had a 2.48 ERA over his first five outings, then watched it balloon while allowing 11 runs and 11 hits in 2 2/3 innings of Thursday's 12-2 loss at Toronto. He also walked three in giving up the most runs in his eight-year career.

''I'm definitely upset with that,'' Holland said. ''It's just one of those starts I've got to hurry up and put it past me. I'm pretty (ticked) off with myself. I didn't perform the way I should've and now I've got to get ready for the next start.''

Holland lost 4-1 to the White Sox on April 24 after giving up three runs and walking three in 6 1/3 innings. He's 0-2 with a 6.86 ERA in four career starts against them.