ARLINGTON -- With the expected return of Joey Gallo and Hunter Pence growing more imminent every day, Rangers manager Chris Woodward is now dealing with the details of how best to get them going again in Detroit next week.

Gallo is expected to return Tuesday when the Rangers begin a three-game series against the Tigers. He has been out since June 2 with a left oblique strain and has been in Arizona on a rehab assignment facing Arizona League pitchers since Wednesday.

The plan is for Gallo to start his first game or two back with the Rangers at designated hitter, and then begin playing left field when Delino DeShields is in center. Gallo could still play center when DeShields isn’t in the lineup, Woodward said.

“We thought originally there might be some limitations in the outfield because that was how he hurt it originally, it wasn’t even swinging,” Woodward said. “But I don’t think there’s going to be really any limitations as far as the way he feels right now, as long as there’s no setback, he should be good to go. I would like Joey to keep the reps in center just in case something happens to Delino. [Gallo’s] going to be ready to play both.”

Gallo has 17 homers, a .276 batting average and a 1.074 OPS this season in 50 games, as the 25-year-old’s offensive production has been far higher than either of his two previous seasons as an everyday player for Texas.

Pence, who is hitting .294 with 15 homers, is eligible to return Thursday from the 10-day injured list. He was placed on the IL with a right groin strain on June 17.

“We’re going to ramp it up so when we get to Detroit he can start fully running, running bases, we might maybe fly in a [Minor Leaguer] to throw to him, or something just to get him an at-bat or two just to get him some timing,” Woodward said. “He does so many things in the cage to prepare himself anyway that I don’t think it’s necessary, but I wouldn’t mind, it would be a good thing for him.”

Kelley’s recent woes don’t worry Woodward

Closer Shawn Kelley shouldered the loss Friday after allowing one earned run on two hits in the 10th inning against the White Sox. He has blown two of his last five save opportunities -- although the Rangers won all of those games -- and has a 6.00 ERA (4 ER in 6.0 IP) over his last six appearances. He allowed nine hits during that stretch, but opponents had an outlying .438 batting average on balls in play, so perhaps he has been a victim of some bad luck.

Woodward said he’s not bothered by Kelley’s rough patch. Woodward’s only real concern is keeping the 35-year-old veteran well rested.

“Yesterday he didn’t even get hit hard,” Woodward said. “We’ve just got to be mindful -- obviously he’s an older guy with the heat and with all those things, to make sure we take care of him so he doesn’t burn out too quickly in the summertime. But I’m not worried about him.”

The jet stream is back

Swirling winds caused Globe Life Park to gain a reputation as a hitters’ park back in the early 2000s, when the addition of a club behind home plate affected the way the ball carried, especially to right field, on gusty nights. Later renovations mitigated the jet-stream effect, but the wind has gotten tricky again after recent storms damaged several large windscreens high in the outfield.

Nomar Mazara’s 505-foot homer to right Friday, tied for the all-time longest in the Statcast era, would have been out of any ballpark. But Woodward half-jokingly said Saturday that the wind “may have added five, six feet, [to] put it over 500.

“I think the wind actually helps more to right-center, center, when it’s kind of funneling in. With those [screens] down, the air coming in is going to allow the ball to go better to right-center.”

Rangers beat

• Catcher Isiah Kiner-Falefa (right middle finger ligament sprain) isn’t close to returning from the IL yet, Woodward said. Kiner-Falefa has been out since June 7 and Woodward said he’s probably still a couple of weeks away from throwing again.

• Shin-Soo Choo has struck out 75 times in 71 games entering Saturday, but only twice in his last eight games. He struck out 13 times in the eight games before that stretch.

• Danny Santana was out of the lineup Saturday after his game-tying RBI single Friday extended his hitting streak to seven games. He is slashing .344/.354/.623 over 18 games this month.