Worth noting

By T.R. Sullivan

September 17, 2013

• The Rangers are expected to face right-handers Ervin Santana, Jeremy Guthrie and James Shields during their three-game series against the Royals that starts on Friday at Kauffman Stadium. Shields is 7-3 with a 2.66 ERA in 12 career starts against the Rangers. That's the fifth-lowest ERA among active pitchers with at least five starts against them.

• Rangers center fielder Leonys Martin threw out Yunel Escobar trying to score on a single in the third inning of Monday's game for his 14th assist, third most by an outfielder this season. Gerardo Parra of Arizona has 16 and Alex Gordon of Kansas City has 15. Martin's 14 assists are also the most by a Rangers outfielder since Ruben Sierra had 15 in 1991.

• Alex Rios has been successful on 11 straight stolen-base attempts for the Rangers.

T.R. Sullivan is a reporter for MLB.com. Read his blog, Postcards from Elysian Fields, and follow him on Twitter @Sullivan_Ranger.