SURPRISE, Ariz. -- Jeff Mathis will be behind the plate for at least three innings when the Rangers open their Cactus League schedule against the Royals on Saturday at 2:05 p.m. CT.

It will be the Rangers' first “game look” at the veteran catcher signed in the offseason to guide their pitching staff. D-backs manager Torey Lovullo, who had Mathis the past two years in Arizona, said the Rangers will like what they see.

“A tremendous leader by example,” Lovullo said. “Tremendous leader by commitment to the message that is being sent. He is a veteran who speaks his mind the way it should be spoken, with respect, and somebody who brings along his teammates the best way he knows how.

“He is going to build camaraderie. He is going to help build [manager Chris Woodward’s] culture, and I expect him to continue what he did for us with that pitching staff in leading them and helping them get big outs.”

Mathis’ primary mission right now in Spring Training is to get adjusted to his pitchers. The priority will be with pitchers expected to be on the Major League roster, but Mathis isn’t limiting himself. He has already caught Minor League left-handers Brock Burke and Brett Martin in their bullpen sessions.

“I would like to catch all of them and see all of them,” Mathis said. “We are working behind the scenes to do that. Everybody in [the clubhouse] has the possibility of helping this team out this year.”

The other priority is getting Mathis ready for a heavier workload during the regular season. Mathis is the Rangers' No. 1 catcher, but his career high in games started behind the plate is 90, in 2008 with the Angels. He has averaged 58 games started at catcher over the past 10 seasons.

“Yeah, that’s a tough one,” Woodward said. “It’s tough to get him to catch as many different guys as he [wants]. If you catch too many guys, you don’t catch the guy you’re going to catch in the regular season. It’s a challenge, something we have to keep an eye on. We are trying to monitor everything.”

Woodward wants aggressive baserunning

Former managers Ron Washington and Jeff Banister preached aggressive baserunning, and Woodward will do the same. That was his reputation as the Dodgers' third-base coach, and he wants to carry it over to the Rangers.

Woodward, who brought back Tony Beasley as the Rangers third-base coach, said it will start immediately in Spring Training. Woodward wants his players to use Cactus League games to learn what they can and can’t do on the basepaths.

“We are not going to run around with our heads cut off and run into outs,” Woodward said. “But I want to make sure they take chances they don’t take normally to see what they are capable of. We can always throttle down, but it’s really hard to throttle up at the start of the season. You got to set that tone from day one.”

Romano knows relief

Right-hander Jordan Romano is trying to make the Rangers as a Rule 5 Draft pick, but also in a new role. Romano was a starter in the Blue Jays organization the past three years, but the Rangers are going to look at him as a reliever.

He has some familiarity with the role. He was a closer in college and was used in relief by Italy during the 2017 World Baseball Classic. He was the winning pitcher with a scoreless ninth inning in Italy’s 10-9 come-from-behind win over Mexico.

“It has been different, but I like relieving,” Romano said. “I’ve done it in the past and don’t mind it.”

Rangers beat

• Woodward said shortstop Elvis Andrus and second baseman Rougned Odor aren’t expected to play in the first few Cactus League games. The two veteran infielders will ease into it. But Woodward said he wants all his regulars to be able to go back-to-back nine-inning games before the spring is over.

• The Rangers were forced inside for the second straight day by rain and cold temperatures, and pitcher Drew Smyly said, “I have been out in Arizona all winter and these last two days have probably been the ugliest I have seen.”