San Diego right-hander Tyson Ross struggled through a forgettable stint as a member of the Texas Rangers last season but is enjoying a rejuvenation this year with the Padres.

Ross said he won’t bring any bad feelings with him to the mound when the two teams square off in the middle contest of the three-game Braden Smith Jersey , interleague set on Tuesday at Globe Life Park in Arlington, Texas.

Texas took the opening game of the series 7-4 on Monday as Shin-Soo Choo had three hits and drove in one of the Rangers’ five runs in the pivotal sixth inning. The victory was Texas’ eighth in its past nine games.

Ross (5-5, 3.34 ERA) will try to help San Diego even the set while the Rangers will counter with right-hander Austin Bibens-Dirkx (1-1, 4.58).

Ross had surgery prior to the 2017 campaign to address thoracic outlet syndrome and made only 12 appearances for Texas before he was released in mid-September after posting a 7.71 ERA.

“I’d probably have struggled no matter where I was last year, just being five, six months out of surgery and picking up a baseball again,” Ross told MLB.com. “It was a lot of ups and downs in that year with Texas. But I think it was growing pains, and I was going to go through it no matter where I was, really.”

Ross will make his 16th start of the season. The Padres have won six of his past eight starts and are 10-5 overall when he takes the mound.

Ross was the losing pitcher on June 21 at San Francisco in his most recent outing despite tossing seven innings in which he allowed just one run. He received zero run support for the second consecutive outing and has worked five or more innings in 14 of his 15 starts, including nine quality outings.

Prior to Monday’s win, Texas manager Jeff Banister was campaigning for a spot for Choo in this year’s All-Star Game. Choo has never played in the midseason classic in his 14-year major league career.

Choo reached base for the 38th straight game, which is a career-high, with the first of his three hits on Monday.

“With how things have gone for us on a day-to-day basis, and what he’s done Kemoko Turay Jersey , I believe that Choo should be recognized as a guy that should have an opportunity to be an All-Star,” Banister opined. “Choo’s an on-base guy first, and when he’s doing that, he’s seeing pitches. He’s focused more on driving the ball that he gets to hit. He’s really good at it, and it keeps him from chasing balls out of the zone.”

Bibens-Dirkx will take the bump for his fourth start of the season and will be working on extended five days’ rest after earning his first win of the year in the Rangers’ 3-2 victory on Wednesday at Kansas City. He was recalled from Triple-A Round Rock prior to that start for his second stint with Texas in 2018.

Bibens-Dirkx is the second Texas starter to win without a strikeout since the start of 2012 (also Colby Lewis, April 29, 2016, vs. Los Angeles), and is the first to do it on the road since Tommy Hunter on Aug. 22, 2010, at Baltimore.

Bibens-Dirkx’ unique outing last Wednesday is also the only quality start without a strikeout in MLB this season. He has never faced the Padres.

TORONTO — The New York Yankees evened their series with the Toronto Blue Jays on Saturday afternoon, but the availability of closer Aroldis Chapman for the rubber match Sunday was unknown.

Chapman struck out the first batter of the bottom of the ninth inning Saturday in the Yankees’ 8-5 victory at the Rogers Centre, but then left the mound with a recurrence of left knee tendinitis that he has dealt with for the past two months.

“I don’t think today was anything too extreme from what he’s been dealing with much of the year,” Yankees manager Aaron Boone said. “It was more me getting him out of there because of the score.”

He is considered day-to-day.

Chapman entered the game in the ninth with a four-run lead Tyquan Lewis Jersey , a non-save situation.

“With a four-run lead, I didn’t want to take any chances with it,” Boone said. “He said he was fine to continue.”

Chasen Shreve replaced the left-hander and finished the game, allowing a home run to Aledmys Diaz.

The teams will go for the series win Sunday afternoon with the Yankees (57-29) sending out right-hander Domingo German (2-4, 5.37 ERA) and the Blue Jays (41-47) will start left-hander Ryan Borucki (0-1, 2.77).

The Yankees also lost center fielder Aaron Hicks to a cramp and hamstring tightness in his left leg in the fifth inning. Toronto reliever Rhiner Cruz left the game with a groin injury in the top of the ninth.

Hicks will be likely given Sunday off. No MRI has been done at this stage, so Boone hoped the day off would be enough.

“He feels like he’s OK,” Boone said.

Clint Frazier, who was called up from Triple-A, took over in left field when Hicks was removed with Brett Gardner moving from left to center.

In a twist to the game, the Yankees scored six runs and had four hits and six walks in 2 2/3 innings against Toronto left-hander J.A. Happ, a pitcher they could be interested in obtaining before the July 31 deadline for trades without waivers.

It was the second poor start in a row for Happ, who gave up seven runs in 5 2/3 innings to the Detroit Tigers on Sunday.

Happ said the rumors of a trade, possibly to the Yankees Nyheim Hines Jersey , did not influence his start.

“It really doesn’t change. I was ready to pitch. I was excited to pitch, I felt good,” Happ said. “I don’t know. I think you try to flush this one as best you can and it’s going to be a tough couple of days in between, but hopefully you bounce back.

“I don’t think these last two are really indicative of how I’ve pitched the last several years, so you try to flip the script as best as you can and just move forward.

“I’m just focused on playing for the Blue Jays right now. There’s rumors out there. You never know what’s speculation, what’s true, and what has any realistic chance. I’m just trying to play and pitch. I’m happy right here and we’ll see what happens.”

German will make his 17th appearance and 11th start of the year for the Yankees. He has faced Toronto twice in his career, both in relief, going 0-2 with an 8.10 ERA.

In German’s only outing against the Blue Jays this season, he allowed two runs, two hits and four walks in 1 2/3 innings.

Borucki will make his third career outing (all starts) when he pitches against the Yankees for the first time. He allowed two runs, six hits and no walks and had eight strikeouts Monday but did not factor in the decision against the Detroit Tigers.

The Yankees are 8-4 against the Blue Jays this season and 5-3 at the Rogers Centre. They last had five wins in Toronto in 2009 when they were 6-3.

The Blue Jays are 4-4 on a homestand that ends Sunday.