(Photo credit: Peter Aiken-Imagn Images)

Two teams trending in the wrong direction meet when the Texas Rangers begin a three-game series against the Kansas City Royals on Friday in Arlington, Texas.

Kansas City has lost 13 of its past 16 to slip a season-low 12 games under .500. Texas has dropped six of its past seven to fall a season-worst six games under .500.

The Royals are beginning a 10-game road trip after being swept in three games by the New York Yankees. Kansas City has lost 14 straight to New York and was outscored 26-4 in the series.

'It sucks,' Royals shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. said. 'Getting swept at home and losing however many games in a row to those guys. Just a tough pill to swallow. But you move on and you get better from it. Comes down to us. How much do we want it? How bad do we want it? We can keep digging ourselves a hole, or we can come out of it.'

Kansas City manager Matt Quatraro remains confident his team is close to turning things around.

'We're getting challenged, we've lost some games, but we believe in the things that we have in place,' Quatraro said. 'We believe in the people we have in place. This is a tough business. It's a tough job. When you're losing, you've got to fight through it.'

Texas can empathize with Quatraro after losing three of four to the Houston Astros to begin the week. The Rangers' first-inning struggles continued on Thursday, when the Astros scored three runs in the opening frame of a 5-1 victory.

The Texas rotation has posted a league-high 7.23 ERA in the first inning this season.

'I know it's been a pattern that teams have been scoring in the first inning,' Rangers acting manager Luis Urueta said after Thursday's loss. 'We've been trying to make the adjustments.'

Urueta handled the Thursday game in place of manager Skip Schumaker, who attended his son's high school graduation.

Left-hander MacKenzie Gore (3-4, 4.42 ERA) will take the mound for Texas in the series opener. He allowed one run on one hit over six innings in a no-decision against the Los Angeles Angels on Sunday.

Gore, 27, has gone 1-1 with a 2.40 ERA over his past three starts after battling inconsistency early this season.

'I've seen a really good MacKenzie Gore this year,' Schumaker said. 'He's had a couple bad ones, but he's human, and you're allowed to have those. I think you're going to see more of these types of outings for the remainder of the year.'

Starling Marte is 5-for-13 (.385) with a home run against Gore, whose only previous start vs. Kansas City came as a member of the Washington Nationals on May 28, 2023. Gore received a no-decision after allowing one run and striking out 11 over seven innings.

The Royals will counter with right-hander Stephen Kolek (3-0, 2.77), who recorded his second career shutout in a 5-0 home win over Seattle on Saturday.

Kolek, 29, limited the Mariners to four hits and one walk while fanning two. He threw a career-high 108 pitches.

Jake Burger is 3-for-3 against Kolek, who is 0-1 with an 8.10 ERA in two career games (one start) covering 6 2/3 innings vs. Texas.

--Field Level Media