SAN FRANCISCO — A team that’s returning home encounters a team that’s starting to feel right at home when the San Francisco Giants host the Texas Rangers in a three-game interleague series beginning Friday night.The Giants got a chance to enjoy one of baseball’s longest flights — New York to San Francisco — after riding Madison Bumgarner’s gem to a 3-1 victory over the Mets in Thursday’s series finale.The National League West’s fourth-place team (63-66) lost six of eight to cap a 10-game trip http://www.dodgersfanproshop.com/authentic-babe-herman-jersey , but still believes there’s enough time to play catch-up in the crowded race for wild-card spots in the NL.Article continues below ...“I would like to squeak our way in there,” said Bumgarner, who will not pitch in the Texas series. “Obviously, that’s going to be tough for us. We gotta have a lot of things go our way and a lot of things not go their way. So I know the odds are slim.”The Giants will get a head-to-head shot at most of the competition in the wild-card race in the final 33 games of the season. They’ll face the Arizona Diamondbacks (71-56), the current NL West leaders, on their current homestand, sandwiched between a total of six games against the Rangers and Mets.“Anything can happen,” Giants manager Bruce Bochy insisted. “You have to look at some clubs. They’ve fought their way back in it. One club, in particular, the (St. Louis) Cardinals Mike Piazza Jersey , they got hot and look where they’re at (71-57). Anything can happen. We need to win games and get on a roll and get some confidence going.”The Giants are expected to reinstate right-hander Dereck Rodriguez (6-1, 2.25) from the disabled list to open the homestand. The Arlington, Texas, native, son of former Rangers standout Ivan Rodriguez, has never faced Texas.The 26-year-old has pitched brilliantly in interleague play, limiting the Oakland Athletics and Houston Astros to a total of six hits and one run in 13 1/3 innings, striking out 12 while going 1-0.The Rangers are scheduled to counter with right-hander Drew Hutchison (2-2, 5.71), who will be making his fourth start since signed by Texas earlier this month. He has never pitched against the Giants in his five-year http://www.dodgersfanproshop.com/authentic-andre-ethier-jersey , 96-game, 77-start career.Like the Giants, the Rangers enter the series on a high, having held off the A’s 4-2 in the finale of a three-game series in Oakland on Wednesday.As opposed to the Giants, they will be well rested, getting a rare opportunity to take a full day off on the road Thursday without changing hotels, having remained in the San Francisco Bay Area for both series.The Rangers believe they’ve found a closer in right-hander Jose Leclerc, who got the better of nemesis Khris Davis in a game-saving situation in the ninth inning of Wednesday’s win.“I thought it was a really nice confidence boost for him,” Rangers manager Jeff Banister said of Leclerc, who struck out Davis as the potential tying run after the slugger had hit nine earlier homers against Texas this season. “Credit to Jose. One thing that I know: It will go a long ways moving forward with him.” LAS VEGAS (AP) — Los Angeles Angels slugger Albert Pujols has been cleared to do extensive upper body work and also has begun low-impact lower body exercises as he recovers from surgery on his left knee and right elbow.Pujols isn’t yet ready to swing a bat but continues to progress as he works with a strength coach Chase Utley Jersey , general manager Billy Eppler said. The first baseman and designated hitter had season-ending knee surgery in August followed by the elbow procedure in September to remove bone spurs.“I know that he’s getting a lot of his work in,” Eppler said. “We all know the work ethic of him.”Pujols, who turns 39 next month, batted .245 with 19 homers and 64 RBIs playing 117 games in his 18th season. He has 633 career home runs.Two-way star Shohei Ohtani is back home in Japan continuing his rehabilitation from Tommy John surgery Oct. 1. The AL Rookie of the Year’s range of motion “is in very good shape,” according to Eppler, and he has full extension and flexion of the right arm.“That’s a little bit ahead of schedule. That doesn’t mean he’s coming back early,” Eppler said. “All it means is that we’re very pleased with it.”Ohtani went 4-2 with a 3.31 ERA in 10 starts as a pitcher. He played 104 games overall as a rookie, hitting .285 with 22 homers and 61 RBIs.Recalling the day the Angels landed Ohtani, Eppler beamed: “That was just a very good day in my professional life.”Eppler provided the updates after getting his voice back. He had been forced to hold some trade talks in a whisper.He lost his voice after picking up a little bug from his 4-year-old son, Xander Kirk Gibson Jersey , when the boy sneezed on a pillow Sunday morning. Eppler wasn’t going to turn down snuggle time before departing for a busy baseball week in Las Vegas.Eppler had improved by Tuesday, completing a series of minor league deals for Los Angeles.Reaching agreements with invitations to big league spring training camp were: outfielders Peter Bourjos, Jarrett Parker, Cesar Puello, right-hander Forrest Snow, catcher Dustin Garneau, shortstop Wilfredo Tovar and righty reliever Matt Ramsey.