Game Preview: Rangers At Athletics

(AP) - Scott Kazmir put together a 2014 season that few could have predicted and his spring was fantastic, but he might still be entering 2015 with plenty to prove.

The left-hander takes the mound Wednesday night as the Oakland Athletics host the Texas Rangers in the third of a four-game set, and he'll be out to show a two-month letdown at the end of last season wasn't indicative of a regression to the kind of pitching that had him out of the major leagues two years prior.

Kazmir set a career-best win total with a 15-9 record while the All-Star's 3.55 ERA was his best since 2008. From April through July, he was 12-3 with a 2.37 ERA, 1.02 WHIP and .215 opponent batting average. In August and September, he was 3-6 with a 6.05 ERA, 1.46 WHIP and .285 OBA, though he ended the season with a win in Texas, allowing two runs - one earned - in seven innings on Sept. 26.

He was 3-1 with a 4.22 ERA in the series and has struggled lifetime against Adam Rosales (7 for 17) and Shin-Soo Choo (6 for 16).

But after a 2-0 spring with a 1.00 ERA in four starts, he's plenty confident and so is his manager.

"I don't know how you get much better than that," Bob Melvin told MLB's official website. "When you look up there and see his ball-strike ratio is like 23-to-5 in his first 28 pitches, you know he's on it."

Kazmir will face Ross Detwiler, who's making his Texas debut after being traded from Washington in December. The left-hander pitched exclusively out of the bullpen last season, posting a 2-3 record and 4.00 ERA in 63 innings. The previous five seasons, he was primarily a starter.

This spring, he was 0-1 with a 3.72 ERA in three starts and a relief appearance while striking out nine and walking one in 9 2-3 innings.

"I feel good about the way the spring has gone," Detwiler said. "... I feel good they have enough confidence in me and chose me for a spot. I still have work to do; it's a long season. I want to get off to a good start and stay healthy."

Debuting against Oakland might be favorable. The A's were just 24-25 against left-handed starters last season while going 64-49 against right-handers.

Oakland could have some help fixing that with Cody Ross reportedly signing with the club and expected to join the A's after clearing waivers on Wednesday.

With Coco Crisp expected to miss at least six weeks because of elbow surgery and Josh Reddick sidelined with an oblique injury, they've been playing with three true outfielders on the active roster. Ross was relatively ineffective last season with Arizona, batting .252 with two home runs in 219 plate appearances, though he has a career .294 average and .916 OPS against lefties. Oakland figures to face two lefties in the next four games.

It didn't produce much Tuesday against a right-hander, falling 3-1 with just five hits to even the series in Jeff Banister's first win as Texas manager.

The Rangers have won eight of 11 in Oakland dating to the start of last season. Leonys Martin, Elvis Andrus and Prince Fielder - their Nos. 1-3 batters - each had two hits after Texas was one-hit in the opener.

Fielder had two RBIs for his first production since missing the majority of 2014 with a neck injury.

"I can feel both my arms," Fielder said.

Oakland's Sam Fuld was 2 for 4 with a triple for a second straight game as he fills in for Crisp in the leadoff spot.