Lackey is 0-2 with a 6.75 ERA in his last three starts. He pitched 5 1-3 innings against Oakland on Tuesday, allowing four runs and nine hits in the 8-1 loss.
"My arm felt great, movement-wise and velocity-wise. It definitely helped, physically," Lackey said after going nine days between starts.
The right-hander is 9-9 with a 5.45 ERA in 25 starts against the Rangers, but 0-1 with an 8.44 ERA in two starts versus them this season.
Hank Blalock went 4-for-4 with two doubles for Texas on Saturday, and is batting .443 (27-for-61) was five homers and 16 RBIs in a 16-game hitting streak against the Angels that dates back to May 13, 2007. He's hitting .316 (18-for-57) in his career against Lackey.
Scott Feldman (5-7, 5.30) returns the Rangers' rotation and gets the start in this game. The right-hander pitched one inning of relief on Wednesday against Detroit, allowing one run and one hit while striking out two.
Texas didn't plan on starting Feldman again this season, but Brandon McCarthy's finger injury changed those plans.
Feldman was 1-2 with a 7.18 ERA in his previous five starts. He is 0-1 with an 11.17 ERA in two starts against the Angels this season.
The Rangers (75-80) have lost three straight and five of their last seven.
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ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) - Los Angeles Angels lefty Joe Saunders ongoing problems with a kidney stone will cause him to miss Tuesday night's scheduled start against Seattle.
Angels manager Mike Scioscia said Jered Weaver and Jon Garland would move ahead one day and pitch on their usual four days' rest.
"We'll look for a Thursday starter," Scioscia said before Sunday's game against Texas.
