Francisco to test sore shoulder in bullpen Texas (35-26) vs. Los Angeles (41-22), 2:05 p.m. CT By T.R. Sullivan / MLB.com 06/14/09 12:50 AM ET ARLINGTON -- The Rangers will close out their three-game series with the Dodgers on Sunday afternoon without Frank Francisco available as their closer. Instead, Francisco will throw before the game in the bullpen and test his sore right shoulder. The Rangers are hoping that Francisco will throw without problem, take Monday off and then be ready when they play the Astros on Tuesday. Francisco has not pitched since June 3 against the Yankees in New York when he earned his 12th save. He is still tied for sixth in the league in saves, but the Rangers have been trying to get by while he deals with tendinitis in his right shoulder. "Of course, we miss Frankie," Rangers manager Ron Washington said. "But when you're a team, other guys have to step up and those other guys have stepped up their game. If we have a healthy Frankie Francisco, our bullpen is good. He makes it great." Francisco was on the disabled list from May 7-21 with a sore shoulder. The Rangers continue to resist the temptation to put Francisco on the disabled list. If they did that, Francisco wouldn't be available until Friday in San Francisco. The Rangers still think that he will be ready at some point during the Astros series. Francisco's problems and progress have been monitored closely by both Keith Meister, the Rangers team physician, and Dr. James Andrews. "They both have the same diagnosis that Frank does have some tendinitis," Rangers assistant general manager Thad Levine said. "We want to give him as long as possible to work through it. He feels he's making progress and that's enough for us to allow him to work through it." Pitching matchup TEX: LHP Derek Holland (1-3, 6.54 ERA) Holland was supposed to start Thursday but was pushed back after the Rangers were rained out on Wednesday. He replaces Doug Mathis, who is going to the bullpen. Holland is 0-2 with a 7.04 ERA in his three starts since joining the rotation. He is 1-1 with a 6.06 ERA in nine relief appearances. The Rangers talked about moving him back to the bullpen, but he is going to stay in the rotation now that Brandon McCarthy is on the disabled list. LAD: RHP Chad Billingsley (8-3, 2.73 ERA) Billingsley has won his past two starts and is 3-2 with a 3.48 ERA in his past five starts. He is 2-1 with a 1.82 ERA in five starts on the road. Right-handers are hitting .202 off him while left-handed hitters are batting .260. Opponents overall are hitting .219 off him, fifth lowest in the National League. As of Saturday morning, he was tied for fifth in the league in strikeouts and seventh in ERA. He has never pitched against the Rangers. Tidbits Hank Blalock will be back at designated hitter on Sunday, Washington said. ... Blalock has 499 career RBIs, tied for ninth most in club history with Mark Teixeira and Buddy Bell. ... Rangers pitchers threw 176 pitches on Friday night, most ever in a shutout in club history. ... The San Francisco Giants' rotation is set up so that they will pitch Randy Johnson in the first game of a three-game series against the Rangers next weekend at AT&T Park. They will miss ace Tim Linceum. His next start is scheduled for Wednesday against the Angels. --

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