Texas Rangers right-hander Nathan Eovaldi has been scratched from Saturday's start against the visiting San Diego Padres due to left knee soreness.

The Rangers will turn to left-hander MacKenzie Gore to start the second contest of their three-game series against the Padres in Arlington, Texas. He will work on normal rest as his last outing was Monday against the Minnesota Twins.

Gore, 27, is 4-6 with a 4.27 ERA in 15 games (all starts) this season and ranks 13th in the American League with 86 strikeouts. He is 1-3 with a 7.04 ERA in five career appearances (all starts) versus the Padres, the franchise that selected him with the third overall pick in the 2017 June amateur draft.

Eovaldi, 36, is 6-7 with a 4.23 ERA in 14 games this season.

San Diego hands the ball on Saturday to right-hander Walker Buehler (4-3, 4.14), who will make his 15th start of the season.

Buehler, 31, has faced the Rangers four times (all starts), compiling a 1-2 record and a 3.72 ERA.