Derek Holland has shaved his head down to an ultra-short crew cut.

Gone are the spiffy designs echoing Charlie Sheen’s Ricky Vaughn “Wild Thing” character in Major League.

The Texas Rangers left-hander, who will startSaturday against the Houston Astros at Minute Maid Park, is trying to snap out of a poor three-game stretch in which he’s allowed at least five runs each game.

In his last outing he allowed seven earned runs in just 4 1/3 innings, his shortest stint since returning from a shoulder injury on Aug. 9.

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When things are good nobody makes a comment about the hair. As soon as you make one bad outing the hair is the first excuse. Derek Holland on why he cut his hair

Holland, as he has in the past, heard some complaints from fans on social media that his hair was the issue. So Holland shaved his head a couple of days ago to take his hair out of the conversation.

“When things are good nobody makes a comment about the hair,” Holland said Friday before the Rangers opened a three-game series against the Astros. “As soon as you make one bad outing the hair is the first excuse, so I’m tired of that [stuff]. It’s just annoying to hear period. I don’t need to deal with it.”

Holland’s hairstyle hasn’t been affecting his fastball command, which has been the biggest factor the past three starts. Manager Jeff Banister said Holland’s pitches, including his off-speed stuff, work off effective pinpoint fastball command.

“It comes down to locating his fastball down,” Banister said. “Being able to pitch with his fastball in when he needs to. It sets up every other pitch for him. It makes the breaking ball more dynamic. It makes the changeup play better.”

It’s not only a big start for Holland personally, but the first-place Rangers also are trying to fend off the Astros for the American League West title.

“We’re in a playoff race. These guys are coming after us. This is a big series with these guys,” Holland said. “I’m fine. Obviously, I’m frustrated but I’m not letting it affect me. I’ve got to go out there every day and improve and get myself better.”

Banister pointed to Holland’s lack of innings the past two seasons because of injuries for the lack of consistency. Holland shot that down.

“I came back last year and I was perfectly fine. I started off strong this year, too. I’ve just had a couple bad outings,” he said. “I’m not going to let something like that be an excuse because there is no excuse.”

And the hair isn’t an excuse either.

“I get tired of that crap. People like to blame my hair for how I pitch but last time I checked it’s not my hair that’s throwing the baseball. Keep that in mind,” he said. “I’m still going to be who I am, I don’t care. I have my own personality, that’s just the way it is. I know how hard I’ve worked and what I do to get the job done.

“Not doing a good job does not give me an excuse to say it’s my haircut or my personality or the impressions I do or any of that stuff,” he said. “That’s the thing that’s really annoying and has sucked. People don’t know what I do behind the scenes.”

Double play duo

Entering Friday, the Rangers led the American League with 162 double plays, including four in Thursday’s game.

162 Double plays for the Rangers entering Friday’s game against the Astros, best in the American League.

So while Texas has at times played shoddy defense (third in majors with 112 errors) the double play has been a valuable tool, especially during the club’s second-half surge.

“You know if you want to win games and be in contention for the playoffs you have to play good defense,” shortstop Elvis Andrus said. “It’s a pitcher’s best friend not only because of the outs recorded but the pitches it saves during the course of a game.

“They know they don’t have to strike out guys. They can keep the ball down knowing the guys behind you have your back,” Andrus said. “I think that’s huge. You can see it in the second half the way we’ve been pitching.”

Second baseman Rougned Odor credited bench coach Steve Buechele for excellent positioning for each hitter. Andrus also offers positioning tips for Odor, who’s in his second season.

“We always talk and anticipate the play,” Odor said. “I know him, he knows me. He knows every player more than me.

“From pitch to pitch we don’t let any ball go through. We want to have the mentality that we can get any ball hit on the ground.”

Playoff tickets

Individual tickets for possible American League Wild Card and Division Series games at Globe Life Park will go on sale at 9 a.m. today at texasrangers.com, by calling 972-726-4377 or visiting the Globe Life Park box office.

Fans will be able to purchase up to four tickets for the Wild Card Game or one of the three possible League Division Series games. Ticket prices range from $40 to $85. For more information visit texasrangers.com.

Quotable

“If you’re a baseball fan on a Friday night in the state of Texas and you want to watch a baseball game, you get to watch two teams in your own state and you can pick whatever color you want and root for a team. To me, that’s awesome. For me, a kid who grew up in this city … I’m just as proud of them as us, really. Just for the fact that I’d rather it be us two fighting it out. I’m still a fan, too, deep down. Part of me says the baseball world gets to look at us tonight.” — Banister on the Rangers and Astros playing meaningful games late in the season