Toronto @ Texas preview

Last Meeting ( Jun 16, 2013 ) Toronto 7, Texas 2

The Texas Rangers got off to a promising start with 15 wins in their first 24 games, but losses and players added to the disabled list have begun to accumulate. The Rangers look to turn their fortunes around when they begin a five-game homestand against the Toronto Blue Jays on Friday while continuing to fight the injury bug. Starting pitchers Martin Perez and Matt Harrison were the latest to join the 13-player DL for Texas, which lost for the 12th time in 17 games on Wednesday with a 5-4 setback to Houston.

Leadoff hitter Shin-Soo Choo, who missed five games in late April with an injury and is batting .315, must turn it up after going only 5-for-32 over the last eight contests for the Rangers. The Blue Jays, who swept four at Texas last season, come in after a 5-4 homestand that ended with a 4-2 victory over Cleveland on Thursday. Edwin Encarnacion belted two homers in that contest and has six blasts in his last 10 games.

TV: 8:05 p.m. ET; SNET-1 (Toronto), TXA-21 (Texas)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Blue Jays RH Drew Hutchison (1-3, 4.37 ERA) vs. Rangers RH Yu Darvish (3-1, 2.33)

Hutchison has gone seven straight starts without gaining a victory after beating Tampa Bay in his season debut with 5 1/3 shutout innings. The 23-year-old gave up three or fewer runs in four of those seven outings while striking out 49 in 45 1/3 innings overall. Hutchison yielded five earned runs over six innings in his only start against Texas on May 1, 2012.

Darvish flirted with a perfect game in his last start against Boston before allowing two hits in 8 2/3 innings for his second straight win. The Japan native has struck out 54 in 46 1/3 innings overall while holding teams scoreless in three of his seven outings. Encarnacion is 5-for-12 with a pair of homers against Darvish, who is 2-1 in five career starts versus Toronto with a 2.73 ERA.

WALK-OFFS

1. Texas SS Elvis Andrus boasts an 11-game hit streak, matching his own team-high this season from March 31-April 12.

2. Toronto 1B Adam Lind owns 18 homers and 52 RBIs in 47 career games against the Rangers.

3. Blue Jays RF Jose Bautista has collected nine RBIs in his last nine games and 29 on the season – one behind Encarnacion for the team lead.

PREDICTION: Rangers 5, Blue Jays 1