Detroit @ Texas preview

Last Meeting ( May 8, 2016 ) Texas 8, Detroit 3

Right-hander Yu Darvish and the Texas Rangers look to continue their mastery in the series when they host the Detroit Tigers on Friday to begin an important three-game set. Darvish is 5-0 in five career games against Detroit and the Rangers have won eight of the last nine games versus the Tigers, including all three this season by a combined 23-9.

American League West-leading Texas, though, saw its five-game winning streak come to an end in a 12-9 loss to Colorado on Thursday afternoon. Detroit has cooled off after a strong run and stands 3½ games behind first-place Cleveland in the AL Central. The Tigers, who send veteran Anibal Sanchez to the mound Friday, have lost four straight games and scored one or fewer runs in three of them. Detroit placed center fielder Cameron Maybin (left thumb strain) on the disabled list Wednesday, joining Nick Castellanos (hand).

TV: 8:05 p.m. ET, MLB Network, FSN Detroit, FSN Southwest (Texas)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Tigers RH Anibal Sanchez (6-11, 5.88 ERA) vs. Rangers RH Yu Darvish (2-3, 2.78)

Sanchez found his best form over the last two starts, especially Sunday against the New York Mets when he allowed one run on four hits with 10 strikeouts and no walks despite being held out of the decision. The 32-year-old Venezuelan beat the Chicago White Sox in his previous start, permitting one run over six frames. Adrian Beltre is 7-for-10 versus Sanchez, who is 2-3 with a 6.93 ERA lifetime against the Rangers.

Darvish is winless in his last six games, but is coming off his best start of the season when he blanked Houston on five hits over seven innings while striking out eight and walking no one in earning a no-decision. The 29-year-old native of Japan has not yielded more than three runs in any of his eight starts in 2016, but reached seven innings for the first time Sunday. Miguel Cabrera is 5-for-15 versus Darvish, who boasts 62 strikeouts in 45 1/3 innings.

WALK-OFFS

1. The Tigers expect to have RHP Bruce Rondon (paternity list) and RHP Shane Greene (mild back strain) available for Friday.

2. Beltre, who has nine hits in the last five games, needs one homer to pass Cal Ripken (431) for 47th on the major league’s all-time list.

3. Cabrera, who went 0-for-3 on Wednesday, is two RBIs shy of becoming the 11th player to reach 1,000 with the Tigers.

PREDICTION: Rangers 4, Tigers 1