Texas @ Detroit preview

Last Meeting ( Jul 7, 2018 ) Texas 2, Detroit 7

The Detroit Tigers wasted little time jumping all over the Texas Rangers on Saturday to put themselves in a position to win the series and take some momentum onto the road for a tough trip to finish the first half. The Tigers will try to win their final home game before the All-Star break when they host the Rangers in the finale of the four-game series on Sunday.

Detroit, which goes into the break on a six-game trip through Tampa Bay and Houston beginning on Monday, dropped the opener to Texas on Thursday but scratched out a 3-1 victory on Friday and pounded out seven runs in the first inning on Saturday en route to a 7-2 triumph. Nicholas Castellanos continues to be a bright spot in an otherwise down season for the Tigers and homered to spark that first-inning rally, his fifth blast in the last 10 games. The Rangers are languishing in the American League West basement and are losers of five of their last six with trips to Boston and Baltimore still left on the road trip. Texas will try to avoid another loss behind right-hander Austin Bibens-Dirkx while Detroit counters with righty Michael Fulmer on Sunday .

TV: 1:10 p.m. ET, FS Southwest (Texas), FS Detroit

PITCHING MATCHUP: Rangers RH Austin Bibens-Dirkx (1-2, 4.40 ERA) vs. Tigers RH Michael Fulmer (3-7, 4.22)

Bibens-Dirkx had a string of two straight solid starts come to an end when he went up against the Houston Astros on Tuesday and was knocked around for five runs on nine hits and a pair of walks in six innings. The Oregon native served up a pair of home runs in that outing, doubling his total from the previous four turns. Bibens-Dirkx made one relief appearance against Detroit during his 2017 rookie campaign and yielded one hit in 4 2/3 scoreless frames.

Fulmer is winless in his last three starts and did not factor in the decision at the Chicago Cubs on Tuesday, when he was reached for three runs on seven hits and three walks in six innings. The 25-year-old has seen his name pop up in trade rumors and showed off his potential value to a contender with solid starts against the likes of Cleveland and Oakland in the last month. Fulmer struck out seven in 5 2/3 innings at Texas on May 7 but was reached for five runs and did not factor in the decision.

WALK-OFFS

1. Tigers RHP Shane Greene (shoulder) began throwing on Saturday and could return next week.

2. Rangers RH Shin-Soo Choo has reached base safely in each of the last 46 games, tying a franchise record set by Julio Franco.

3. Detroit CF Leonys Martin (hamstring) is not expected back before the All-Star break.

PREDICTION: Tigers 5, Rangers 3