Tigers at Rangers
Detroit Tigers veteran Justin Verlander continues to be the subject of trade speculation, and he's only enhancing his market value with his finest stretch of the season. Verlander looks to win his fourth consecutive start when the visiting Tigers resume their three-game series against the Texas Rangers on Tuesday.
"I know I can still be a dominant pitcher," Verlander told reporters after blanking Pittsburgh on one hit over eight innings in his last start - one of only two wins in the last 10 games by Detroit. Slugger Miguel Cabrera sat out a second straight contest due to back stiffness for the Tigers, who are 7 1/2 games out of the second wild-card spot and buried in 13th place in the American League. Texas is only three games out of the wild card after erasing an early two-run deficit and improving to 4-1 in its last five games with a 6-2 victory in the series opener. Joey Gallo swatted his 33rd homer while Nomar Mazara and Rougned Odor each recorded three hits for the Rangers on Monday in the fourth contest of their 10-game homestand.
TV: 8:05 p.m. ET, FS1
PITCHING MATCHUP: Tigers RH Justin Verlander (8-7, 3.97 ERA) vs. Rangers RH A.J. Griffin (5-3, 5.40)
Verlander's dominant performance against the Pirates was his longest outing of the season and came on the heels of a 10-strikeout effort in a win at Baltimore in his previous turn. The 34-year-old beat the Rangers with seven innings of three-run ball on May 20 to improve to 10-5 with a 2.78 ERA against them. Elvis Andrus is 11-for-36 against Verlander, but Odor is hitless in 13 at-bats.
Griffin's vulnerability to the long ball surfaced again when he surrendered three homers and was charged with four runs and five hits over five innings of a road setback against the New York Mets a week ago. He has served up 11 blasts over his last five starts, including four in a loss at Detroit on May 20, when he was ravaged for nine runs in 3 1/3 frames. Victor Martinez is 5-for-8 lifetime against Griffin.
WALK-OFFS
1. Cabrera, who is 6-for-13 against Griffin, originally was in the lineup Monday before his back tightened in the morning.
2. Rangers 3B Adrian Beltre played in his 2,784th game, tying Alex Rodriguez for 25th place on the all-time list.
3. Tigers LF Justin Upton has registered two homers and seven RBIs during his five-game hitting streak.