Tigers at Rangers
Veteran left-hander Cole Hamels puts his undefeated record at Globe Life Park this season on the line when the Texas Rangers look to complete a three-game sweep of the visiting Detroit Tigers on Wednesday. Texas has won five of six games and is part of a crowded American League wild-card race, trailing the Los Angeles Angels by two games for the final spot.
Joey Gallo owns a paltry .208 batting average but gets plenty of mileage out of his hits, swatting five homers in his last eight games and 34 on the season. Adrian Beltre has recorded multiple hits in five of his last six games and gets to face a pitcher he's torched in the past in Anibal Sanchez, against whom he is 9-for-13 with five RBIs. Victor Martinez is 6-for-13 during his four-game hitting streak for Detroit, which has lost three straight and nine of 11. The Tigers have surrendered 49 runs over their last six contests, with its lone win in that span coming by a 12-11 margin.
TV: 8:05 p.m. ET, FSN Detroit, FSN Southwest (Texas)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Tigers RH Anibal Sanchez (3-3, 6.69 ERA) vs. Rangers LH Cole Hamels (7-1, 3.31)
Sanchez had provided a boost for the Tigers when he returned to the rotation, but he's starting to show why he wound up in the bullpen in the first place. The 33-year-old Venezuelan lost for the third time in four starts when he was knocked around for five runs and eight hits by Minnesota last time out after surrendering five homers in his previous turn. Sanchez is 2-4 with a 7.84 ERA lifetime against the Rangers.
Hamels followed his first complete game since 2015 by turning in another strong performance in his last start, blanking Houston on three hits over seven innings. Since he was acquired from Philadelphia at the trade deadline in 2015, the 33-year-old owns a 29-7 record with the Rangers. Miguel Cabrera, who returned to the lineup Tuesday, has been a nemesis for Hamels, going 10-for-18.
WALK-OFFS
1. Gallo has belted nine home runs this month, the most in the AL.
2. Tigers LF Justin Upton is riding a six-game hitting streak.
3. Rangers C Robinson Chirinos has set a career high with 14 homers in 56 games.