Texas Rangers (8-1) at Detroit Tigers (3-6)
Probable Starting Pitchers: Alexi Ogando (1-0, 0.00), Justin Verlander (1-0, 3.86)
The defending American League champion Texas Rangers are off to the best start in baseball. Through the first week and a half of play, the Rangers are 8-1, and only recently suffered their first loss on Saturday during the opening game of a doubleheader.
It's been a combination of both hitting and pitching for Texas through the first nine games. The Rangers as a team are hitting .273/.346/.546, good for a team OPS of .892. Nelson Cruz leads the Rangers with five home runs, 10 RBI and a .400 on base percentage. Ian Kinsler is second on the team with four homers, and newcomers Adrian Beltre and Mike Napoli have each added three home runs.
Texas' pitching staff has been excellent as well, limiting opposing hitters to a .199/.268/.307 line, good for a 1.05 team WHIP and 2.48 team ERA.
Alexi Ogando will make his second start of the season, and of his career. Ogando pitched extremely well last week in his starting debut, pitching six innings, allowing just two hits, two walks and striking out four. Ogando did suffer a blister in the start though, so that is something worth monitoring today in Detroit.
First pitch in Detroit is scheduled for 1:05 p.m. EST, 12:05 p.m. local.