How to Watch Rangers, Tigers Young Right-Handers Duel: TV Channel, Stream, Radio

The Texas Rangers continue their three-game road series at Detroit with a battle of young right-handers on Saturday.

Texas Rangers pitcher Kumar Rocker. | Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

The Texas Rangers continue their six-game road trip with a Saturday showdown against the Detroit Tigers at Comerica Park.

The Rangers (16-16) pulled off a 5-4 win over the Tigers (16-17) on Friday, as Alejandro Osuna doubled home the go-ahead run and Jacob Latz got the save in the ninth inning.

Detroit and Texas have one more game in the series on Sunday. Following that the Rangers travel to New York but have Monday off before starting a three-game series against the Yankees on Tuesday in the Bronx.  

Here is a breakdown of the game, including how to watch, the starting pitchers, injuries and other notes.

How to Watch Texas Rangers vs. Detroit Tigers

Detroit Tigers starting pitcher Keider Montero. | Katie Stratman-Imagn Images

Time: 6:15 p.m. CT, Friday

Where: Comerica Park, Detroit

TV: Rangers and Tigers: Fox

Radio: Rangers: KRLD 1080, KFLC 1270

Pitching Matchup

Texas: RHP Kumar Rocker (1-2, 3.38) vs. Tigers: RHP Keider Montero (1-2, 4.00)

All eyes will be on Rocker’s performance in Detroit because he has struggled on the road for his career. In two road starts this season he doesn’t have a decision but has a 4.66 ERA (it’s 2.65 at home). So far, it’s an improvement over last year. Rocker was 1-5 with a 9.29 ERA in eight road starts last year but was 3-0 with a 2.43 ERA in six home starts. The splits are clear to this point and Rocker is working to reverse it.

One thing to keep in mind is he has three starts at home and has given up the same amount of earned runs at home (five) as on the road. He is averaging fewer than five innings per road start so far. Rocker and the Rangers are hoping for a more effective road start with more coverage to help the bullpen.

Montero isn’t supposed to be in the starting rotation for Detroit. But injuries, notably one to Justin Verlander, pressed the swingman back into the rotation.  The right-hander is doing what he’s done throughout his career with the Tigers — eat innings and keep them in games.

The ERA is below his season-ending ERA each of the last two seasons. He’s provided Detroit nearly six innings per start on average. He’s struck out 23 and walked five in 27 innings and batters are hitting a career-low .218 against him. He’s also given up just two home runs. He’s been much harder to hit than at any point in his three-year MLB career.

Rangers Injuries

10-Day Injured List: INF Cody Freeman (lumbar stress reaction), OF Wyatt Langford (right forearm strain); 15-Day Injured List: RHP Luis Curvelo (right biceps strain), RHP Chris Martin (right shoulder impingement). RHP Carter Baumler (right intercostal strain), LHP Robert Garcia (left shoulder inflammation); 60-Day Injured List: LHP Jordan Montgomery (Tommy John surgery recovery), LHP Cody Bradford (left UCL surgery).