The Texas Rangers start a three-game series with the Detroit Tigers at 7:05 p.m. Friday on ESPN Dallas 103.3 FM and TXA21. The pitching matchup is right-hander Scott Feldman vs. right-hander Max Scherzer. Here's a quick look:

PODCAST
Rangers pitching coach Mike Maddux discusses the struggles of the pitching staff, how to handle Derek Holland and Yu Darvish and more. Listen

Feldman (6-6, 4.52): The 29-year-old will be making his 14th start of the season despite not starting the season in the rotation. ... He is 6-0 with a 2.81 ERA in his last seven games (six starts), dropping his ERA nearly a full two points in the process. ... According to Elias Sports Bureau, Feldman is just the second pitcher in MLB history to win six straight decisions immediately after starting the season on a losing streak of six or more games (Doyle Alexander started 0-8 and won seven straight in 1983). ... He has three straight quality starts, including his last one, a 4-2 win over the Royals in which he pitched 7 2/3 innings and gave up two runs on six hits with one walk and four strikeouts on 105 pitches. ... He's walked one batter or fewer in 11 of his 13 starts. ... His only outing against the Tigers this year was 1 1/3 innings of shutout relief work on April 19. ... Feldman is 0-2 with a 9.53 ERA in four career starts vs. Detroit, but hasn't started against them since July 19, 2010. ... He did pitch 5 2/3 scoreless innings in the 2011 ALCS against the Tigers, who were 1-for-17 against him.

Scherzer (10-6, 4.72 ERA): Since the beginning of July, Scherzer is 3-1 with a 4.10 ERA six starts. He's pitched into the seventh inning in four of those. ... His last start was Aug. 5 vs. Cleveland and he gave up four runs on 10 hits in five innings. He had nine strikeouts, but combined with the hits, that drove up his pitch count and he was out of the game after 105 pitches. ... He's 3-0 with a 3.41 ERA in six starts (37 innings) against the Rangers in his career. ... His last start vs. Texas came in the 2011 ALCS, when he allowed three runs on six hits with six strikeouts in Game 2. He got a no-decision in the Tigers' loss (that was Nelson Cruz's walkoff grand slam game).

Hitters: Adrian Beltre is 4-for-11 in his career off Scherzer. ... Ian Kinsler is 4-for-13 with three RBIs. ... Elvis Andrus is 2-for-15 and Josh Hamilton is 2-for-12.

Up next:
Sat vs. Det: LHP Derek Holland (7-6, 5.18) vs. RHP Justin Verlander (12-7, 2.51), 7:05 p.m., ESPN Dallas 103.3 FM/1540 AM/FSSW
Sun vs. Det: RHP Yu Darvish (11-8, 4.57) vs. RHP Rick Porcello (8-6, 4.65), 2:05 p.m., ESPN Dallas 103.3 FM/1540 AM/FSSW