After an up-and-down April, the Texas Rangers will look to get May started on the right note as they take on the Detroit Tigers in a series-opening battle at Comerica Park on Friday night.

First pitch will be an always-appreciated early one for Rangers fans as the action from the Motor City is set to get underway at 5:40 PM CST.

Fans can catch all the action on Rangers Sports Network as well as 105.3 The Fan on the radio side of things.

MacKenzie Gore will take the mound for the Rangers to make his seventh start of the season. Entering play on Friday, Gore has a 2-2 record with a 4.35 ERA in 31 innings pitched.

In his last start against the Athletics on April 25th at Globe Life Field, Gore went five innings, allowing six hits and three runs.

Rangers manager Skip Schumaker went to the mound in the fifth with two outs, presumptively to remove Gore from the game. But, after pleading his case, the Rangers lefty remained in the game to get the final out.

Not many Tigers hitters have experience against Gore, given that he spent his entire career in the National League before being traded to the Rangers this past offseason.

Detroit second baseman Gleyber Torres is the only one who has faced Gore more than three times. In eight at-bats, Torres is hitting .167 against Gore.

On the other side, Rangers hitters will be facing right-hander Jack Flaherty. Coming into action on Friday night, Flaherty has a 2-2 record with a 5.33 ERA.

In his start against the Cincinnati Reds, Flaherty went just two innings, allowing five hits and six earned runs.

Flaherty has pitched just 5 1/3 innings in his last two starts combined. The Rangers will no doubt hope they can continue Flaherty’s run of short starts and see as much of the Tigers' bullpen as possible in this series opener.

Several Rangers have a good career track record against Flaherty, but Joc Pederson is the hitter to single out and watch for. In 22 career at-bats against Flaherty, Pederson is hitting .318 with three home runs and five RBI.

It’ll be interesting to see if Brandon Nimmo is in the Rangers' lineup when it comes out later this afternoon.

Nimmo left Wednesday’s game against the New York Yankees with right hamstring tightness, which he suffered while running the bases.

After the game, Nimmo expressed hope that he would be able to play in the series opener against the Tigers.

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