What happened: The Cleveland Guardians open a weekend matchup against the Rangers on Friday at 8:15 PM ET. The game will be featured nationally as part of Apple TV's Friday Night Baseball broadcast.
Why it matters: Sitting atop the AL Central, Cleveland seeks to protect its division lead following a split series with the Yankees. They face a Rangers squad aiming to recover from a recent loss that snapped a five-game win streak, as Texas looks to gain ground in the AL West.
By the numbers: Cleveland sends Parker Messick (6-1, 2.21 ERA) to the mound against Kumar Rocker (2-5, 3.54 ERA). The Guardians enter the matchup with a 36-28 record, while the Rangers sit at 30-32.
What to watch: The Guardians and Rangers will play three games over the weekend at Globe Life Field.