The Toronto Blue Jays tour continues as the team heads to the Dallas-Fort Worth Metropolitan Region to take on the Texas Rangers.

It’ll be the first of two meetings between these American League teams and another meeting with an old friend Marcus Semien. He’s having a strong season for the Rangers slashing .283/.350/.472 for an .822 OPS to go along with his 10 home runs.

He’s leading the Major Leagues this year in plate appearances, with 321, and with his 58 runs. The Rangers offence has been potent this year scoring a major league-high 6.15 runs per game — over half a run per game more than the second-place Tampa Bay Rays.

Toronto will have their work cut out for them in terms of limited Texas’ offence throughout this weekend, but they look to get off on the right foot as Kevin Gausman takes the mound. The hope will be he can go long in this game tonight, as the team plans for a bullpen day Saturday, and a Chris Bassitt start Sunday.

First pitch: 8:05 p.m. EST

Toronto Blue Jays: 38-32, 11.0 GB, 1.5 WCGB, +20 DIFF.

Texas Rangers: 42-26, – GB, – WCGB, +143 DIFF.

Moneyline: TOR -154; TEX +130.

TOR: Kevin Gausman RHP — 5-3, 14 GS, 86.2 IP. 3.12 ERA, 2.58 FIP, 1.142 WHIP, 12.2 K/9, 1.4 bWAR.

TEX: Martin Perez LHP — 6-2, 13 GS, 71.1 IP. 4.67 ERA, 4.91 FIP, 1.556 WHIP, 6.4 K/9, -0.2 bWAR.

Tune into the latest edition of Blue Jays Nation Radio as the crew talks about the Jays’ latest series against the Baltimore Orioles.

Zach Laing is the Nation Network’s news director and senior columnist. He can be followed on Twitter at @zjlaing, or reached by email at zach@thenationnetwork.com.

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