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Rangers expect to face Buehrle, Dickey

HOUSTON -- The Rangers are expected to face Blue Jays left-hander Mark Buehrle and right-hander R.A. Dickey during their three-game series that starts on Friday in Arlington.

According to the way the Blue Jays' rotation is set up, right-hander Drew Hutchison is set to open the series on Friday night against Yu Darvish. He will be followed by Buehrle on Saturday and Dickey on Sunday.

Buehrle took a record of 6-1 with a 1.91 ERA into Monday's start against the Angels. The 1.91 ERA is the lowest in the American League. He is 13-5 with a 3.14 ERA in 19 career starts and three relief appearances against the Rangers, including a no-hitter against them in 2006 while still with the White Sox.

Dickey, the Rangers' No. 1 Draft pick from 1996 who has reinvented himself as a knuckleballer, is 3-3 with a 4.72 ERA going into Tuesday's start against the Indians. Dickey was the 2012 National League Cy Young Award winner while with the Mets and is 2-0 with a 2.35 ERA in two career starts and three relief appearances against the Rangers.

The Mariners follow the Blue Jays into town for a two-game series on Tuesday and Wednesday and right now it appears as if the Rangers will miss Felix Hernandez. He is scheduled to pitch on Sunday against the Twins in Minnesota. Hisashi Iwakuma and Brandon Maurer are in line to start for the Mariners in that series.

The Rangers could also miss Max Scherzer during the four-game series against the Tigers on May 22-25 in Detroit. May's inclement weather can always impact any team's pitching, but right now the Tigers' rotation is set up for Scherzer to miss that series. Justin Verlander is scheduled to pitch the last game on Sunday.

T.R. Sullivan is a reporter for MLB.com. Read his blog, Postcards from Elysian Fields, and follow him on Twitter @Sullivan_Ranger.
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