Yankees vs. Rangers: Texas SP Yu Darvish Favored in Matchup of Japanese Imports

The New York Yankees (10-6) and Texas Rangers (13-4) will continue a three-game American League series on Tuesday night at Rangers Ballpark, with the first pitch scheduled for 8:05 p.m. ET.

Las Vegas oddsmakers have established the Rangers as -140 home favorites in a matchup featuring two Japanese pitchers, while the total stands at 10 across the board.

Yu Darvish (2-0, 3.57 ERA) will look to get the Rangers back on the right path after the team suffered a 7-4 loss in the series opener against the Yankees. He will also play a major part in just the seventh major league game that features two Japanese starting pitchers.

The right-hander had led his new club to three victories this season, with the offense supplying him with 27 runs of support in those contests. It's still important to note that the Rangers have gone "under" the total in six of eight home games to start the year.

Darvish has struggled with his command in the early going, issuing 13 walks in 17.2 combined innings, but has yet to surrender a home run. That's certainly an important stat against an opponent that leads the majors with 28 round trippers.

Sports bettors will find that the Rangers are 30-7 in their last 37 games as a favorite of -110 to -150, while "under" is on a 5-2 run in that situation.

Hiroki Kuroda (1-2, 5.00 ERA) crossed the Pacific and joined the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2008, coming in with a 42-48 career record and 3.49 ERA in 118 games (117 starts). He has endured mixed results in his first three outings for New York, including an 8-6 loss to the Tampa Bay Rays in his lone road effort on April 7.

The right-hander has just one lifetime start against the Rangers, suffering a 6-0 road defeat on June 12, 2009, surrendering five runs (four earned) and eight hits over 5.1 innings.

The Yankees have won 40 of the last 58 regular-season meetings in this series, while the "over" has cashed in five out of six.

Weather forecasts suggest clear skies and game-time temperatures in the upper-70s, with 10-15 mph winds out of the southwest (right to left).

The home team was 10-1 inside Rangers Ballpark in those conditions last year.