Texas Rangers Preview: Scott Feldman vs. Phil Hughes in Rubber-Match

The New York Yankees and Texas Rangers will square off tonight in the final game of a three-game set in Arlington at 8:05 ET.

The Yankees, after wasting a strong pitching performance by Hiroki Kuroda, will look to get back in the win column with struggling right-hander Phil Hughes on the bump.

Hughes has shown good stuff so far this season, although his results have been far from promising.

He is 1-2 with a 6.75 ERA on the young season. Through 13.1 innings, though, he has struck out 15.

The problem with Hughes is his inability to keep the ball in the yard. He has allowed four home runs already this season.

Against the Rangers, that could prove very dangerous. Their lineup is arguably the most potent in the league, and it has led them to an AL-best 14-4 record to begin the season.

The Rangers will counter with Scott Feldman, a 17-game winner in 2009. 

This will be Feldman's first start of the season, as Texas' rainout on Friday threw the rotation out of whack. The doubleheader on Saturday which followed the rainout took Matt Harrison off-turn for tonight's contest.

Feldman has been recovering from a nagging knee injury since that season and is hoping to re-establish himself as a consistent pitcher for Texas in 2012.

Texas is hoping to build some momentum following Yu Darvish's best start in America—he struck out 10 Yankees in eight-plus innings on Tuesday night.

This game will almost assuredly come down to the starting pitching.

Hughes could very well be pitching for his spot in the rotation this evening, as Andy Pettitte is quickly climbing through the minors and David Phelps is pitching fantastically in a long relief role.

Feldman, on the other hand, has something to prove to the Rangers tonight as a spot starter.

Should he pitch well, he could be moved back into the rotation later on this season when Neftali Feliz reaches his innings limit.

Tonight's series finale should be an interesting one, as the Yankees and Rangers are both looking to prove the rest of baseball that they are the class of the American League.