Following a short stint on the injured list, Detroit Tigers right-hander Jack Flaherty didn’t allow a run in his return.

He’ll look to build off that outing when his team plays the middle contest of a three-game series against Texas on Saturday afternoon in Arlington, Texas.

Flaherty recorded nine strikeouts in his five-inning start against the visiting Houston Astros on Sunday. The only negative was that Flaherty required 94 pitches to get that far. The Tigers wound up losing 7-5 in 10 innings.

“Still needed a better job to find a way to get some quick outs. Some quick outs, quicker ABs,” said Flaherty, who was on the injured list due to a left peroneal strain, a tendon injury along his lower leg. “They did a good job of getting the two strikes, and fouling some pitches off and making at-bats go a little bit longer.”

It was just the second time this season Flaherty (1-8, 4.97 ERA) had gone at least five innings without giving up a run. He started against the Rangers on May 1 and was pulled after 3 2/3 innings, allowing four runs on five hits while issuing three walks.

In five career starts against Texas, Flaherty is 1-1 with a 4.18 ERA.

After starting their road trip with a three-game sweep of the New York Yankees, the Tigers lost the opener of this series, 10-4, on Thursday. The teams didn’t meet on Friday due to the Australia-Egypt World Cup match played at nearby AT&T Stadium.

Detroit trailed 5-0 before fifth-inning homers by Colt Keith and Hao-Yu Lee cut the deficit to two runs. The Tigers’ bullpen failed to keep them within striking range.

“We’re chasing it from behind. That’s a tough recipe, but we did give ourselves a chance,” manager A.J. Hinch said. “They were able to get out of it and then tack on runs.”

The Rangers’ victory was their seventh in the last eight games and gave them at least a share of the AL West lead for the fifth straight day. Their run total on Thursday matched their season high.

“At the end of the day, everybody in here wants to win,” said Texas outfielder Evan Carter, who went 2-for-2 with a homer off the bench. “I think everybody’s showing up in the field every single day, everybody’s got their own unique skill sets, and we go out there trying to compete and grind and do whatever we can to help the team win every single day. I think that’s a collective thing that everybody here feels. Nobody here is playing for themselves, and I think that shows on the field.”

Texas pounded out 17 hits despite not having Corey Seager, Wyatt Langford or Brandon Nimmo due to injuries. The Rangers are hopeful Nimmo can play this weekend. He sprained his AC joint when he slammed into a wall while making a catch on Sunday.

Cal Quantrill (3-0, 3.31) will start Saturday for the Rangers, who pushed fellow right-hander Kumar Rocker’s scheduled start to Sunday.

Quantrill is making his third straight start after pitching out of the bullpen for most of the season. He allowed two hits and two walks in three scoreless innings of relief in a 5-1 loss at Detroit on May 2. Quantrill is 4-2 with a 3.11 ERA in 11 games (seven starts) in his career against the Tigers.

–Field Level Media

The Edmonton Oilers signed newly acquired defenseman Shakir Mukhamadullin to a two-year, $3.5 million contract extension, his agents confirmed Saturday.

The 24-year-old restricted free agent joined the Oilers along with defenseman Zachary Sharp in a trade Wednesday that sent veteran blueliner Darnell Nurse to the San Jose Sharks.

Mukhamadullin recorded a career-high 12 points (five goals, seven assists) in 50 games with the Sharks in 2025-26. He has 22 points (seven goals, 15 assists) in 83 games since making his NHL debut with San Jose in January 2024.

The New Jersey Devils drafted Russia’s Mukhamadullin in the first round (20th overall) in 2020 and traded him to the Sharks in February 2023.

–Field Level Media

Paige Bueckers figures to play a key role again Sunday against when the Dallas Wings look for a 2-0 start to their four-game road trip in a visit to the Toronto Tempo.

Bueckers scored 25 points for the third consecutive game on Thursday when the Wings (12-8) opened the trip with an 86-83 victory over the Connecticut Sun. She added seven rebounds and seven assists, while scoring 11 of her points in the fourth quarter as Dallas overcame an 11-point deficit with 7:11 to play.

“She does things every single day that now you’re not surprised by anymore,” Wings coach Jose Fernandez said. “She’s just different. She’s such a competitor and a winner, and she just refuses to lose. Certain guys don’t want the ball in their hands at the end, don’t want to take the big shot, and she never shies away from the big moment.”

Jessica Shepard added 14 points for Dallas and reserve Alanna Smith scored 11 for Dallas, which had lost its previous two games.

Before Bueckers’ streak of three 25-point games, she scored 27 against the Seattle Storm in a 112-110 overtime win on June 22.

After visiting the New York Liberty on Tuesday, the Wings will end their road swing Friday against the Tempo at Montreal.

The Tempo (9-10) have been idle since an 89-80 home loss to the Phoenix Mercury on June 27.

The Tempo were without Marina Mabrey in the loss because of neck spasms. In Toronto’s previous game, she tied a WNBA record with 53 points in a 125-97 home victory over the Los Angeles Sparks on June 25.

“I didn’t know until right before the game,” Tempo coach Sandy Brondello said of Mabrey’s injury. “She warmed up … and then they ruled her out. That was hard, because you can’t really plan, you’re planning on the fly, and rotations change a little bit.”

Mabrey has been listed as day-to-day. She was at practice on Friday and appears set to play on Sunday.

In Mabrey’s absence, Nyara Sabally led Toronto with 14 points against Phoenix. Reserve Tima Pouye added 13 points. Kia Nurse replaced Mabrey at guard and scored 12. Isabelle Harrison had 12 points and seven rebounds while Julie Allemand had 11 points, 10 assists and seven rebounds.

“Julie is such a great playmaking guard, and she wants to create if you can set really good screens,” Brondello said. “She’s a pass-first point guard. I mean, who wouldn’t want to play with someone like that?”

–Field Level Media