The Detroit Tigers had the best record in baseball at 26-13 as of Friday night after a 2-1 win over the Texas Rangers at Comerica Park in downtown Detroit, an exciting development for fans who haven't witnessed a World Series championship since 1984.

Here was Friday’s lesson: Hoo-boy, that Tarik Skubal is good. That, at least, is more than plausible. Taking anything else away from a 2-1 loss to Detroit, the Rangers third straight after opening the road trip with a win, would be unproductive for the power of positive thinking.

Skubal recorded those 12 strikeouts Friday thanks to an incredible 32 swings and misses. That's 32 swings and misses on 96 total pitches, so exactly one-third of his pitches were whiffs, and only 59 swings.

Colt Keith homered among his two hits, Brewer Hicklen had his first two major league hits and the Detroit Tigers beat the Colorado Rockies 11-1 in Denver to sweep their doubleheader on Thursday.

Keider Montero pitched eight strong innings, Colt Keith homered, and the Detroit Tigers beat the Colorado Rockies 11-1 in the second game to sweep their doubleheader