HOUSTON (Interstat) — The Detroit Tigers open a three-game series against the Houston Astros on Monday night at Daikin Park, with both teams looking to shake recent struggles.

The Tigers (29-42) are coming off a 3-1 loss to the Cleveland Guardians on Saturday in which left-hander Tarik Skubal took the loss despite allowing two earned runs over 4 2/3 innings. Detroit has dropped four of its past five games and ranks near the bottom of the American League Central.

Houston (33-40) lost 4-0 to the Kansas City Royals on Sunday, managing just four hits. Spencer Arrighetti absorbed the loss despite striking out seven over six innings, allowing four earned runs on eight hits. The Astros have alternated wins and losses over their past six games.

Detroit is expected to send right-handers Troy Melton (3-0) and Kai-Wei Teng (3-5) as probable pitchers. Melton has been effective in limited action, while Teng has struggled with consistency.

The Astros have not announced a starting pitcher for Monday.

Players to watch: Skubal remains the Tigers’ most reliable arm despite Saturday’s tough outing. He has struck out 72 batters this season and has a 3.87 ERA across 15 starts. For Houston, Arrighetti has been sharp overall in recent weeks. Over his past five starts, the right-hander is 4-1 with a 2.92 ERA and 30 strikeouts in 27 innings.

Interstat’s game simulator projects a 6-5 Houston victory. The Astros are listed as a -1.5 run-line favorite, with the over/under set at 8.

The Astros have won eight of their past 12 at home. The Tigers are 12-23 on the road.

The series continues Tuesday and Wednesday in Houston before the teams meet again June 25-26 in Detroit. After this set, the Tigers return home for a six-game homestand against the Chicago White Sox and New York Yankees. The Astros host the Cleveland Guardians for three games before embarking on a road trip to Toronto and Detroit.