Rangers call on Yu Darvish for post-season opener

Yu Darvish will start the Texas Rangers' first playoff game — whenever and wherever that may be.

Manager Ron Washington announced before the regular-season finale at Oakland on Wednesday. The two-time reigning American League champion Rangers went into the final tied atop the AL West with the Oakland Athletics, so Darvish would either open a best-of-five AL Division Series or pitch a one-game wild-card playoff.

The 26-year-old is 16-9 with a 3.90 earned-run average in 29 starts and 191 1/3 innings in his first major league season after a stellar career in Japan. The six-foot-five right-hander has 221 strikeouts to just 89 walks and was an all-star.

He won his final four decisions and hasn't lost in six starts since Aug. 17.