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ARLINGTON - If you believe in the metric of WAR, the Rangers sent out the best starting pitcher in the American League to face Toronto on Friday night at Globe Life Park.

Left-hander Mike Minor began the day topping all AL starters in the category at 1.8. Cincinnati’s Luis Castillo had the only other better score, at 2.2.

Minor reinforced his standing by shutting out the Blue Jays for eight innings, with nine strikeouts. He received only a no-decision with honor for the effort.

“Your No. 1 goes eighth scoreless innings again,’’ manager Chris Woodward said. “He’s making it look pretty easy.’’

Held to four hits, the Rangers lost 1-0 in 12 innings. It marked the second time in three games they wasted a scoreless performance by a starter.

Adrian Sampson also received a no-decision after working 5 2/3 scoreless innings in a loss to Pittsburgh on Tuesday.

Toronto scored when reliever Ariel Jurado threw away a sacrifice bunt attempt by Danny Jansen.

The Rangers failed to turn Elvis Andrus’ lead-off double in the 10th into a game-winning run. With Andrus at third and one out, Asdrubal Cabrera struck out. Isiah Kiner-Falefa ended the inning with a bases-loaded grounder.

Minor threw 116 pitches, one fewer than his career high. He allowed a hit by the final batter faced, Randal Grichuk, but left fielder Joey Gallo bailed out Minor by throwing out Freddy Galvis as he tried to score from second on a single.

The Blue Jays had only one other true chance at Minor. They put runners at second and third with none out in the first, and he responded with two strikeouts and a routine fly ball.

In six starts since a rough season debut, Minor has a 1.43 ERA for 44 innings. He has allowed only 27 hits in those starts.

For the season, Minor has a 2.40 ERA. That puts him ninth in the AL.

Does this make Minor an ace?

He prefers to view the entire body of work.

“I could have a good month, but it doesn’t matter if I don’t keep doing it,’’ Minor said.

Woodward sees it a bit differently. For example, rather than use days to have Minor start next week at Pittsburgh, the manager will hold him back for the opener of a series at Houston.

“I don’t use the word ‘ace’ often,’’ Woodward said before the opener of a three-game series against the Blue Jays. “I use it with him because I want him to understand he’s our best guy. I felt he could handle that.

“Some guys love that word. Some guys don’t. I just love the way he goes about his business. If every guy in the big leagues went about their work the way he does, there would be a lot more success.’’

Minor’s three-hit shutout of the Los Angeles Angels in April stands as the handiwork of an ace.

Baseballreference.com, through its game-score metric, has graded Minor's performance the No. 6 start of the season to date.

It is just below 11 strikeouts with only two hits allowed in eight scoreless innings by Washington’s Stephen Strasburg against Miami and just ahead of Tampa Bay’s Blake Snell getting 13 strikeouts with two hits allowed in seven scoreless innings against Colorado.

The telling item, Woodward said, were the swings. The Angeles were lost, and it showed.

“He makes it look easy, Woodward said. “And it’s not.’’

That’s how an ace operates.

Twitter: @gfraley