DETROIT -- Alfredo Simon is adding a little stability to a Detroit Tigers' starting rotation that is pretty much in shambles.

Simon is the only member still standing from the rotation that Detroit began the season with, and Thursday night he threw a one-hit shutout to help the Tigers blank the Texas Rangers 4-0 for their third win in a row and fourth in their last five games.

Third baseman Nick Castellanos provided the bulk of the offense with two RBIs, which followed a five-RBI game Wednesday in Chicago against the Cubs. He had an RBI single in the first, then a sacrifice fly in the third.

The first shutout and first complete game of Simon's career also helped a bullpen that had been asked to throw 15 innings in the previous three games. Equally important to Detroit was getting a solid game from a starter.

The trading of lefty David Price at the end of July and the trip to the disabled list on Thursday by right-hander Anibal Sanchez due to rotator cuff inflammation plus assorted other maladies have stripped Detroit's rotation of all its Opening Day rotation members save Simon.

Justin Verlander, who pitches Friday, was on the disabled list until July, Detroit purchased veteran left-hander Randy Wolf from the Toronto organization, and he will start Saturday. Southpaw Matt Boyd came over from the Blue Jays in the Price deal and will go Sunday, and Buck Farmer, currently in the Tigers' bullpen but who opened the season in the minors, was named by manager Brad Ausmus to start Monday in a makeup game in Cincinnati.

"We're chipping away," Ausmus said of the current state of his team, "but we've still got a lot of chipping to do."

Simon (11-7) faced one batter above the minimum until second baseman Rougned Odor picked on the first pitch thrown to him with two outs in fifth and lined it safely into right field, hustling the hit into a double. Texas hit a few balls hard but never got another hit.

"That's probably the best he's pitched all year, I think," Ausmus said. "What I really liked is the pace of his game. He got the ball, got to the next pitch. The defense is more into it, in theory."

Simon had been bothered by a groin problem over his last three or four starts, and that had slowed down a pace that was already pretty slow. But Thursday he was much quicker than previously, some of which was at the behest of pitching coach Jeff Jones.

"He was throwing his fastball for strikes, keeping us off balance," manager Jeff Banister of Texas said. "He was working both sides of the plate and seems to have developed a little different arm angle.

"I remember when he was with Cincinnati and I was with Pittsburgh," Banister said. "When he gets ahead of you, he's able to take advantage of it. We really couldn't get anything going."

"Obviously the split-finger was the pitch he used the most," Ausmus said, "but that was the hardest he's thrown his fastball since at least before (his) Baltimore (start July 30)."

Simon struck out five and walked two while facing four batters above the minimum in the 74th start of his career.

Castellanos now has driven in nine runs in his last three games. His single came with the bases loaded and two outs in the first, while his sacrifice fly in the third followed a single by designated hitter Miguel Cabrera plus a double by first baseman Victor Martinez.

Second baseman Ian Kinsler tripled to begin the fifth and scored on Cabrera's ground single up the middle to give the Tigers a 3-0 lead.

Martinez, playing just his second game this season at first, delivered a sacrifice fly to make it 4-0 in the seventh. Left fielder Rajai Davis doubled to left-center, just beating the throw to second, and advanced to third on a groundout before scoring.

Rangers left-hander Martin Perez (1-3) allowed Detroit's first three runs as well as six hits, three walks and a sacrifice fly. He lasted five innings in just his seventh start of the season.

"Martin couldn't quite find the range," Banister said of his starter. "He got into some deep counts and they took advantage of it."

Perez is coming off of Tommy John surgery a year ago, and that could still be a factor for him.

NOTES: Detroit purchased LHP Randy Wolf from Toronto on Thursday and announced he will start on Saturday. It was a cash deal. Wolf has not pitched in the majors since 2012. ... Rangers OF Josh Hamilton was placed on the 15-day disabled list, retroactive to Aug. 16, and replaced on the roster by newly acquired OF Will Venable. ... Tigers LHP Daniel Norris (right oblique) and RHP Anibal Sanchez (right rotator cuff strain) were placed on the disabled list. Detroit filled the vacancies by bringing up two relievers, purchasing the contract of RHP Guido Knudson and recalling RHP Jose Valdez.