Can the Detroit Tigers catch up with the struggling Minnesota Twins?
Minnesota Star Tribune sportswriter Bobby Nightengale joins Days of Roar to discuss how the struggling Minnesota Twins are helping the Detroit Tigers.
The Detroit Tigers’ home stretch is here.
The Tigers face the Tampa Bay Rays on Tuesday to begin the final six games of the series and seek their first playoff berth since 2014. First pitch was delayed until 2 p.m. because of rain in the Detroit area. It was moved up to 1:10 p.m. Monday night after originally being scheduled for 6:40 p.m.
The Tigers enter the race with a one-game lead over the Minnesota Twins, who face the Miami Marlins tonight at 7:40 p.m.
The game will be broadcast on Bally Sports Detroit and is the MLB Network game of the day. The Tigers start Cy Young favorite Tarik Skubal and the Rays start right-hander Ryan Pepiot.
Follow live updates from the Tigers-Rays series opener at Comerica Park below.
Live updates and game highlights for Detroit Tigers vs. Tampa Bay Rays
The Tigers star delivered his best performance.
Skubal has thrown 73 pitches in five innings, allowing two hits, one walk and six strikeouts. He hit Christopher Morel with a 96.7 mph fastball in the top of the zone to open the inning, then left a runner standing to strike out Jose Siri with another high 97.1 mph fastball.
Ryan Pepiot is up early. The Rays starter allowed just one baserunner on a first-inning walk to Wenceel Pérez, but was otherwise perfect, striking out five of the 10 batters he faced with an effective fastball-changeup combination.
Fortunately for Detroit, Tarik Skubal also pitched well. Skubal allowed two baserunners on a single and a walk, but mowed down everyone else. In three innings, he has four strikeouts on 46 pitches.
The Tigers’ main battery is responsible for the first highlight. After allowing the first hit of the game, Tarik Skubal froze Ben Rortvedt at the knees with a 95 mph sinker for a strikeout at 3-2, and Jake Rogers slammed a strike to second base to catch the stealing Jose Caballero. Caballero had the first hit with a single to center field.
Mother Nature is playing tricks on the start time. Originally scheduled for 6:40 p.m., it was pushed up to 1:10 p.m. due to weather concerns, forcing the Tigers to delay Skubal’s first pitch to 2 p.m. The tarp is now gone, and overcast skies hang over downtown.
Pre-game notes
To beat the Minnesota Twins and reach the playoffs, the Tigers’ magic number is 6meaning they need a combination of six wins or losses against the team behind them in the standings — in this case, the Twins — to reach the postseason. The Tigers (82-74) have a one-game lead over the Twins (81-75), a 1½-game lead over the Seattle Mariners and are tied with the Kansas City Royals for the second AL wild-card spot (with the Royals having the tiebreaker).
The Tigers must finish one game ahead of the Twins or Royals, who hold the tiebreaker after their 7-6 season series win over Detroit.
The Tigers enter the final stretch as one of baseball’s strongest teams, with a 13-5 record and five straight wins in September. A combination of top-notch pitching and decisive hitting with manager AJ Hinch pulling the right strings has put them in a strong position. And the Tigers upped the ante on Monday by naming MLB’s most promising pitcher, Jackson Jobe, to the bullpen for the postseason hunt.
Jared Ramsey is a sports reporter for the Detroit Free Press Coverage of the city’s professional teams, the state’s two leading universities and more. Follow Jared on X @jared_ramsey22and email him at [email protected].
