Series Preview: Detroit Tigers vs. Houston Astros 5/10-5/12

The Detroit Tigers will play a three-game series, against the Houston Astros. The Tigers are coming off a series loss to the Guardians while the Astros are coming off a series loss to the Yankees.

Detroit Tigers (19-18) vs. Houston Astros (13-24)

Game 1:

Date: Friday, May 10
Time: 6:40 pm EST
Broadcast: Bally Sports Detroit

Game 2:

Date: Saturday, May 11
Time: 6:10 pm EST
Broadcast: Bally Sports Detroit

Game 3:

Date: Sunday, May 12
Time: 1:40 pm EST
Broadcast: Bally Sports Detroit

Probable Starting Pitchers

Game 1: Casey Mize (1-1, 3.98 ERA) vs. Framber Valdez (1-1, 3.97 ERA)

Mize gets the first game of the series making his seventh start of the season, he is 1-1 with a 3.98 ERA, a 3.21 FIP, a 1.32 WHIP, and 24 strikeouts in 31.2 innings. In his last start, he faced the Yankees going 5.1 innings giving up five runs, on nine hits; he walked one and struck out six. In his career against the Astros, he is 2-0, with a 0.69 ERA, a 1.07 WHIP, and 10 strikeouts in 13 innings. Valdez goes for the Astors, he is 1-1 with a 3.97 ERA, a 3.94 FIP, a 1.41 WHIP, and 19 strikeouts in 22.2 innings. In his last start, he faced the Mariners going 5.1 innings giving up five runs on nine hits; he walked one and struck out three. In his career against Detroit, he is 1-2 with a 2.48 ERA, a 1.20 WHIP, and 39 strikeouts in 40 innings.

Game 2: Tarik Skubal (4-0, 1.90 ERA) vs. Cristian Javier (2-0, 1.54 ERA)

Skubal gets the middle game, this season is 4-0 with a 1.90 ERA, a 2.06 FIP, a 0.77 WHIP, and 53 strikeouts in 42.2 innings. In his last start, he faced the Yankees going six innings giving up two runs on six hits; he didn’t issue a walk and struck out 12. In his career against the Astros, he doesn’t have a decision with a 2.08 ERA, a 0.76 WHIP, and 18 strikeouts in 13 innings. Javier will go for the Astros making his fifth start, he is 2-0 with a 1.54 ERA, a 3.59 FIP, a 1.11 WHIP, and 18 strikeouts in 23.1 innings. In his last start, on April 14th he faced the Rangers going seven innings giving up two runs on five hits; he walked two and struck out five. In his career against Detroit, he is 2-0 with a 1.08 ERA, a 0.71 WHIP, and 21 strikeouts in 16.2 innings.

Game 3: Jack Flaherty (0-2, 3.86 ERA) vs. Justin Verlander (1-1, 4.43 ERA)

Flaherty gets the finale making his eighth start of the season, he is 0-2 with a 2.98 FIP, a 1.04 WHIP, and 56 strikeouts in 42 innings. In his last start, he faced the Guardians going six innings giving up two runs on six hits; he walked one and struck out six. In his career against the Astros, he is 0-1 with a 3.46 ERA, a 1.15 WHIP, and 19 strikeouts in 13 innings. Verlander goes for the Astros, he is 1-1 with a 4.43 ERA in four starts, and he has a 6.07 FIP, a 1.38 WHIP, and 15 strikeouts in 22.1 innings. In his last start, he faced the Yankees going five innings and giving up seven runs on eight hits; he walked three and struck out two. In his career against his former team, he is 3-3 with a 2.77 ERA, a 0.74 WHIP, and 54 strikeouts in 39 innings.

Tigers vs. Astros Leaders

Tigers:

AVG – Kerry Carpenter – .269
HR – Riley Greene – 9
RBI – Riley Greene – 17
IP – Tarik Skubal – 42.2
ERA – Tarik Skubal – 1.90
K – Jack Flaherty – 56

Astros:

AVG – Jose Altuve – .331
HR – Kyle Tucker – 11
RBI – Kyle Tucker – 25
IP – Ronel Blanco –38.2
ERA – Ronel Blanco – 2.09
K – Ronel Blanco – 36

Tigers vs. Astros Numbers

Tigers

AVG: .227 (23)
OPS: .662 (24)
R: 149 (22)
HR: 32 (22)
ERA: 3.28 (6)
K: 325 (11)
WHIP: 1.12 (3)

Astros

AVG: .256 (6)                       
OPS: .731 (7)
R: 158 (16)
HR: 42 (7)
ERA: 5.05 (28)
K: 292 (23)
WHIP: 1.49 (29)

Wrap Up

The Tigers should have won their series against the Guardians but suffered a tough loss in the finale. Now they get the Astros who have struggled out of the gate despite ranking in the top half of the league in average, OPS, and home runs. It’s been the pitching for Houston that has been a struggle and on the other side it’s been the Tigers offense that has been an issue so which one wins the battle and can flip things around in this series, whoever it is will take at least two games if not all three.