The Detroit Tigers will play their first series of the season at home taking on the Oakland A’s. The Tigers are coming off a series win over the New York Mets while the A’s are coming off being swept by the Boston Red Sox.
Detroit Tigers (5-1) vs. Oakland A’s (1-6)
Game 1:
Date: Friday, April 5
Time: 1:10 pm EST
Broadcast: Bally Sports Detroit
Game 2:
Date: Saturday, April 6
Time: 1:10 pm EST
Broadcast: Bally Sports Detroit
Game 3:
Date: Sunday, April 7
Time: 1:40 pm EST
Broadcast: Bally Sports Detroit
Probable Starting Pitchers
Game 1: Tarik Skubal (1-0, 0.00 ERA) vs. JP Sears (0-1, 12.27 ERA)
Skubal will get the home opener due to all the rainouts from their series against the Mets. His first start he went six innings giving up no runs on three hits; he didn’t issue a walk and struck out six. In his career against the A’s, he has made six starts going 3-2 with a 1.91 ERA, a 0.88 WHIP, and 41 strikeouts in 33 innings. Sears will oppose Maeda making his second start of the season, his first start he went 3.2 innings giving up five runs on six hits; he walked two and struck out one. In his career against Detroit, he is 0-1 in two starts with a 1.46 ERA, a 1.05 WHIP, and 11 strikeouts in 12.1 innings.
Game 2: Kenta Maeda (0-0, 16.20 ERA) vs. Paul Blackburn (0-0, 0.00 ERA)
Maeda will get the ball for the middle game, his first start as a Tiger didn’t go well as he gave up six runs on seven hits in 3.1 innings; he walked one and struck out two. In his career against the A’s, he is 0-1 in four appearances with a 9.45 ERA, a 2.10 WHIP, and 14 strikeouts in 13.1 innings. Blackburn will oppose Flaherty making his second start, in his first start he went seven innings and didn’t allow a run on three hits; he walked one and struck out three.
Game 3: Jack Flaherty (0-0, 1.50 ERA) vs. Joe Boyle (0-1, 23.63 ERA)
Flaherty will make his Comerica debut and in his first start he went six innings giving up one run on four hits; he didn’t issue a walk and struck out seven. In his career against the A’s he is 0-1 in his lone start going 4.2 innings giving up seven runs on nine hits; he walked one and struck out five. Boyle’s first start came on Monday against the Red Sox going 2.2 innings, he gave up eight runs, seven of which were earned, on eight hits; he walked four and struck out four. In his career against the Tigers, he has made one start going 1-0 as he went six innings giving up one run on five hits; he walked one and struck out five.
Tigers vs. A’s Leaders
Tigers:
AVG – Gio Urshela – .462
HR – Riley Greene – 2
RBI – Carson Kelly – 5
IP – Tarik Skubal – 6.0
ERA – Reese Olson – 0.00
K – Jack Flaherty – 10
A’s:
AVG – J.D. Davis – .364
HR – J.D. Davis – 2
RBI – JJ Bleday – 4
IP – Ross Stripling – 12.0
ERA – Paul Blackburn – 0.00
K – Alex Wood – 10
Tigers vs. A’s Numbers
Tigers
AVG: .210 (23)
OPS: .606 (24)
R: 23 (23)
HR: 6 (18)
ERA: 2.04 (2)
K: 55 (18)
WHIP: 0.92 (2)
A’s
AVG: .202 (26)
OPS: .589 (25)
R: 15 (28)
HR: 4 (26)
ERA: 5.12 (23)
K: 58 (13)
WHIP: 1.55 (27)
Wrap Up
The Tigers suffered their first loss of the season in the finale of their series with the Mets. Now they take on the lowly A’s and look for another sweep to get back in the win column and look to do so in front of their own fans for the first time of the 2024 season.
