The Detroit Tigers head back on the road looking to put a difficult weekend behind them.
Detroit dropped the finale of its four-game series against the Houston Astros on Sunday, falling 7-5 in 10 innings after carrying a 3-0 lead into the seventh. Jack Flaherty delivered five scoreless innings and struck out nine, but the Tigers’ bullpen could not hold the lead as Houston rallied late for the second straight game.
Now Detroit begins a six-game road trip Monday night with the opener of a three-game series against the New York Yankees.
The Tigers enter the series at 35-49, while the Yankees sit at 48-35. First pitch is scheduled for 7:05 p.m. ET at Yankee Stadium.
Right-hander Casey Mize will start for Detroit. Although Mize owns a solid 2.95 ERA this season, his recent outings have been less consistent. Over his last two starts, the 29-year-old has posted a 6.10 ERA and a 4.46 FIP. His most recent appearance against New York came last week at Comerica Park, where he allowed four runs on eight hits, including one home run, over 5 2/3 innings.
The Yankees will counter with left-hander Ryan Weathers, who enters with a 3-5 record and a 3.95 ERA. Weathers has been one of New York’s hottest pitchers recently, posting a 1.46 ERA and a 2.62 FIP across his last two starts. One of those outings came against Detroit, when he limited the Tigers to two runs over six innings.
Despite the result, Detroit consistently put the ball in play against Weathers during that matchup. The Tigers generated quality contact throughout the game but were unable to capitalize on enough scoring opportunities.
That will be one of the key storylines entering Monday’s opener. Detroit will need to convert those opportunities into runs while looking for a stronger performance from its bullpen after a challenging weekend against Houston.
The Tigers also continue to navigate several key injuries. Javier Báez and Gleyber Torres remain sidelined, while rookie Kevin McGonigle has continued to settle into the major leagues. Riley Greene and Dillon Dingler remain important pieces in the middle of Detroit’s lineup as the club searches for more offensive consistency.
New York enters the series with the better record and home-field advantage, but the previous matchup between these clubs showed how competitive the series can be. Detroit played the Yankees closely throughout last week’s meetings, with each game decided by slim margins.
As the road trip begins, the Tigers will look to carry over the quality of their play while turning close games into victories against one of the American League’s top contenders.
Game Info
Detroit Tigers (35-49) at New York Yankees (48-35)
Time: 7:05 p.m. ET
Place: Yankee Stadium, Bronx, New York
TV: Detroit SportsNet, MLB.TV
Radio: Tigers Radio Network, 97.1 FM
Pitching Matchup: Casey Mize (2-5, 2.95 ERA) vs. Ryan Weathers (3-5, 3.95 ERA)
Betting Line: Yankees -1.5, O/U 7.5, NYY -149