After Monday night’s 14-4 victory over the Chicago White Sox it’s now just a matter of time before the Tigers clinch the AL Central. So with that said the Tigers may soon set their postseason pitching rotation.
Now even though there’s a lot of baseball yet to be played in terms of seeding in the American League. Now although I don’t think it will matter whether or not the Tigers get home field or start on the road in the playoffs, Justin Verlander will be the game one starter.
After that is where the decisions will need to be made.
Doug Fister has been without a doubt the Tigers’ second best pitcher down the stretch however if the Tigers don’t have home field advantage in the first round Tigers manager Jim Leyland may opt to start Doug Fister in game three at Comerica Park rather than on the road. Fister may serve as a stopper similar to what Verlander has done many times during the regular season after a Tigers loss. In game two on the road the Tigers will likely start Max Scherzer who’s been the number two for the Tigers for most of the season but has been somewhat inconsistent at times.
Now of course this may change if the Tigers open up at home but one thing remains certain and that is Verlander, Scherzer and Fister will probably be the Tigers’ rotation in a short series. That leaves Porcello and Penny coming out of the pen in the ALDS. IF the Tigers were to move on to the ALCS I would watch for Porcello to join a four man rotation from there on out.
