Detroit @ Boston preview

Last Meeting ( Jul 24, 2015 ) Detroit 1, Boston 2

If the Detroit Tigers have any hope of staying in the race and keeping some key pieces intact through the trade deadline on July 31, losing a series to the worst team in the American League is not the way to go. The Tigers will try to even the three-game series at one win apiece when they visit the Boston Red Sox on Saturday.

The Red Sox suffered their first winless road trip of seven games or longer since 1951 coming out of the All-Star break but returned home on Friday and earned a 2-1 walk-off win in 11 innings when Mookie Betts slid across safely on Xander Bogaerts’ double. Betts and Bogaerts are two of the few bright spots for Boston, which is expected to be active in the trade market over the next week. Detroit dropped to 3-5 since the break with the loss and is two games under .500 at 47-49. Both teams could light up the scoreboard on Saturday unless Tigers starter Alfredo Simon and Red Sox righty Steven Wright can make significant changes from recent performances.

TV: 4:05 p.m. ET, FSN Detroit, NESN (Boston)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Tigers RH Alfredo Simon (8-6, 4.63 ERA) vs. Red Sox RH Steven Wright (3-3, 4.84)

Simon has been knocked around badly over his last six starts, going 1-3 with a 10.16 ERA and a .390 batting average allowed in that span. The 34-year-old Dominican watched his ERA grow by more than two runs in that span and is coming off a start against Seattle on Monday in which he surrendered four runs on six hits and four walks in 5 2/3 innings. Simon is at his worst on the road with a 4-4 record and a 6.08 ERA in nine starts.

Wright was recalled for a spot start in a doubleheader at the Los Angeles Angels on Monday and will be summoned from Triple-A Pawtucket again on Saturday. The knuckleballer was ripped for six runs on six hits – including two home runs – and three walks in five innings to suffer the loss against the Angels. Wright will be making his first appearance against Detroit and is 2-0 with a 4.08 ERA in four home games – two starts – this season.

WALK-OFFS

1. Red Sox 2B Dustin Pedroia (hamstring) was out of the lineup on Friday and is day-to-day with lingering soreness in the hamstring that had him on the DL prior to the All-Star break.

2. Detroit 2B Ian Kinsler is 13-for-25 with seven runs scored and five RBIs in the last five games.

3. Boston is averaging 1.9 runs in its last eight games.

PREDICTION: Tigers 9, Red Sox 8