New York @ Detroit preview
Comerica Park
Last Meeting ( Jun 3, 2012 ) NY Yankees 5, Detroit 1
Justin Verlander has struggled in a pair of outings against the New York Yankees this season. The reigning American League Cy Young and MVP winner will hope the third time is the charm when the Detroit Tigers open a four-game set versus the visiting Yankees. Detroit won its fourth in a row after Miguel Cabrera's two-run homer capped a five-run uprising in the 10th inning of Sunday's 10-8 win over Cleveland.
The Tigers have certainly enjoyed the comforts of home, winning 14 of their last 15 at Comerica Park. New York, which took two of three over Seattle the weekend, begins a seven-game road trip and a stretch of 20 consecutive days without a scheduled day off. The Yankees have claimed two of three in both series this season versus Detroit.
TV: 7:05 p.m. ET, ESPN, FSD, ESPN3.com
PITCHING MATCHUP: Yankees RH Ivan Nova (10-5, 4.53 ERA) vs. Tigers RH Justin Verlander (11-7, 2.63)
Nova will vie for his first win since July 8. The 25-year-old Dominican was shelled for a career-high nine runs on 10 hits in five innings in an 11-5 setback to Baltimore last Monday. Nova was also rocked by Detroit in his last meeting, yielding six runs on 11 hits in 5 1/3 innings. He picked up a no-decision as New York rallied for a 7-6 win.
Verlander enters Monday's contest on a two-game slide. The 29-year-old permitted four runs on six hits in five innings in a rain-shortened 4-1 loss to Boston last Monday. Verlander, who is just 4-4 versus New York in his career, yielded five runs in both outings on April 27 and June 3, respectively.
WALK-OFFS
1. Ichiro Suzuki has collected exactly one hit in all 12 games with the Yankees, tying Don Slaught (1988) for the longest such streak to begin a career with the Yankees. Suzuki is 17-for-51 (.333) in his career versus Verlander.
2. Detroit acquired utility player Jeff Baker from the Chicago Cubs for a pair of players to be named. Baker is expected to be ready for Monday's game.
3. Tigers OF Austin Jackson went 4-for-6 and had an RBI double to ignite the 10th inning rally Sunday. The former Yankee is 3-for-5 in his career versus Nova.