Detroit @ Houston preview
Daikin Park
Last Meeting ( Oct 2, 2024 ) Detroit 5, Houston 2
Tigers ace left-hander Tarik Skubal validated his reputation as the top pitcher in the American League and anchored a 7-0 victory over the Baltimore Orioles on Sunday that enabled Detroit to complete a season-long homestand at 8-2.
Skubal tossed six shutout innings and recorded 11 strikeouts as the Tigers capped a three-game sweep of the Orioles. Now, they'll embark on a season-long 10-game road trip that starts Monday with the opener of a three-game series against the Houston Astros.
The Tigers have won seven of their first nine series, reminiscent of their 1984 World Series team that didn't lose a series -- they tied one two-game set -- in the month of April.
"We keep winning series, which is really key," Tigers manager A.J. Hinch said. "If I'm going to look at this season as a whole, I try to break them up into as many small increments as I can. In this series, we did a lot of things well. These guys are really doing things that are helping us win. It's one thing to win a series, and then we finish it off. I know we've had a couple of opportunities like this and fallen short. (Sunday) we didn't with a really complete game. I like the fact that we're going to start over (Monday).
"This is our identity as a team is be able to turn the page and get to the next series. And that's the big picture importance."
Tigers right-hander Jack Flaherty (1-2, 2.63 ERA) has the starting assignment on Monday.
Flaherty is winless in his past three starts, going 0-2 with a 2.81 ERA and 22 strikeouts over 16 innings. Detroit was shut out in his previous two starts, including a 2-0 loss to the San Diego Padres on Tuesday when Flaherty allowed two runs on five hits with a season high-tying nine strikeouts.
Flaherty is 1-2 with a 2.92 ERA over five career appearances (four starts) against the Astros. He faced Houston twice in 2024, going 1-1 with a 2.31 ERA and 13 strikeouts in 11 2/3 innings. Flaherty tossed five shutout innings in a 13-5 road win on June 15 with six strikeouts and one walk.
Right-hander Ronel Blanco (2-2, 5.01 ERA) is the scheduled starter for the Astros in the series opener.
On Tuesday, Blanco produced his best start of the season in a 5-1 home victory over the Toronto Blue Jays, surrendering one run on two hits and two walks with three strikeouts over a season-high 6 2/3 innings. Blanco has won two of his last three starts, pitching to a 3.24 ERA during that stretch.
Blanco is 1-0 with a 0.00 ERA over three career appearances (one start) versus the Tigers. In his lone start against Detroit, Blanco twirled seven hitless innings and allowed three walks while recording eight strikeouts in a 4-1 home run on June 16, 2024.
Astros slugger Yordan Alvarez doubled and smashed a three-run homer in the top of the third inning to carry Houston to a 7-3 road win over the Kansas City Royals to salvage the finale of that three-game series.
Alvarez has been in a prolonged slump to start the season, with his 2-for-4 effort only boosting his OPS to .672. The Astros are hopeful Sunday represents the start of a breakout.
"Even someone who has been as successful as Yordan, you go through moments where you try to find your way around," Astros manager Joe Espada said. "He's finding his way around, and he's starting to get comfortable in the box. That three-run home run could be the beginning of a really long, successful stretch."
--Field Level Media