Marlins' Chris Paddack Gets Shot at Former Team in Key Early-Season Start
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The Miami Marlins have been on a roll to start the 2026 campaign, with a healthy lineup and a strong starting pitching rotation. Splitting the four-game series against the Cincinnati Reds, the Marlins hit the road and look to push their two-game winning streak to another game.
Luckily for Miami, it hits the road to take on one American League team that has struggled to get something going out of the gates, the Detroit Tigers. The Tigers had high expectations going into 2026 and could very well turn things around, but the Marlins aren't looking to be the team they get hot against.
Toeing the slab for the first game of the series on the road for Miami is free agent addition Chris Paddack. Paddack returned to the franchise that drafted him this offseason, but now heads back to take on the franchise that traded for him at the trade deadline for the first time.
What to Expect From Paddack vs Tigers
Paddack started the 2026 campaign on the wrong foot, allowing eight runs to the Chicago White Sox in his Marlins debut. He bounced back against the New York Yankees in his second start of the year, yet was unable to go deeper than the fourth inning.
The Tigers hold a .233 team batting average going into the series, which should only be a motivator for Paddack to attack the strike zone. On top of that, Paddack's time in Detroit wasn't the best, pitching to a 6.32 ERA with the franchise.
Marlins fans should expect Paddack to try to attack the zone with his pitch mix, but Paddack has to keep in the back of his mind that Detroit is going to be the hungriest it has been returning home. If anyone on the Marlins knows the atmosphere to expect in Detroit against the Tigers, it's Paddack.
In three games against the Tigers in his career, when pitching for the Minnesota Twins, Paddack has an ERA of 2.93 in 15.1 innings with 14 strikeouts, three walks, and has allowed two home runs. History is on Paddack's side; it only helps that Miami is on fire at the plate right now.
So long as the offense continues to have things go their way, they should have a fair chance at taking down the Tigers. Playing at Comerica Park helps the contact-driven approach for the Marlins, but if they don't score early and Paddack has to keep them in the game, something could go haywire.
Dominic Minchella is a 2024 Eastern Michigan University graduate with a BA in Communications, Media, and Theatre Arts and a Journalism minor. He covers Major League Baseball for On SI and spends his free time watching games and sharing his insights.