Detroit Tigers Expected To Get Unusual Weather for Home Opener
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Comerica Park is going to look pretty different when Detroit Tigers fans arrive for the 2025 home opener against the Chicago White Sox on Friday afternoon.
The ballpark, which opened in 2000, underwent several unpopular cosmetic changes during the offseason.
The "Tigers" sign above the giant centerfield scoreboard was replaced with a "Comerica Park" sign, and the dirt path from home plate to the pitcher's mound -- the only one left in the Major Leagues -- was removed.
In other words, Comerica Park has lost a bit of its charm, which Detroit fans may not appreciate.
One thing they'll probably enjoy, however, is the warmer temperatures expected for Friday's game.
Weather forecasts predict a game-time temperature of 49 degrees, which would be team's warmest home opener since 2015.
That excludes the 2020 season, which started in July due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
With a forecasted first pitch temperature of 49 degrees, tomorrow’s home opener is expected to be our warmest since 2015.
— Tigers PR (@DetroitTigersPR) April 3, 2025
This excludes the 2020 season, which began in July. pic.twitter.com/Kw3rf6skQx
This is good news for Tigers fans, who are used to bundling up for early April games and have faced winter-like conditions in the past.
With spring-like temperatures expected this year, they can probably leave their puffy jackets, hats and gloves at home.
Fans likely won't have to worry about precipitation, either.
While there is a chance of rain in Friday's forecast, it isn't expected to start until the evening -- well after the game ends.
The contest itself promises to be a good one.
Jack Flaherty will be on the hill for Detroit after holding the Los Angeles Dodgers to two runs and three hits over 5.2 innings in his season debut on March 28.
This will be his first start at Comerica Park since last July 11 since the Tigers traded him to the Dodgers a few weeks later. The veteran righty helped Los Angeles win the World Series before returning to Detroit on a two-year, $35 million deal this past offseason.
Flaherty will face second-year righty Jonathan Cannon, who's coming off five scoreless innings against the Los Angeles Angels in his season debut. He showed some promise as a rookie last year for the White Sox, going 5-10 with a 4.49 ERA and a 1.33 WHIP during their abysmal campaign.
Both teams enter Friday's game tied in the AL Central standings at 2-4.
The Tigers took two of three from the Seattle Mariners after getting swept by the Dodgers, while Chicago is coming off back-to-back home losses against the Minnesota Twins.
First pitch is scheduled for 1:10 p.m. ET.
