Tigers Facing Angels in Huge Series This Weekend with Pitching Matchup Advantage
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The Detroit Tigers have had a rough go of it lately and as a result, have seen their lead in the American League Central shrink all the way down to just six games headed into a new weekend.
Desperate to get things on track both offensively and pitching wise, the Tigers could use a series victory in the worst kind of way this weekend with the Los Angeles Angels coming to town and Detroit trying to stop their bleeding.
The Angels are still very much in the playoff picture and taking a series against the Tigers could be the start of a nice little run for them, however the advantage tips in the favor of the home team in terms of pitching matchup.
After a brilliant first half, which saw Mized a 1.286 WHIP and up to 3.50 with, and his ERA is a bit as of late, he has struggled. In the All-Star game, he made his first record of 10-4.
Who is On the Mound For Tigers and Angels?
With the first game of the series on Friday night -- getting started at 7:10 p.m. EST -- Detroit has the chance to get things started on the right foot as their ace Tarik Skubal takes the mound against Kyle Hendricks.
Skubal has an 11-3 record, a 2.18 ERA, 0.832 WHIP, and, of course, an absurd 181 strikeouts compared to just 19 walks in 140.2 innings pitched.
Hendricks on the other hand sports a 4.59 ERA, 1.245 WHIP and a record of 6-8.
If the Tigers can grab a win on Friday, it sets up a fascinating matchup on Saturday night -- 6:10 p.m. EST -- between their new trade acquisition, Charlie Morton, and Los Angeles' big offseason acquisition, Yusei Kikuchi.
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Morton has had a roller coaster of a season but has shown flashes of brilliance, his debut with Detroit last week being no exception. Against a star-studded Philadelphia Phillies lineup, Morton tossed six innings while allowing just one run and striking out six.
The encore pits him against Kikuchi, who has an impressive 3.22 ERA in 24 starts with a record of 5-7.
In a Sunday matinee at 1:40 p.m. EST, it's Casey Mize for the Tigers against Jack Kochanowicz for the Angels.
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After a brilliant first half which saw Mize make his first All-Star game, he has struggled a bit as of late and his ERA is up to a 3.50 with a 1.286 WHIP and record of 10-4.
Kochanowicz has struggled in his second season to the tune of a 5.85 ERA and 1.634 WHIP with a record of 3-9.
The opportunity is there for Detroit to at the very least take the series, and with a potential advantage on the mound in all three games if their starters perform up to their most impressive levels, Tigers fans will be hungry for a sweep.
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Michael Brauner is a 2022 graduate of the University of Alabama with a degree in Sports Media. He covers various MLB teams across the On SI network and you can also find his work on Yellowhammer News covering the Alabama Crimson Tide and Auburn Tigers as well as on the radio producing and co-hosting 'The Opening Kickoff' every weekday morning on 105.5 WNSP FM in Mobile, Alabama.