Detroit Tigers vs. Houston Astros Series Preview and Pitching Matchups

The Detroit Tigers struggled in their recent home game, losing two of three to the Milwaukee Brewers before repeating the process against the Washington Nationals. The Motor City Kitties are now hitting the road in search of a better chance away from Comerica Park.

The first leg of the road trip takes AJ Hinch’s team to Texas to face the Houston Astros starting Friday night. The home team is coming off a three-game loss to the San Francisco Giants last week and will be hoping to get back to winning ways against the visitors.

Entering the series, the Tigers sit in fourth place in the American League Central division, behind the Cleveland Guardians by 11 games, while the Astros are currently third in the AL Central division and eight games behind the Seattle Mariners .

This weekend’s pitching matchups are pretty interesting. Take a look at how things play out below.

Detroit Tigers (33-35) to Houston Astros (31-38)

Time setting): Friday: 8:10 p.m.; SATURDAY: 4:10 p.m.; Sunday: 2:10 p.m.
Place: Minute Maid Park, Houston, Texas
SB Nation website: Crayfish boxes
Media: Bally Sports Detroit, MLB.TV, Tigers Radio Network

Game 69: LHP Tarik Skubal (8-1, 1.92 ERA) vs. RHP Hunter Brown (2-5, 5.58 ERA)

Skubal faced the Astros in Detroit on May 11, earning his fifth win of the season with 6 ¹⁄₃ two-run innings on seven hits and two walks while striking out seven. I think Baseball Savant’s 2024 MLB percentile rankings say everything you need to know about the 27-year-old.

Baseball scholar

Brown faced significant struggles in the first month of the season, but has since started to find a rhythm. The 25-year-old from Detroit posted a 3.05 ERA and 4.35 FIP over 38 years. ¹⁄₃ innings since the start of May, walking 15 while striking out 43 – but allowing six home runs during that stretch. The right-hander had a perfectly satisfactory outing against the Tigers on May 11, lasting five frames while allowing just one run on a solo home run without walking any and striking out seven.

Game 70: RHP Jack Flaherty (3-4, 3.22 ERA) vs. RHP Justin Verlander (3-2, 3.95 ERA)

Flaherty continues his bounce-back season in style for the Tigers, coming into the series second in the majors in walks per nine innings (1.24) and fifth in strikeouts per nine (11.64). The 28-year-old faced the ‘Stros on May 10 in what was technically a quality start, allowing three runs in 6 2/3 innings without walking any and striking out seven in the loss. The right-hander has not conceded a point in the last 11 ²⁄₃ innings dating back to May 23 against the Toronto Blue Jays.

Verlander is a familiar face to the Detroit faithful as the veteran prepares to face his original team for the second time this season. The 41-year-old pitched a true gem in Detroit on May 12, going seven scoreless innings while allowing just two hits and walks along with eight strikeouts. The future Hall of Famer may be in the twilight of his career, but he certainly still has some gas left in the tank.

Game 71: RHP Kenta Maeda (2-2, 5.89 ERA) vs. RHP Spencer Arrighetti (3-5, 5.33 ERA)

Maeda played with fire in his last outing just a few days ago, but managed to minimize the burn in four limited innings. The 36-year-old has fluctuated between good and bad outings over his last few starts and unfortunately the trend is calling for a decline this time around. Which Kenta will show up in Houston on Saturday afternoon? Tigers fans are collectively crossing their fingers.

Arrighetti, not to be confused with a delicious pasta dish, continues to find his way during his rookie campaign in 2024. The 24-year-old’s traditional raw numbers are the result of a one-two punch that he received to open the season, but as May went on, he began to figure things out. The right-hander has posted a 1.23 ERA and 3.63 FIP in his last three games spanning 14. ²⁄₃ innings, allowing nine hits (one home run) and nine walks while striking out 18.

Series outlook: It’s going to be a tough weekend for the Tigers

One would assume Detroit wins the opener given the projected pitchers, but the other two are definitely up in the air. The Flaherty-Verlander duel is undoubtedly a must-see event, but Sunday’s duo leaves a lot to be desired. The problem is that the Astros are fifth in OPS (.737) among major league teams, which breaks down to a .259 batting average (second), .320 on-base percentage (seventh) and .417 to blows (fourth) – which is a formidable offense. The positive side is that the Tigers are 17-16 on the road while the Astros are 17-18.