Detroit Tigers return home this week for a 3-game series against Tampa Bay Rays

The Detroit Tigers return home after a road game in which they swept the Kansas City Royals and defeated the Baltimore Orioles in two of three games, keeping them in the thick of the race for the final wild-card spot in the American League.

AJ Hinche’s team hosts the Tampa Bay Rays – a team that was eliminated from the playoffs in the second half – at Comerica Park this week for the penultimate series of the 2024 regular season. With only six games remaining, every single win counts.

Entering the series, the Motor City Kitties are now in third place in the AL Central and have secured a firm spot in the final wildcard spot with a one-game lead over the Minnesota Twins, whose performances have also declined in recent weeks.

TBD is on the bench for Detroit this week, as all three Tigers starters were announced before the series began. Check out the upcoming pitching duels below.

Detroit Tigers (82-74) against Tampa Bay Rays (78-78)

Times (ET): Tue: 13:10 o’clock; Marry: 18:10 o’clock; Thursday: 13:10
Location: Comerica Park, Detroit, Michigan
SB Nation website: christopher_schoen
Media: Bally Sports Detroit, MLB.TV, Tigers Radio Network

Game 157: LHP Tarik Skubal (17-4, 2.48 ERA) vs. RHP Ryan Pepiot (8-6, 3.64 ERA)

Skubal

Baseball Expert

Pepiot

Baseball Expert

Game 158: RHP Keider Montero (6-6, 4.86 ERA) vs. RHP Zack Littell (8-9, 3.56 ERA)

Montero

Baseball Expert

Littell

Baseball Expert

Game 159: RHP Reese Olson (4-8, 3.49 ERA). vs. to be announced

Baseball Expert

Series preview: Almost there…

Detroit needs to win this series too (and preferably win by a landslide), and Tampa Bay shouldn’t cause the Tigers too much trouble.

The Rays are 26th in OPS (.674) and 29th in runs scored against the Olde English D, who rank 22nd (.686) and 18th (660) in offense, respectively. On the other hand, the visitors are ninth in the major leagues in ERA (3.79), fourth in WHIP (1.21) and tied for seventh in batting average against (.236), while the home team is third (3.64), second (1.17) and sixth (.235), respectively.