Detroit Tigers (29-30) vs. Boston Red Sox (32-27)
First Pitch: 7:10 EST
Weather: 71°F • Partly Cloudy • 0% PoP
Stadium: Fenway Park – Boston, MA
Media: Fox Sports Detroit and MLB Network (out of market) / 97.1 The Ticket
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Tigers Lineup:
- Ian Kinsler (2B)
- Nicholas Castellanos (3B)
- Miguel Cabrera (1B)
- Victor Martinez (DH)
- J.D. Martinez (RF)
- Justin Upton (LF)
- Mikie Mahtook (CF)
- James McCann (C)
- Jose Iglesias (SS)
What to Watch for:
The key to tonight’s game is simply Jordan Zimmermann and his slider. In his last outing against the Chicago White Sox, Zimmermann was effective with his out pitch and it paid off in the form of a victory, helping the Tigers sweep the Chi-Sox.
The offense will be facing a recent call up in the form of Brian Johnson. Johnson is 2-0 on the season and is coming off a May 27th complete game shutout over the Seattle Mariners. Johnson can be susceptible, however, as his first start of the season was against the Blue Jays who tagged him for a number of runs. If the offense that was there for the White Sox series shows up, the Tigers win; if not, then it’ll be a long weekend.
The Tigers also are welcoming back James McCann from the 10-day disabled list, and in a corresponding move optioned backup catcher John Hicks to Toledo. After a successful rehab assignment, McCann will be looking to jump right back into the mix for the Tigers and contributing offensively and defensively, allowing Alex Avila a breather.
The #Tigers have activated C James McCann off the 10-day disabled list today and optioned C John Hicks to Triple-A Toledo.
— Detroit Tigers (@tigers) June 9, 2017
Lastly, something to keep an eye on, several Tigers have strung together some hitting streaks:
- Nicholas Castellanos: 7 games
- Dixon Machado: 7 games
- Justin Upton: 7 games
- Alex Avila: 5 games
Looking Back:
The Tigers got an uncharacteristically bad start from Michael Fulmer who failed to get out of the fifth innings for the first time this season. The bullpen and the offense weren’t much better as the bullpen allowed the Angels to increased their lead and the offense left 10 men on base. The Tigers were not without their chances, and even staked Fulmer to a three-run lead, however, they ended up losing the game 11-4 as the Angels left Motown with a series win. The Tigers are sitting at 4-2 in the month of June and are looking to decrease the 2.5 game lead the Twins have on them in the Central.
Before You Watch:
https://detroitsportsnation.com/detroit-tigers-news/ajreilly/section-313-seat-no-10-red-sox-series-a-defining-moment-for-tigers/93851/
https://detroitsportsnation.com/detroit-tigers-news/amuller/look-tigers-helmet-gets-awesome-tiger-themed-paint-job/93373/
