The Detroit Tigers are right back at it Friday night with Game 2 of their three-game set against the Kansas City Royals. With a chance to build on their AL Central lead, manager A.J. Hinch is rolling out a lineup that blends young talent with key veterans.
Tonight’s Lineup:
- Justyn-Henry Malloy – DH
- Gleyber Torres – 2B
- Riley Greene – CF
- Andy Ibáñez – 3B
- Spencer Torkelson – 1B
- Kerry Carpenter – LF
- Javier Báez – SS
- Tomás Nido – C
- Zach McKinstry – RF
SP: Jackson Jobe
Jackson Jobe Time in Detroit
All eyes tonight will be on Jackson Jobe, who’s making his fourth start of the season. So far, he’s been solid — posting a 3.00 ERA over 15 innings with a respectable 1.13 WHIP. The rookie’s command will be key as he takes on a Royals team looking for revenge after dropping Game 1.
Lineup Shuffle Notes
- Justyn-Henry Malloy gets the nod at DH and hits leadoff. It’s a big vote of confidence for the young slugger, who’s still searching for consistency at the plate (.194 AVG, .617 OPS).
- Tomás Nido will catch for the first time since joining the Tigers, giving Dillon Dingler a breather.
- Gleyber Torres remains in the two-hole and brings a hot bat (.323 AVG, .834 OPS) into the matchup.
Tigers Sitting at the Top
At 11-8, the Tigers enter Friday with a 1.5-game lead over the Guardians in the Central Division. With the Royals sitting at 8-12, Detroit has an opportunity to keep some breathing room before the weekend finale.
This one has the feel of a momentum game. Another strong outing from Jobe and timely hits from the top of the lineup could make all the difference.
Let’s see if the Tigers can keep clawing their way up the standings. First pitch is at 6:40 p.m. on Bally Sports Detroit.
