Tampa Bay Rays (35-33) vs. Detroit Tigers (30-34)
Game 1
Alex Cobb (5-5. 4.29 ERA) vs. Justin Verlander (4-4, 4.68 ERA)
Thursday, June 15 @ 7:10 EST
TV: Fox Sports Detroit | Radio: 97.1 The Ticket
Justin Verlander has been looking for answers for a month now. After gritting his way through a battle with Chris Sale and the Red Sox, Verlander should be closer to lowering his pitch count and getting swings and misses — something that did him in in Boston. A great outing tonight, following in the footsteps of Jordan Zimmermann, would be a step in the right direction for the Tigers long-time Ace.
Alex Cobb comes into this game with an inflated ERA and a .500 record. This will be the first time the Tigers face Cobb, having avoided him in the first meeting when the Rays swept the Tigers. Given the sweep that occurred earlier in the season, setting the tone in the first game of the series in of utmost importance.
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Game 2
Erasmo Ramirez (3-1. 4.20 ERA) vs. Daniel Norris (3-4, 4.41 ERA)
Friday, June 16 @ 7:10 EST
TV: Fox Sports Detroit | Radio: 97.1 The Ticket
This game is the ultimate matchup for retribution in this series for the Tigers. It was this exact matchup — Norris vs. Ramirez — that gave the Rays the sweep at Tropicana Field. Daniel Norris struggled that game going only 4.1 innings and surrendering four earned runs. The offense wasn’t much better than Norris in that game as they were held to only one run before the brooms swept them out of Florida.
Erasmo Ramirez has been bounced between relief roles and starting roles throughout the season. He has made two starts in the month of June giving up seven earned runs in just 10 innings pitched.
Game 3
Chris Archer (4-4. 3.80 ERA) vs. Michael Fulmer (6-4, 3.40 ERA)
Saturday, June 17 @ 4:10 EST
TV: Fox Sports 1 | Radio: 97.1 The Ticket
This game could be as equally as exciting, as well as equally anticipated as the last Sale vs. Verlander just a week ago. In this game two of the better, young pitchers will square off — Michael Fulmer and Chris Archer.
Fulmer is coming off one of his worst outings as a Tiger, going just 4.1 innings and surrendering five earned runs against the Los Angeles Angels. In that matchup, he was concerned he was tipping his pitches and has been given a few days extra rest to clear his mind and get right. Archer is third in the MLB in strikeouts but has been hittable over his last few outings. Each guy should be up to the task to delivering a gem for their respective teams and it could easily become “Can’t Miss TV”
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Game 4
TBD vs. Buck Farmer (2-0, 3.52 ERA)
Sunday, June 18 @ 7:10 EST
TV: Fox Sports Detroit | Radio: 97.1 The Ticket
Buck Famer was great in his first two starts of the season but terrible in his last. Which begs the question, which Farmer will we see in the series finale? After registering only 2.1 innings in the contest Tuesday against the Diamondbacks, and giving up six earned runs, be looking for Farmer to right the ship against the Rays, who as a team are hitting .253 on the season.
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