The Detroit Tigers and visiting Minnesota Twins are still scheduled to play a four-game series this weekend. The format for the early showdown among American League Central rivals, however, had to be altered due to a postponement.
As expected, the Thursday afternoon contest was washed out. They’ll now begin the series on Friday night and play a straight doubleheader on Saturday afternoon before concluding the set on Sunday afternoon.
Detroit also will play the defending World Series champion Texas Rangers during the eight-game homestand.
The Tigers also had an off-day on Wednesday but their pitching staff will be taxed over the next two weeks. They’ll now play 14 games in the next 13 days. The Twins still have an off-day scheduled on Thursday before they host Detroit next weekend.
Last season, the Tigers compiled a 35-17 record against the division-rival Twins, Cleveland Guardians, Kansas City Royals and the Chicago White Sox and finished in second place. Detroit began this season with a three-game road sweep of the White Sox.
Tarik Skubal (1-0, 2.92 ERA) was the scheduled Thursday starter and likely will pitch on Friday. He scattered three hits over six scoreless innings against the White Sox in the Tigers’ season opener.
Skubal failed to hold a three-run lead in their home opener on Friday against Oakland. Skubal was charged with four runs on four hits in 6 1/3 innings but the Tigers pulled out a 5-4 victory.
Skubal has made nine career starts against the Twins, going 2-3 with a 3.91 ERA.
He’ll likely be opposed by Pablo Lopez (1-1, 2.84), who will also be making his third start. Lopez held Kansas City to one run in seven innings in his season debut and gave up four runs (three earned) in 5 2/3 frames to Cleveland last Thursday.
Lopez is 1-1 with a 2.08 ERA in two career starts against the Tigers.
Detroit ended a three-game slide with a 5-3 victory at Pittsburgh on Tuesday. The Tigers rallied with a four-run ninth inning against Pirates closer David Bednar.
“It’s big to stop the skid like that,” said outfielder Kerry Carpenter, who delivered the tiebreaking hit. “It gives us a little more confidence going into the off day ahead of the series against the division champs.”
Minnesota snapped a four-game losing streak by posting a 3-2 win over the Los Angeles Dodgers on Wednesday.
The Twins’ offense has struggled thus far but it has showed signs of coming around. Minnesota salvaged the finale of a three-game series by recording six hits and five walks.
“We needed that win,” shortstop Carlos Correa said. “It’s a tough team on the other side. You can’t be giving them any extra outs, and you’ve got to try to finish every play. We did just that.”
Leadoff hitter Edouard Julien, who had only three hits entering the game, hit a pair of solo homers and also scored the team’s other run.
“I just knew that if I kept being positive, it’s going to come,” Julien said. “I just don’t feel like I’d hit like that for a while. I have confidence in myself and I knew at some point I was going to start hitting.”
Joe Ryan and Bailey Ober are the anticipated starters for the Twins in Saturday’s doubleheader. The Tigers are likely to counter with Kenta Maeda and Jack Flaherty, although Matt Manning could be called up from Triple-A Toledo to make a spot start.
