The Tigers hand the ball to young Rick Porcello, as they attempt to win the final game of a three-game series with the Yankees.This will undoubtedly be the most harrowing start of his career so far, as the right-handed sinkerballer will be challenged by a lineup full of left-handed sluggers. Lefties are getting on base on a .333 clip and hitting the ball much harder than right-handed batters do against the 20-year-old. His last start in Kansas City, he gave up four runs in losing a pitchers duel with Zack Greinke.
For New York, Joba Chamberlain comes into the game with no decisions in three starts. Opponents are batting .306 against him this year, but he has managed to keep his ERA under 4.
There's no such thing as a "must-win" this early in the season, but after Tuesday night's 11-0 defeat, this game feels like a "really, really want to win" as the Tigers head into the off-day Thursday. Of course, given the Tigers' luck in playing games on ESPN ...
And for my next trick, I present to you the lineups! Maybe. Maybe not. We'll see what happens when this is posted! Hmm, that didn't work...
but that did! yay!