CC Sabathia (1-1, 4.81) vs. 
Justin Verlander (0-2, 9.00) , 7:05 p.m. EST
After a 5-4 road trip, the Detroit Tigers return home (and, thankfully for most of us, to the Eastern time zone) as a first-place team. For only their sixth home game of this young season, the Tigers welcome the vaunted New York Yankees to Comerica Park. (It's okay, Peter Abraham. You won't get mugged.) And the Yanks might be smarting a bit after getting swept over the weekend in Boston.
CC Sabathia was roughed up by the A's in his previous start, giving up six earned runs (and four walks) in 6.1 innings. Mr. Baggy Pants only faced Detroit once before getting traded to the National League in July, and the Tigers hung nine runs on him in just four innings. For his career, Sabathia is 13-9 with a 4.70 ERA in 26 starts versus the Tigers.
Justin Verlander doesn't have much to brag about from his last start, either. Though his stuff seems to be back, any thoughts that it was coming together for him went out the window against the Angels. Verlander gave up seven runs and nine hits in five innings, and looked traumatized in the dugout afterwards. Maybe returning to his home park will help settle him down, though the Yankees probably won't do him any favors. In his lone start against the Bronx Bombers, Verlander was bombed for eight runs (five earned) in just 1.2 innings.
Your SB Nation opposing view for this three-game series is provided by Pinstripe Alley.