Brett Anderson (0-3, 5.79) vs. 
Edwin Jackson (2-2, 2.60), 7:05 p.m. EST
After a 3-4 road trip, the Detroit Tigers return to Comerica Park still a first-place team, albeit in a three-way tie with the Kansas City Royals and those pesky Minnesota Twins. Escaping the Metrodome will hopefully provide just the pick-me-up the Tigers need, coming off three straight losses. Knowing they'll be playing at home for the next nine games might help, as well.
Did you know our friend Kurt is a big A's fan? If you're curious about these Oakland Athletics (and they don't have many familiar names), I highly recommend you click over to Mack Avenue Tigers for his in-depth preview of the team. (I should've consulted him before seeing the A's play the Mariners in Seattle. I couldn't even explain to my friend Ms. Hooz why the team was called the "Athletics." "Is that even a noun?" she asked.)
And Blake digs the A's too? Did I miss a memo somewhere?
Edwin Jackson pitched one of two shutouts for the Tigers' pitching staff last weekend in Cleveland. And he finally got some run support from his lineup, so he earned a win in what was one of his best starts of the season. Jackson has also pitched six innings or more in his last three outings, which should help out a bullpen that was worked over in Minnesota.
In his five major league starts, Brett Anderson has kind of a good start-bad start pattern going. Since he gave up five runs and nine hits over 4.2 innings in his last outing, I guess that means he's due for a good performance tonight. How's that for luck? In those two good starts, Anderson's ERA is 2.25. In the three bad ones, it's 8.44.
SB Nation's flagship site, Athletics Nation, has your opposing view for this weekend's series.
UPDATE: Here are your starting lineups: