Detroit Tigers (62-55) at Minnesota Twins (50-66)
Time/Place: 1:00 p.m., Target Field
SB Nation Blog: Twinkie Town
Media: Fox Sports Detroit, MLB.TV, Tigers Radio Network
Pitching Matchup: RHP Max Scherzer (11-6, 4.65 ERA) vs. RHP Cole De Vries (2-3, 4.77 ERA)
De Vries is a 27 year old rookie righthander pitching for his hometown team, though not particularly well as of late. He has a 6.53 ERA since the All-Star Break and has allowed 8 home runs in just 30 1/3 innings. Six of those home runs have come at Target Field. He has some decent reverse splits, allowing an .841 OPS to righties and a .713 OPS to lefties. His walk rate is a microscopic 1.79 in 60+ innings this season, so at least we don't have to worry about Rod Allen calling him "effectively wild" at any point this afternoon.
Scherzer had one of his better road outings of the year against the Twins on May 26th. He only pitched 5 1/3 innings due to a rain delay, but he struck out 9 hitters while allowing 3 runs in a 6-3 Tigers victory. This type of game has been par for the course over Scherzer's career: decent outing, probably more runs allowed than the average fan would like, and a boatload of run support. There's a reason he's still 2-1 despite a 6.28 ERA against the Twins in his career.
Outlook
De Vries pitched two innings against the Tigers on July 4th -- his only relief appearance of the season -- and gave up two runs on three hits. While Samuel Deduno fits the mold of the type of right-handed pitcher that gives the 2012 Tigers fits (hello there, Ubaldo Jimenez), I don't think De Vries will be so lucky. Meanwhile, Scherzer just needs to repeat his last performance in Minnesota, minus the rain.
Prediction
The offense comes out swinging and leads the Tigers to a series victory.