Detroit Tigers News: It’s now or never at Comerica Park

It feels good to be home as the Detroit Tigers kick off a three-series, nine-game homestand starting with three against the Kansas City Royals. The Tigers look to claw their way back up the American League Central ladder as they currently sit seven games back of the leading Cleveland Indians. Justin Verlander will take the mound for the Tigers coming off his 11 strikeout performance last time out and will oppose Royals’ young arm Matt Strahm who looks to bounce back after a rough start which saw him exit after just three innings. The first pitch is at 7:10 p.m. ET.

This homestand means it may be now or never for the Tigers, at least according to George Sipple of the Detroit Free Press. Tigers prospect Matt Manning notches his first professional win and Joe Jimenez throws a scoreless inning among other news around the Detroit’s minor league system. Patrick tells us why the outfield defense is better than it looks.

Miguel Cabrera needs your help making it to his 12^th All-Star Game as he current sits back by more than 400,000 votes from first place. Recently cut by the Tigers for his lack of performance, Francisco Rodriguez has just inked a minor league deal with the Washington Nationals.

Meanwhile the Cleveland Indians rallied back from a seven run deficit by scoring 13 unanswered runs to topple the Texas Rangers which snapped a three game losing skid. The good news in Cleveland is that manager Terry Francona had to exit his second game this month due to illness but check out fine according to Francona himself. Indians’ starter Corey Kluber was named AL Player of the Week.

Despite surging to the top spot in the power rankings the Los Angeles Dodgers had their 10-game winning streak snapped in a shutout loss on Monday against the Los Angeles Angels thanks to Ricky Nolasco and the bullpen. That game also saw Dodgers’ outfielder Yasiel Puig unleash his cannon of an arm for the hardest throw of the season at 96.3 mph. Dodgers outfielder Corey Bellinger had five home runs last week, which allowed him to take National League Player of the Week.

The Boston Red Sox are the kings of the high fastball according to Jeff Sullivan of Fangraphs. Red Sox ace Chris Sale earned his 10^th victory on the season in a four to one victory over the Minnesota Twins which saw him allow only four hits and one run over six and one third innings of work. After signing with the Twins, No. 1 overall pick in the 2017 draft, Royce Lewis hit a home run in his first professional at-bat, going 2 for 4 on the day.

New York Yankees rookie starter Jordan Montgomery threw a season-high seven innings while only allowing one run to help the Yankees edge out the Chicago White Sox with a six to five score. Chicago Cubs’ catcher Wilson Contreras hits his first leadoff home run against the Washington Nationals which is the Cubs’ fifth leadoff home run this season.

Adeiny Hechavarria is interesting, apart from his name which is fun to say, and Jeff Sullivan explains exactly how that is. Mike Petriello of MLB.com shows us who the fastest baserunners are by position, while Nicolas Stellini of Fangraphs demystifies the dinger.

Michael Fulmer’s nasty fastball from the other day