The Detroit Tigers were written off for a playoff berth just over a month ago but now find themselves tied with Kansas City for the second Wild Card spot in the AL. Tonight the surging Tigers will open a 3-game set with the Tampa Bay Rays at Comerica Park. Detroit took two out of three from Tampa in St. Pete back in April and will have the best hurler in the AL on the bump, Tarik Skubal. He is 17-4 with an ERA of only 2.48 and a nasty WHIP of only 0.94. Skubal is 2-0 in his career against Tampa with an ERA of just 1.50. The Rays are expected to counter with Ryan Pepiot, who has pitched well with a record of 8-6, a 3.65 ERA, and a 1.13 WHIP. The Tigers cannot afford to lose this homestand with Tampa, and they know it and they won’t.
TONIGHT’S PICK: DETROIT TIGERS