Detroit Tigers vs Boston Red Sox Game 109 Preview, TV, Lineup

Detroit Tigers (53-55) vs Boston Red Sox (48-61) — 7:08 PM ET

Comerica Park — Detroit, MI 

TV: FSD, MLB Network

Radio: 97.1 The Ticket (click for affiliates)

Weather:  77 degrees, sunny

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Series Preview

If the Detroit Tigers truly view themselves as still in the race, a sentiment express by new GM Al Avila earlier this week after the dismissal of Dave Dombrowski and several players since the team completed their trade deadline sales last week, they have to beat teams like the Boston Red Sox.

They had a very nice series against the AL-leading Kansas City Royals, winning two of three games in the series, but really that should be no surprise. Despite being sub-.500, they are 29-18 against the AL Central, 24-37 against everyone in baseball including 9-14 against the AL East.

A last place team, Boston lost two of three games in the Bronx against the New York Yankees and have gone 4-6 since they met the Tigers at Fenway Park late last month.

When We Last Met

The Tigers were blown out in front of a nationally televised audience in their last game with the Red Sox on ESPN’s Sunday Night Baseball on July 26, this resulted in Detroit losing two out of three games in the series and may have clinched the decision that the team needed to sell at the deadline.

Pitching Matchup

It would be fair to say that Daniel Norris (2-1, 3.23) vaunted into the realm of fan favorite after his diving catch and solid effort to pick up his first win as a Tiger. He will get his first outing in front of his new fans on Friday. It’s not only that his numbers (7.1 IP, 4H, 1ER, 1BB, 5SO) were impressive, he also helped out his new club by helping to reduce the amount of innings the bullpen pitched, which had been overworked and battered in that Baltimore series.

The Red Sox turn to Joe Kelly (3-6, 6.11) for the opening game of this series. The 27-year old has been part of the huge problem that has been Boston’s starting pitching this season. Kelly actually picked up a win in his last game despite allowing five earned runs in the 11-7 win over the Tampa Bat Rays last Saturday. Having spent the first couple years of his career in St. Louis  before being traded to Boston during the 2014 season, this will be his first career start versus Detroit.

Detroit Tigers Lineup

1. Anthony Gose-CF
2. Jose Iglesias-SS
3. Ian Kinsler-2B
4. Victor Martinez-DH
5. J.D. Martinez-RF
6. Tyler Collins-LF
7. Nick Castellanos-3B
8. Alex Avila-1B
9. James McCann-C

Injuries

• Alfredo Simon — Day-to-Day
• Miguel Cabrera — 15-day DL
• Kyle Lobstein — 60-day DL
• Joe Nathan – Out for the Season

Next: 4 Key Tigers Down the Stretch