Detroit Tigers vs Tampa Bay Rays Game 137 Preview, TV, Lineup

Detroit Tigers (62-74) vs Tampa Bay Rays (67-69) — 1:08 PM ET

Comerica Park — Detroit, MI

TV: FSD

Radio: 97.1 The Ticket (click for affiliates)

Weather: 85 degrees, partly cloudy

More from Motor City Bengals

• Detroit Tigers: Victor Reyes finding ways to get the job done
• The Detroit Tigers must cut their losses and release Jonathan Schoop
• Detroit Tigers: Garrett Hill’s new role and changed delivery are excellent
• Detroit Tigers: Joe Jiménez has rebounded in 2022
• Detroit Tigers: Is it finally time to move the fences in at Comerica Park?

Series Preview 

During the last decade, the Detroit Tigers and Tampa Bay Rays usually had postseason implications on the line in their late season matchups. This is far from the case for the Tigers, playing out the string. The Rays have a glimmer of hope, being 4.5 games out heading into action on Sunday, but they have been flirting with .500 much of the season, so they are not much of a true contender with two teams in front of them for the second spot.

Still Tampa Bay has had a better season than most people had anticipated with the losses of David Price and manager Joe Maddon over the past 13 months.

The Tigers will see one of the players they shipped out of town for Price when Drew Smyly takes the mound after one of the best starts of his season.

When We Last Met

The Detroit Tigers were outscored 15-4 in the first two games of their series in St. Petersburg on July 27 and 28. Rays’ starter Chris Archer at a perfect game going until the Tigers broke it up and scored two runs to take a 2-1 lead, which is exactly what Justin Verlander needed to deliver a 2-1 win to avoid the sweep. Hours after this game, it was announced the Tigers would “reboot” and be sellers. How long ago that now seems….

Pitching Matchup

Randy Wolf (0-3, 6.11) hadn’t been great in his pair of games before his last start for the Detroit Tigers, but he was adequate, holding the team in the game and earning quality starts. The Kansas City Royals teed off on his on Wednesday, notching eight runs on eight hits in just 3.2 innings.

Injuries have derailed Smyly (2-2, 3.11) since leaving the Tigers on July 31, 2014, however when he’s pitched, he’s been very good, including posting a 1.70 ERA and 0.755 WHIP in seven starts for the Rays last year. He has missed most of the season with a torn labrum, which some feared would cost him the rest of the season, but he worked hard and was able to come back last month. His first start back was rocky, but he’s been sharp since, including his last game when he went seven scoreless innings, allowing just four hits and striking out 10 Baltimore Orioles on Tuesday,

Detroit Tigers Lineup

1. Rajai Davis-CF
2. Ian Kinsler-2B
3. Miguel Cabrera-1B
4. J.D. Martinez-RF
5. Nick Castellanos-DH
6. James McCann-C
7. Dixon Machado-SS
8. Andrew Romine-3B
9. Anthony Gose-CF

Injuries

• Daniel Norris — 15-day DL
• Anibal Sanchez — 15-day DL
• Joe Nathan – Out for the Season

Next: Win a signed V-Mart baseball from Mizuno and MCB