Detroit Tigers vs Tampa Bay Rays Gameday, TV/Radio, Lineup

Detroit Tigers vs Tampa Bay Rays — 1:05 PM ET

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Joker Marchant Stadium — Lakeland, FL

TV: FSD and MLB Network

Radio: WXYT (Click for Affiliates)

Live Stats:MLB Gameday

Weather: 83 degrees, sunny

Game Preview

The Detroit Tigers will conclude the exhibition season with a two-some against the Tampa Bay Rays Friday and Saturday before heading north for Opening Day at Comerica Park in Detroit on Monday.

They will say fare the well to Joker Marchant Stadium and Grapefruit League play against Tampa this afternoon and then bus west to Tropicana Field for an exhibition game (not technically a spring training game–don’t ask me why) on Saturday.

Yesterday the Tigers picked up just their 11th victory (against 19 defeats) in March and April, using a lot of relievers to coast to a 3-2 win over the New York Yankees.

When We Last Met

This is the Tigers and Rays first meeting of Spring Training.

For the first time in several years Detroit did not dominate Tampa Bay in the season series, in fact they lost the series by dropping three of the seven games played. The Tigers did take two of three from the Rays in Tropicana Field in August but lost three straight in a four-game series over 4th of July weekend, including a game to now Detroit Opening Day starter David Price.

The Rays lost Price and longtime manager Joe Maddon as the team dropped below .500 for the first time since 2007.

Detroit Tigers Lineup

Anibal Sanchez will receive his final start of spring training. He has had an up and down Grapefruit League, posting a 4.38 ERA over six previous starts. The Rays will go with Jake Odorizzi.

  1. Rajai Davis-CF
  2. Ian Kinsler-2B
  3. Miguel Cabrera-1B
  4. Victor Martinez-DH
  5. J.D. Martinez-RF
  6. Yoenis Cespedes-LF
  7. James McCann-C
  8. Nick Castellanos-3B
  9. Jose Iglesias-SS

Next: Tigers' pitchers strain to hit the right notes