Detroit Tigers players will kick off the team’s final series before the All-Star break. The Tigers will head to Toronto to face the Blue Jays in a four-game set. Justin Verlander will start for Detroit.
Detroit Tigers fans will be hoping for the start of another winning streak as the Tigers travel north of the border to do battle with the Toronto Blue Jays. Coming off a 12-2 win to salvage the series in Cleveland, Detroit will look to end the season on a positive note.
If recent history is any indication, the Tigers could be in for a successful four-game set in Toronto. Since June 20th, Brad Ausmus’ team is undefeated in 10 games against teams not from Cleveland. The Blue Jays are, obviously, not located in northeast Ohio.
Per usual, Toronto will trot out an extremely dangerous lineup that features the likes of Josh Donaldson, Edwin Encarnacion, Troy Tulowitzki and Michael Saunders.
The only Blue Jay who has had overwhelming success against the Tigers ace is first baseman Justin Smoak, who is a .333 hitter with three home runs and five RBI in 15 at-bats. Other than that, Verlander has generally held the team’s other sluggers in check.
Encarnacion owns a .143 batting average and a .182 on-base percentage lifetime against Verlander, while Saunders is a .150 hitter with a .150 on-base percentage.
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Familiar Faces
Barring some sort of unexpected roster move, the Blue Jays will feature three former Tigers during the series. Devon Travis, who was dealt in the ill-fated Anthony Gose deal, is the usual starter at second base while Jason Grilli is a key member of the bullpen. Ezequiel Carrera is also on Toronto’s roster. The outfielder and one-time Tiger is .288 hitter in 59 games this season.
Here’s a look at the potential lineup that will support Verlander in Thursday’s contest.
- Ian Kinsler, 2B (Also, #VoteKinsler!)
- Cameron Maybin, CF
- Miguel Cabrera, 1B
- Victor Martinez, DH
- Nick Castellanos, 3B
- Justin Upton, LF
- Steven Moya, RF
- James McCann, C
- Jose Iglesias, SS
So where can you catch tonight’s Detroit Tigers game against the Toronto Blue Jays? We have all the information you need to know right here so you don’t miss a second of the action.
Next: Tigers Robbed of All-Star Selections
Date: 7/6/2016
Start Time: 7:07 PM ET
Location: Toronto, Ontario
Arena: Rogers Centre
TV Info: Fox Sports Detroit
Live Stream: MLB.TV
Radio: 97.1 The Ticket