Detroit Tigers vs. Seattle Mariners series preview

The Detroit Tigers take on the Seattle Mariners this weekend at Comerica Park

The Detroit Tigers are coming off their third straight series victory against the Cleveland Guardians. They are 7-2 in the month of May are playing very good baseball.

They currently sit at 17-19 , which is good for second place and 2.5 games out of first place in the AL Central. That's how bad the AL Central is right now.

Eduardo Rodriguez was outstanding once again, pitching seven innings of shutout baseball on Wednesday. He has an ERA of 0.43 in his last six starts

Next up on the docket is an off day Thursday, followed by returning home to take on a Mariners squad that made the playoff last season for the first time in over two decades, but is struggling to get into a rhythm so far in 2023. They currently sit in 4th place in a crowded AL West at 18-19. Let's see what's going on in the Pacific Northwest.

Opponent breakdown: Seattle Mariners

Much like the Tigers, run-scoring has been a huge problem for the Mariners so far this season, as they rank in the bottom third of the league in both runs per game (22nd) and OPS+ (23rd). Julio Rodriguez was their catalyst last year, winning AL Rookie of the year in the process. He looked like a star for years to come. Sadly, he's in the midst of a sophomore slump, hitting just .205 with a .654 OPS so far this season.

However, former top prospect Jarred Kelenic has finally broken out this season, leading the team in WAR, batting average, and slugging. He has a .911 OPS and seven home runs so far in 2023. It's nice to see him figure things out after struggling so much his first two years in the league.

While their offense has been subpar, their pitching has been outstanding. They rank fourth in all of baseball in team ERA, sixth in strikeouts, and first in FIP. Their arms have kept them in games this season.

SPs George Kirby and Luis Castillo, who the Tigers will not see this weekend, both have ERAs under 3. However, the Tigers will see top pitching prospect Bryce Miller, who will make his third MLB start on Saturday. He has a 0.75 ERA and 15 strikeouts in his first 12.1 IP.

Their bullpen has been lights out, ranking second in the league in bullpen ERA. Justin Topa has led the charge there with a 1.20 ERA and 14 strikeouts in 15 IP so far.

If their offense catches fire, this could be a dangerous team. They have the arms to make a deep run. President of baseball operations Jerry Dipoto could easily add a bat at the trade deadline as well. This will be an interesting series for the Detroit Tigers.

Pitching matchups

Friday: LHP Marco Gonzalez (2-0, 4.70 ERA) vs. LHP Matthew Boyd (2-2, 5.28 ERA)

Saturday: RHP Bryce Miller (1-0, 0.75 ERA) vs. RHP Alex Faedo (0-0, 3.86 ERA)

Sunday: RHP Logan Gilbert (1-2, 3.79 ERA) vs. LHP Joey Wentz (1-3, 6.09 ERA)