Not much was expected from the Detroit Tigers in 2016 after a disastrous performance the year prior where their pitching staff imploded and led to the team missing out on the playoffs for the first time in four seasons. However, Detroit scratched and clawed in order to finish second in the AL Central and were only a few games out of the playoff race at the end of the season. The Tigers will look to get their season off to a good start when they face the Chicago White Sox for their first 2017 series.
This series will be contested from Monday, April 3, 2017 through Thursday, April 6, 2017 at US Cellular Field in Chicago. Thursday’s clash is being broadcast live on WGN at 2:10 p.m. ET.
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Pitching Matchups
On Monday, Justin Verlander will start the season against Carlos Quintana. Verlander was able to recapture some of the skill that made him the best pitcher in baseball for a stretch last season and his resurgence was one of the keys to Detroit’s season. As for Quintana, he is counting on to be the ace of the staff after Chris Sale left in the offseason, but has yet to post superstar numbers. The one thing he does have going for him though is that he is remarkably consistent with 200-208 innings pitched and an ERA between 3.20 and 3.51 in each of the last four seasons.
Wednesday the White Sox will ask James Shields to step to the mound. Shields had an abysmal 2016, going 6-19 with a 5.85 ERA and will have a short leash this season if he struggles again. As for the Tigers, they are likely to bring Michael Fulmer to the bump. Fulmer had a very promising rookie season, with a 1.12 WHIP, but wants to avoid the sophomore slump that has plagued so many young arms.
Derek Holland has barely pitched 200 innings over the last three seasons, but the South Siders will be counting on him as their third starter. Holland isn’t anything special, yet the White Sox are hoping to get some quality starts out of the 30 year old. He will likely be facing former National Jordan Zimmermann. Zimmermann had a tough first year in the AL and wasn’t able to make batters whiff like he did in the NL.
Who's Hot?
Nick Castellanos has shown explosive power this Spring. The fifth-year third baseman will be arbitration eligible next season and is seemingly trying to increase his value by adding some power to his game. He has steadily increased his offensive production over his four seasons in the majors and finished last season with an .827 OPS.
This Spring he has taken it to another level with his power stats. Castellanos led all Tigers with a 1.158 OPS in the Grapefruit League and has tallied more hits than any teammate as of Thursday’s games. He cranked four home runs and eight doubles in Spring and if that translates to the regular season, Detroit will have another weapon.
Who's Not?
Holland has had some major woes in Spring and even if he stays healthy he might not keep his spot in the starting rotation with how he has performed. In 15.2 innings of action, he gave up 10 runs and that is despite batters failing to make contact often against him. Opponents hit a scant .233 against him in Spring, but he had issues with control in March.
Holland only rung up 8 batters in March and conversely walked 10. That ratio isn’t going to work well for anyone, but it affects a strikeout pitcher like Holland especially hard. If he isn’t able to get the easy outs by taking the ball out of play, he could quite possibly have his worst season yet.
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