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DETROIT ( VERLANDER )
TAMPA BAY ( ARCHER ) |
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6.5un
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Final
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| 911 | DETROIT | +135 | Ov 7,+100 | +160 | Ov 6.5,+100 | | 912 | TAMPA BAY | -145 | Un 7,-120 | -170 | Un 6.5,-120 |
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| All Games | 48-52 | -7.4 | 56-41 | 4.4 | 0.275 | 0.330 | 0.428 | 0.758 | 4.8 | 0.271 | 0.327 | 0.441 | 0.768 | | Road Games | 23-25 | 0 | 28-19 | 4.2 | 0.262 | 0.318 | 0.418 | 0.736 | 4.9 | 0.279 | 0.332 | 0.455 | 0.787 | | vs Right-handed Starters | 33-43 | -13.3 | 42-31 | 4.5 | 0.273 | 0.323 | 0.425 | 0.748 | 4.9 | 0.271 | 0.325 | 0.441 | 0.767 | | Past 7 Games | 2-5 | -3.6 | 3-3 | 3.1 | 0.227 | 0.282 | 0.368 | 0.650 | 5.1 | 0.310 | 0.360 | 0.512 | 0.872 | | Dome Games | 0-2 | -2.2 | 1-0 | 2.0 | 0.209 | 0.243 | 0.343 | 0.586 | 7.5 | 0.348 | 0.403 | 0.712 | 1.115 | | Day Games | 24-17 | +6.2 | 27-14 | 5.4 | 0.300 | 0.355 | 0.481 | 0.836 | 4.5 | 0.258 | 0.320 | 0.409 | 0.729 |
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| All Games | 4.4 | 0.275 | 0.330 | 100 | 3485 | 958 | 175 | 30 | 100 | 0.428 | 420 | 285 | 773 | 59 | 685 | 127 | 50 | 98 | 43 | | Road Games | 4.2 | 0.262 | 0.318 | 48 | 1686 | 442 | 75 | 11 | 55 | 0.418 | 193 | 138 | 399 | 27 | 315 | 61 | 21 | 44 | 14 | | Righty Starters | 4.5 | 0.273 | 0.323 | 76 | 2666 | 728 | 133 | 21 | 77 | 0.425 | 321 | 196 | 583 | 43 | 508 | 95 | 42 | 73 | 24 |
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| All Games | 4.37 | 1.436 | 298.7 | 152 | 145 | 318 | 34 | 111 | 245 | 13-14 | 23 | 10 | 69.7% | | Road Games | 4.77 | 1.438 | 137.7 | 75 | 73 | 149 | 18 | 49 | 114 | 5-6 | 14 | 5 | 73.7% |
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| All Games | 51-51 | -2 | 41-52 | 3.6 | 0.240 | 0.297 | 0.383 | 0.680 | 3.7 | 0.235 | 0.296 | 0.369 | 0.665 | | Home Games | 26-27 | -4.9 | 25-22 | 3.6 | 0.241 | 0.298 | 0.381 | 0.679 | 3.9 | 0.236 | 0.295 | 0.374 | 0.669 | | vs Right-handed Starters | 34-41 | -8 | 32-38 | 3.4 | 0.234 | 0.289 | 0.366 | 0.654 | 3.9 | 0.233 | 0.298 | 0.375 | 0.673 | | Past 7 Games | 4-3 | +0.2 | 2-3 | 3.7 | 0.264 | 0.323 | 0.472 | 0.795 | 2.9 | 0.223 | 0.263 | 0.319 | 0.582 | | Dome Games | 27-28 | -5.1 | 25-24 | 3.5 | 0.237 | 0.294 | 0.374 | 0.668 | 3.9 | 0.234 | 0.293 | 0.370 | 0.663 | | Day Games | 15-18 | -4.8 | 13-17 | 3.3 | 0.243 | 0.296 | 0.383 | 0.679 | 3.4 | 0.221 | 0.282 | 0.352 | 0.634 |
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| All Games | 3.6 | 0.240 | 0.297 | 102 | 3372 | 808 | 163 | 23 | 91 | 0.383 | 347 | 276 | 823 | 65 | 646 | 90 | 56 | 75 | 52 | | Home Games | 3.6 | 0.241 | 0.298 | 53 | 1700 | 409 | 80 | 10 | 46 | 0.381 | 180 | 140 | 436 | 38 | 321 | 43 | 28 | 35 | 33 | | Righty Starters | 3.4 | 0.234 | 0.289 | 75 | 2488 | 581 | 122 | 18 | 57 | 0.366 | 237 | 193 | 619 | 38 | 462 | 64 | 42 | 57 | 42 |
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| All Games | 3.75 | 1.259 | 340.7 | 150 | 142 | 299 | 42 | 130 | 313 | 16-20 | 41 | 9 | 82% | | Home Games | 3.94 | 1.203 | 180.3 | 83 | 79 | 158 | 26 | 59 | 187 | 9-8 | 21 | 4 | 84% |
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| 7/17/2015 | SANCHEZ(R) | BALTIMORE | JIMENEZ(R) | 7-3 | W | +100 | 8 ev | O | 8 | 4 | 1 | 10 | 11 | 0 | | 7/18/2015 | PRICE(L) | BALTIMORE | TILLMAN(R) | 0-3 | L | -140 | 8 un | U | 1 | 2 | 1 | 10 | 8 | 0 | | 7/19/2015 | VERLANDER(R) | BALTIMORE | GONZALEZ(R) | 3-9 | L | -115 | 9 un | O | 14 | 13 | 0 | 14 | 5 | 0 | | 7/20/2015 | SIMON(R) | SEATTLE | HAPP(L) | 5-4 | W | -110 | 9.5 ov | U | 6 | 1 | 0 | 8 | 8 | 0 | | 7/21/2015 | GREENE(R) | SEATTLE | WALKER(R) | 9-11 | L | +125 | 9 ev | O | 12 | 8 | 0 | 14 | 10 | 2 | | 7/22/2015 | SANCHEZ(R) | SEATTLE | MONTGOMERY(L) | 9-4 | W | -135 | 8.5 un | O | 13 | 8 | 1 | 11 | 8 | 2 | | 7/23/2015 | PRICE(L) | SEATTLE | IWAKUMA(R) | 2-3 | L | -160 | 7.5 un | U | 10 | 10 | 1 | 9 | 9 | 0 | | 7/24/2015 | VERLANDER(R) | @ BOSTON | PORCELLO(R) | 1-2 | L | 135 | 9 un | U | 7 | 5 | 0 | 9 | 6 | 0 | | 7/25/2015 | SIMON(R) | @ BOSTON | WRIGHT(R) | 5-1 | W | 115 | 9.5 un | U | 9 | 6 | 0 | 6 | 5 | 0 | | 7/26/2015 | GREENE(R) | @ BOSTON | RODRIGUEZ(L) | 1-11 | L | 140 | 9.5 un | O | 3 | 5 | 1 | 20 | 11 | 1 | | 7/27/2015 | SANCHEZ(R) | @ TAMPA BAY | KARNS(R) | 2-5 | L | 105 | 7 un | P | 5 | 5 | 0 | 12 | 8 | 0 | | 7/28/2015 | PRICE(L) | @ TAMPA BAY | ODORIZZI(R) | 2-10 | L | -115 | 6.5 un | O | 9 | 7 | 0 | 11 | 3 | 0 | | 7/29/2015 | VERLANDER(R) | @ TAMPA BAY | ARCHER(R) | | | 7/30/2015 | SIMON(R) | @ BALTIMORE | GONZALEZ(R) | | | 7/31/2015 | FARMER(R) | @ BALTIMORE | CHEN(L) | | | 8/1/2015 | SANCHEZ(R) | @ BALTIMORE | GAUSMAN(R) | | | 8/2/2015 | PRICE(L) | @ BALTIMORE | JIMENEZ(R) | | | 8/4/2015 | VERLANDER(R) | KANSAS CITY | GUTHRIE(R) | | | 8/5/2015 | | KANSAS CITY | | |
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| 7/17/2015 | ODORIZZI(R) | @ TORONTO | HUTCHISON(R) | 2-6 | L | 140 | 8.5 un | U | 5 | 6 | 1 | 6 | 5 | 0 | | 7/18/2015 | RAMIREZ(L) | @ TORONTO | DICKEY(R) | 3-2 | W | 125 | 9 un | U | 8 | 4 | 1 | 6 | 6 | 1 | | 7/19/2015 | ARCHER(R) | @ TORONTO | ESTRADA(R) | 0-4 | L | -110 | 8 un | U | 4 | 2 | 0 | 6 | 4 | 0 | | 7/20/2015 | MOORE(L) | @ PHILADELPHIA | BUCHANAN(R) | 3-5 | L | -115 | 8 ov | P | 6 | 6 | 2 | 9 | 3 | 1 | | 7/21/2015 | KARNS(R) | @ PHILADELPHIA | NOLA(R) | 1-0 | W | -135 | 7.5 un | U | 7 | 7 | 1 | 4 | 6 | 0 | | 7/22/2015 | ODORIZZI(R) | @ PHILADELPHIA | MORGAN(L) | 4-5 | L | -170 | 7.5 ov | O | 13 | 12 | 3 | 12 | 11 | 1 | | 7/24/2015 | ARCHER(R) | BALTIMORE | TILLMAN(R) | 3-1 | W | -155 | 6.5 un | U | 5 | 5 | 1 | 6 | 8 | 0 | | 7/25/2015 | RAMIREZ(L) | BALTIMORE | GONZALEZ(R) | 1-5 | L | -115 | 7 un | U | 5 | 4 | 2 | 7 | 2 | 0 | | 7/26/2015 | MOORE(L) | BALTIMORE | CHEN(L) | 2-5 | L | +110 | 7 ov | P | 8 | 8 | 0 | 10 | 6 | 0 | | 7/27/2015 | KARNS(R) | DETROIT | SANCHEZ(R) | 5-2 | W | -115 | 7 un | P | 12 | 8 | 0 | 5 | 5 | 0 | | 7/28/2015 | ODORIZZI(R) | DETROIT | PRICE(L) | 10-2 | W | +105 | 6.5 un | O | 11 | 3 | 0 | 9 | 7 | 0 | | 7/29/2015 | ARCHER(R) | DETROIT | VERLANDER(R) | | | 7/31/2015 | RAMIREZ(L) | @ BOSTON | RODRIGUEZ(L) | | | 8/1/2015 | MOORE(L) | @ BOSTON | KELLY(R) | | | 8/2/2015 | KARNS(R) | @ BOSTON | MILEY(L) | | | 8/3/2015 | ODORIZZI(R) | @ CHI WHITE SOX | QUINTANA(L) | | | 8/4/2015 | ARCHER(R) | @ CHI WHITE SOX | SALE(L) | | | 8/5/2015 | | @ CHI WHITE SOX | | |
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| |  | DETROIT: DETROIT (AP) - The Detroit Tigers had barely finished celebrating a fourth straight division title last year when they were dispatched from the playoffs by Baltimore in a Division Series sweep. Then Kansas City - the team the Tigers fought so hard to hold off in the AL Central - rolled to the AL pennant and came within a game of winning the World Series.
It was enough to turn the Tigers into October afterthoughts for the first time in a while, and now it's fair to wonder whether Detroit's best chance to claim baseball's ultimate prize with its current core of stars has already come and gone.
''I'm not worried about what people are saying about us. I'm more worried about how we perform,'' manager Brad Ausmus said. ''I feel like this team is a winning team. This is a team that has an opportunity to win a World Series.''
The Tigers edged Kansas City by one game in the division last year in Ausmus' first season as manager, and their 90-72 record was similar enough to their previous work during this run of postseason appearances, but a three-game sweep at the hands of the Orioles snapped Detroit's streak of three straight trips to the AL Championship Series.
Then the Tigers lost Max Scherzer in the offseason, and it remains to be seen how much longer Miguel Cabrera, Justin Verlander and Victor Martinez can keep this team's run of success going.
Cabrera and Martinez each missed a chunk of the exhibition schedule after offseason surgery. Verlander is coming off a down year and has been displaced as Detroit's opening-day starter by left-hander David Price.
Over the past three seasons, the Tigers have fought off challenges in the division from the Chicago White Sox, Cleveland and Kansas City - but those teams essentially made their bids for first place one at a time. Now all three appear poised to threaten Detroit's reign.
''I think quietly, I've said for the last two or three years, I've said we have the best division in baseball. Nobody really talked about it because there weren't sexy names besides the Tigers, who had won however many straight and been to a couple World Series and had a lot of star power,'' Verlander said. ''The Royals won the pennant last year so, obviously, what I was saying wasn't just hogwash. We see all the teams in the AL quite enough, and I know that these teams are good enough to make our division one of the best in baseball.''
Here are a few things to watch as the Tigers try to make it five division championships in a row:
ON THE MEND: Cabrera had offseason surgery on his right foot and Martinez had an operation to repair his left knee. Their health is crucial, but the Tigers also are hoping for big contributions from shortstop Jose Iglesias and reliever Bruce Rondon, both of whom missed all of 2014 with injuries.
NEW-LOOK ROTATION: Scherzer isn't the only player gone from last year's starting staff. Rick Porcello was traded in a deal that brought Yoenis Cespedes to Detroit, so the Tigers had two openings in their rotation. They filled them by acquiring Shane Greene from the New York Yankees and Alfredo Simon from Cincinnati.
BULLPEN BLUES: Closer Joe Nathan is back after a rocky first season in Detroit. If the Tigers run out of patience with Nathan, Joakim Soria also returns. He was acquired shortly before the trade deadline last year, but his impact was limited, in part because of injury.
EXTRA POWER: J.D. Martinez provided a surprisingly productive bat last year after joining the Tigers, and the trade for Cespedes also gave Detroit some additional pop to supplement Cabrera and Victor Martinez.
NEW ACE?: Price is slated to start on opening day, a sign of just how much the Tigers are leaning on him after Scherzer's departure. He was acquired at the trade deadline last year, and Detroit is hoping the trio of Price, Verlander and Anibal Sanchez will make for a pretty impressive anchor to the pitching staff. | | TAMPA BAY: ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) - A year after being a trendy preseason pick to contend for the World Series, the Tampa Bay Rays are back in a familiar role as underdogs.
''That's good. ... We like that,'' three-time All-Star third baseman Evan Longoria said, noting the team has a history of flourishing most when little is expected from outside the organization.
''I just think it's going to be a really good year,'' the club's career home run and RBIs leader said. ''We've got a young team, a bunch of guys eager to learn and get out there and win games. I'm really looking forward to that.''
Former manager Joe Maddon - and his often unconventional way of doing things - is gone.
So is Andrew Friedman, the young executive who was architect of the teams that made the playoffs four of the past seven seasons.
The roster has a much different look, too, with 10 key players from a year ago either traded or released this winter.
''The end result is a club that we have optimism about, a club that we're excited about, that we think can compete for a playoff spot. And, that's what we want,'' team president of baseball operations Matt Silverman said.
''Every year, we want to come into camp believing our team can play meaningful games in September and have a chance to go to the playoffs, and even beyond,'' Silverman added. ''We have that - and at the same time, we've reloaded our minor league system, added some players who impact us this year, might impact us in the future, and we're better off because of that.''
Shortstop Asdrubal Cabrera, catcher Rene Rivera, outfielder Steven Souza Jr., and pitchers Kevin Jepsen, Ernesto Frieri and Burch Smith are offseason acquisitions who could figure in the team's success - or failure.
Smith and two other young starters - Matt Andriese and Nathan Karns - figure to begin the season in the rotation because of injuries to Alex Cobb, Drew Smyly, and Matt Moore.
The hope is the rest of the projected rotation, Chris Archer and Jake Odorizzi, can help the Rays stay afloat until they can get back to full strength.
''If you've got starting pitching, you've got a leg up on going into the season,'' rookie manager Kevin Cash said. ''We're very fortunate with the pitchers we have - starters and relievers.''
Cobb, sidelined by a forearm strain during spring training, believes the team will thrive as underdogs.
''We're not going to get bullied. A lot of people are picking us at the bottom, and we're going to embrace that and have each other's backs,'' the right-hander said.
''Any time anybody calls you out in your profession and makes you feel like you're not as good as you know you are, there's always something to prove,'' Cobb said. ''I don't feel like we need to have extra motivation. It's just going to be that much sweeter when we go out there and perform well.''
A look at the keys to the Rays' season:
WHO WILL LEAD?: Pitching and defense were staples during six consecutive winning seasons that produced four playoff berths and one trip to the World Series. The Rays slipped to 77-85 a year ago, their first losing record since 2007. They're banking on Cash, who has no previous managerial experience, being the right fit to restore winning ways. At 37, he's the youngest current manager or head coach in the four major professional sports.
BETTER LONGO: Longoria played in every game in 2014 for the first time in his career, however he hit a disappointing .253 with 22 homers and 91 RBIs. He's moving into the cleanup spot after batting third most of his career, and knows he has to be more consistent if the Rays - last in the AL in runs scored a year ago - are going to have a chance to be better offensively.
BEHIND THE PLATE: Catcher Ryan Hanigan was traded and backup Jose Molina was released this winter. The three-team deal that sent Wil Myers to San Diego and brought Souza to Tampa Bay from Washington, also landed Rivera from the Padres.
The Rays believe he's an upgrade defensively, as well as offensively.
Rivera posted career highs with a .252 batting average, 11 homers and 44 RBI's in 103 games last season. Still, the 31-year-old catcher stresses his job is to provide solid direction behind the plate.
''I want to help my pitching staff first. I think that's what the game is all about. If you pitch well, you're going to win some games,'' Rivera said. ''If I get a hit here, a hit there and help us win some games, that's even better.'' |
| | ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ PA SPORTSTICKER AL PREVIEW (DETROIT-TAMPA BAY) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
*Tigers-Rays Preview* =====================
By JUSTIN EINHORN STATS Senior Editor
Detroit (48-51) at Tampa Bay (50-51), 12:10 p.m. EDT
Even when they've pitched well lately, neither Detroit's Justin Verlander nor Tampa Bay's Chris Archer can pick up a victory. It's been a whole lot longer, though, since Verlander got one.
Yet, a more interesting storyline going into Wednesday's series finale between the Tigers and Rays at Tropicana Field may be regarding who will be Archer's catcher.
Even if Curt Casali isn't, manager Kevin Cash could give him a first career start at designated hitter after the unheralded rookie homered four times through two games of this series - two off David Price in Tuesday's 10-2 win. He's started the past four days, but this matchup comes in the early afternoon following a night game.
Casali appears to have taken the starting role from Rene Rivera, who is batting .176 and is 1 for 17 since the All-Star break. Casali has six homers in 20 plate appearances since the break - he previously had one in 119 - and he's 6 for 8 with six RBIs in the past two games to help Tampa Bay (51-51) into position to sweep.
"I try to hit the ball hard. Rarely does it leave the park, but I'm really just trying to enjoy this," Casali said. "We're winning again, which is the most important thing, and I'm having a lot of fun right now."
Rivera, though, has caught all of Archer's outings since Casali did so in his season debut June 13.
That's the same day Verlander (0-3, 5.57 ERA) made his first appearance of 2015 after being sidelined by a strained triceps, and Detroit has lost all seven games he's started. He has never gone longer without winning, and a loss Wednesday would match the worst personal skid of his career - he dropped four straight decisions on three occasions in 2008.
The right-hander deserved his two losses this month, giving up seven runs each time, but was worthy of winning his other two starts. Verlander allowed a run in 7 2-3 innings at Minnesota on July 10 - the bullpen blew a five-run lead - and was just as good Friday with eight innings of one-run ball at Boston, but Detroit lost in 11 innings.
"A big step forward from the last game," Verlander said. "Hopefully I just feed off this and continue to move forward."
Archer (9-7, 2.67), meanwhile, is winless in a career-high five straight starts while going 0-3, equaling his worst losing streak. He couldn't be blamed for not winning his two games since the break, getting no run support as he yielded three runs in 13 innings while striking out 15. The All-Star also threw 6 2-3 scoreless innings in a 12-inning loss at Yankee Stadium on July 3.
Thanks greatly to Casali, however, the Rays offense has been hot in this series with a combined 15 runs and 23 hits - 13 for extra bases. Tim Beckham had four RBIs Tuesday while Asdrubal Cabrera went 3 for 4 with three runs in his return after missing 11 games with a strained hamstring.
Cabrera has faced Verlander far more than any Tampa Bay batter over the past three years, going 9 for 19. Verlander is 6-3 with a 3.71 ERA against the Rays but hasn't faced them since June 2013.
Archer is 1-0 with a 2.84 ERA in three starts versus Detroit.
Yoenis Cespedes is among the few Tigers to have done well against him, going 2 for 3, and has produced nearly all of Detroit's offense this week with two solo homers and an RBI single.
The fourth-place Tigers (48-52) have dropped three straight and 11 of 15, potentially leaving the four-time defending AL Central champions as sellers with the trade deadline approaching.
The Rays made a minor deal Tuesday, shipping outfielder David DeJesus to the Los Angeles Angels for minor league pitcher Eduar Lopez.
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| | Last Updated: 4/26/2024 9:33:54 AM EST. |
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