Spencer Arrighetti (7-3, 3.13 ERA) draws Keider Montero (3-5, 3.68 ERA) at 6:40 PM ET in a game that looks tighter on paper than the standings suggest. Arrighetti has the better overall numbers, but the recent trend is going the wrong direction — and Montero is coming off arguably the most efficient start of his season.
After allowing 2 or fewer earned runs in each of his first 8 starts, Arrighetti has been touched up for 3 or more in 3 straight outings. The last one was damaging: 6 IP, 6 ER, and 3 homers against Cleveland on June 20, including 2 from rookie Travis Bazzana. He still punched out 8 batters in that start, which means he's missing bats — he's just leaving too many pitches in the air. Montero's trajectory runs the other way. He went 7 innings against the White Sox on June 21, gave up 3 runs, issued zero walks, and needed only 76 pitches to do it. He doesn't miss bats, but he doesn't beat himself either.
Detroit's situation at 34-47 is a long way from the preseason narrative. The Tigers were expected to contend in the AL Central and instead they're treading water, largely because of an injury wave that's never fully stopped. Justin Verlander is on the 60-day IL with hip and hamstring issues, Jackson Jobe is out for the year following elbow surgery, Trey Sweeney is done with season-ending shoulder surgery, Gleyber Torres is sidelined with an oblique strain, and Wenceel Perez is out with an orbital fracture. The club is 22-18 at home — genuinely functional at Comerica — but the overall picture is a rotation running on fumes and a lineup that's been short-staffed all season.
- Day-To-DayWalker Janek C — Double-A Corpus Christi placed Janek on its 7-day injured list Sunday due to an unspecified injury.
- 10-Day-ILNick Allen SS — Allen (hamstring) resumed taking batting practice and shagging flyballs over the weekend, MLB.com reports.
- 10-Day-ILLaMonte Wade Jr. 1B — Wade (hamstring) has resumed taking batting practice and shagging flyballs and is expected to head out on a minor-league rehab assignment soon, MLB.com reports.
- 10-Day-ILBraden Shewmake SS — The Astros announced Monday that Shewmake (adductor) has taken part in baseball activity and is working his way through a running progression at the team's facility in Florida, Matt Kawahara of the Houston Chronicle reports.
- 15-Day-ILLance McCullers Jr. SP — McCullers (shoulder) will begin a rehab assignment with Triple-A Sugar Land on Thursday, Brian McTaggart of MLB.com reports.
- 15-Day-ILBennett Sousa RP — The Astros announced Friday that Sousa (elbow) has begun a throwing progression, Chandler Rome of The Athletic reports.
- 60-Day-ILCristian Javier SP — Javier (shoulder) struck out five and allowed three earned runs on five hits and three walks across 4.2 innings Sunday in his rehab start with Triple-A Sugar Land.
- 60-Day-ILRonel Blanco SP — Blanco (elbow) struck out five over three scoreless frames in his first rehab start with the Astros' Florida Complex League affiliate Friday, Brian McTaggart of MLB.com reports.
- Day-To-DayJosue Briceno C — Briceno said Friday that he expects to be sidelined a few months after having surgery Wednesday to repair a tendon in his right wrist, Evan Petzold of the Detroit Free Press reports.
- 10-Day-ILWenceel Perez RF — Tigers manager A.J. Hinch said Tuesday that Perez won't require surgery for the left orbital fracture he sustained June 16, but the outfielder lacks a clear timeline for a return, Evan Petzold of the Detroit Free Press reports. "It's not, from what I understand, where it's going to be something long term," Hinch said of Perez's injury. "But it doesn't mean it heals itself fast. He's feeling better and better and reporting progress."
- 10-Day-ILGleyber Torres 2B — Torres (oblique) received a cortisone injection Friday and is expected to start up his rehab program in the next day or two, Chris McCosky of The Detroit News reports.
- 15-Day-ILJack Flaherty SP — Flaherty (ankle) is expected to return from the 15-day injured list to start Sunday against the Astros, Chris McCosky of The Detroit News reports.
- 60-Day-ILParker Meadows CF — Tigers manager A.J. Hinch said Tuesday that Meadows (forearm) has yet to resume hitting and is without a timeline to return from the 60-day injured list, Evan Petzold of the Detroit Free Press reports.
- 60-Day-ILBurch Smith RP — The Tigers transferred Smith (shoulder) from the 15-day injured list to the 60-day IL on Tuesday.
- 60-Day-ILJustin Verlander SP — Verlander (hip) has been scratched from a scheduled start Sunday versus the White Sox due to a left hamstring injury, Cody Stavenhagen of The Athletic reports.
- 60-Day-ILJavier Baez SS — The Tigers transferred Baez (ankle) to the 60-day injured list Thursday, Cody Stavenhagen of The Athletic reports.
Houston isn't exactly healthy either — Carlos Correa just underwent ankle surgery, Lance McCullers Jr. is on the 15-day IL, and the rotation has been shorthanded for months. But the Astros' offense masks a lot of that. Yordan Alvarez is leading all of baseball with a 1.069 OPS and is hitting .382 in June with 5 home runs and 17 RBIs. The Astros went 4-1 in their last 5, swept Toronto for 3 games, and sit 2.5 games out of first in the AL West. For a 40-43 club, the trajectory is pointed in the right direction.
Friday's game hinges on Arrighetti. The talent is real — he's still 7-3 — but Detroit represents a meaningful test for a pitcher who's been in a rough patch. Montero throws enough strikes to keep this game close, and the Tigers' home crowd will be leaning on a series that's already slipping. The Astros won the opener with defense and clutch pitching; now they need their rotation to answer.