Hunter Brown (1-0, 1.40 ERA) faces Jack Flaherty (1-8, 5.35 ERA) at 1:40 PM ET in Detroit to close out a 4-game set that the Astros already lead 2-1. Brown has been elite since returning from a shoulder strain that wiped out his April and most of May — his ERA in 4 starts back tells you everything. Flaherty is the other side of that coin: making his first big-league appearance since June 12, when a left ankle tendon strain ended his night after 3 innings in Cleveland.
Flaherty did earn his way back. His rehab start for Double-A Erie on June 25 covered 5.2 innings, 7 strikeouts, and 83 pitches, and Hinch called the outing 'very well.' That's enough to get activated. The open question is how many innings Detroit can actually squeeze out of him, and whether Brown is operating under a similar pitch ceiling — his June 22 start in Toronto ended at 3 innings on 85 pitches as the Astros manage his workload back from injury.
Saturday was the perfect distillation of this series. Detroit built a 6-4 lead, Hinch had 999 wins in his pocket, and the Astros shredded both in the 8th inning. Jeremy Peña's RBI single tied it off Will Vest, and then Isaac Paredes — a former Tiger who clearly hasn't forgotten where the park is — dropped a 2-run double to make it 8-6 for good. Josh Hader closed it out. Houston has won 3 of 4 in this series and 4 of their last 5 overall; at 41-44 they aren't world-beaters, but they've been the better team every time they've been in Detroit this week.
- 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-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-ILJackson Jobe SP — Jobe (elbow) will throw live batting practice Saturday, Chris McCosky of The Detroit News reports.
- 60-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."
- 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.
The Tigers at 35-48 are dealing with a roster that is thin in every direction. Verlander is on the 60-day after a hamstring setback derailed his comeback from hip trouble. Jackson Jobe is still recovering from Tommy John. Javier Baez is done for the year. Gleyber Torres got a cortisone shot for his oblique and is working through a rehab program with no clear return date. The Friday shutout was a real performance — the kind Detroit needs more of — but the lineup that's produced those 3 wins has had to scrap hard for every run. Flaherty keeping it close is the only path to win 1,000 today. First pitch is at 1:40 PM ET.