This series has been a coin flip. Detroit walked off Friday on a Spencer Torkelson 9th-inning single, Toronto answered Saturday with a Daulton Varsho RBI in the 10th. Now it's 12:40 PM first pitch at Comerica with both clubs sitting under .500 and very much in need of momentum.
The pitching matchup looks lopsided on paper and isn't. Gausman is coming off the worst start of his year — 6 earned in 4.2 against Tampa on May 11 — though he did punch out his 2,000th career strikeout in the process. Flaherty, meanwhile, is 0-4 with a 5.73 and leads the majors in walks. He hasn't completed 4 innings in 4 of his last 5 starts. Two pitchers heading the wrong direction, and the market still wants Toronto.
The injury ledger is brutal on both sides. Toronto is without Berrios (elbow surgery Wednesday), Scherzer (forearm/thumb), Bieber, Francis, and Kirk. Detroit is missing Skubal, Verlander, Carpenter, Baez, and Torres. Two rotations being held together with duct tape, which is part of why Flaherty keeps getting the ball every 5th day no matter what the line score says.
- Day-To-DayGeovanny Jesus Planchart C — no
- Day-To-DayChay Yeager RP — Yeager will undergo season-ending UCL surgery on his right elbow Wednesday, Arden Zwelling of Sportsnet.ca reports.
- Day-To-DayCJ Stubbs C — The Blue Jays signed Stubbs to a minor-league contract Friday that includes an invitation to spring training.
- Day-To-DayJaven Coleman P — no
- 10-Day-ILNathan Lukes RF — Lukes (hamstring) will begin a rehab assignment with the rookie-level Florida Complex League on Monday, Ben Nicholson-Smith of Sportsnet.ca reports.
- 10-Day-ILAddison Barger RF — Barger will undergo an MRI on his right elbow after waking up Sunday with limited range of motion, Keegan Matheson of MLB.com reports.
- 10-Day-ILAlejandro Kirk C — Kirk (thumb) is expected to begin hitting this weekend, Brian Murphy of MLB.com reports.
- 15-Day-ILJose Berrios SP — Berrios will undergo surgery to repair his right elbow Wednesday, Hazel Mae of Sportsnet reports.
- Day-To-DayTy Madden SP — X-rays on Madden's right forearm came back negative following his removal from Friday's game against Toronto, Evan Woodbery of MLive.com reports.
- Day-To-DayDugan Darnell RP — The Tigers announced Sunday that Darnell (hip) has been playing catch five times a week and is also taking part in a running progression, Evan Petzold of the Detroit Free Press reports.
- 10-Day-ILGleyber Torres 2B — Manager A.J. Hinch said Friday that Torres (oblique) is "trending toward" beginning a rehab assignment, Evan Woodbery of MLive.com reports.
- 10-Day-ILKerry Carpenter RF — The Tigers placed Carpenter on the 10-day injured list Sunday due to an AC joint sprain in his left shoulder.
- 10-Day-ILJavier Baez SS — The Tigers placed Baez on the 10-day injured list Wednesday with a right ankle sprain.
- 15-Day-ILWill Vest RP — Manager A.J. Hinch said Saturday that Vest (forearm) could return from the injured list Sunday, Evan Woodbery of MLive.com reports.
- 15-Day-ILTarik Skubal SP — Skubal (elbow) has resumed playing catch, Jon Heyman of the New York Post reports.
- 60-Day-ILJustin Verlander SP — The Tigers transferred Verlander to the 60-day injured list Sunday.
The total sits at 8 and the under is the side getting the steam (-115 at Pinnacle, 81% of DK handle). That tracks if you trust Gausman to bounce back — the splits suggest the Jays do, given they're laying -1.5 at +140. The Tigers are 12-6 at home this year, so it's not a gimme.
Bottom line: rubber match, day game, two rotations bleeding out, and a Tigers club that's lost 4 of its last 5. If Gausman shows up looking like himself, Toronto walks out of Detroit with the series. If Flaherty finally locates a fastball, the Tigers steal one back. Pick your poison.