Troy Melton (4-1, 2.39 ERA) takes the mound against Will Warren (7-3, 3.75 ERA) in a 1:35 PM ET matinee at Yankee Stadium, with Detroit arriving on the back of back-to-back blowouts and firmly in control of this series.
Warren's last outing was rough by any measure: 5 2/3 innings at Fenway on June 26, 5 earned runs, 7 hits, 3 walks, and not a single strikeout on 90 pitches. Melton, by contrast, has been one of the most efficient pitchers in baseball this season — leading the majors in fewest pitches per inning — and came off a 6-inning, 1-ER start against Houston last Wednesday despite taking the loss. The gap in current form is real.
The Yankees' losing streak has been ugly from start to finish. Boston swept them at Fenway in 3 games, then Detroit rolled into the Bronx and kept right on going. In Game 1 Monday, Casey Mize struck out 10 over 7 innings as Tigers rookies Hao-Yu Lee and Kevin McGonigle each drove in 2 runs off costly Yankees errors. Game 2 was worse — Tarik Skubal threw 6 innings of one-hit ball, Riley Greene went deep twice, and the Tigers tagged Cam Schlittler for 4 home runs in a 9-3 rout. Schlittler became the first Yankees pitcher to allow 4 home runs to Detroit since Chuck Cary in 1989 at Tiger Stadium. Through all 5 losses, New York has looked bad in the field and worse at the plate.
- 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.
- developmental listMatt Seelinger RP
- 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.
- Day-To-DayJazz Chisholm Jr. 2B — Manager Aaron Boone said Chisholm (head) has one remaining concussion test to pass before fully clearing the protocol, but the second baseman is expected to be available off the bench Tuesday against the Tigers, David Lennon of Newsday reports.
- 10-Day-ILRyan McMahon 3B — Yankees manager Aaron Boone said Tuesday on the "Talkin' Yanks" podcast by Jomboy Media that McMahon (illness) will play a rehab game with Double-A Somerset on Wednesday before being activated from the 10-day injured list Friday.
- 10-Day-ILTrent Grisham CF — Yankees manager Aaron Boone said Tuesday on the "Talkin' Yanks" podcast by Jomboy Media that Grisham (hamstring) will play a rehab game with Double-A Somerset on Wednesday before being activated from the 10-day injured list Friday.
- 10-Day-ILGiancarlo Stanton DH — Yankees manager Aaron Boone said that Stanton (calf) has restarted a running program and will take live at-bats against rehabbing left-hander Max Fried (elbow) on Tuesday, David Lennon of Newsday reports.
- 10-Day-ILAaron Judge RF — Yankees manager Aaron Boone said Friday that Judge isn't expected to be ready for a re-evaluation later this week, when he'll be at the four-week mark in his recovery from a stress fracture of the first rib on his right side, Gary Phillips of the New York Daily News reports.
- 15-Day-ILMax Fried SP — Manager Aarone Boone said Tuesday that Fried (elbow) is scheduled to throw another session of live batting practice Sunday, Chris Kirschner of The Athletic reports.
- paternityDavid Bednar RP — The Yankees placed Bednar on the paternity list Monday.
- 60-Day-ILClarke Schmidt SP — Schmidt (elbow) tossed a side session Wednesday and is "a couple of weeks" away from facing live hitters, per MLB.com.
The injury list tells part of the story. Aaron Judge is out with a stress fracture in his first rib — Aaron Boone confirmed last week that Judge isn't close to a re-evaluation, and September is the most realistic return target. Giancarlo Stanton is still nursing a calf injury. Max Fried is throwing live BP but nowhere near pitching in a game. Jazz Chisholm Jr. has 1 more concussion test to clear before being fully available. Ryan McMahon and Trent Grisham are both scheduled for Double-A Somerset rehab games today, with Friday activation targeted. It is not an excuse, but the Yankees right now are a significantly different team than the one that opened the year.
Detroit's own injury list is long — Parker Meadows and Wenceel Perez are both on the 60-Day IL without clear return timelines, Justin Verlander's hip and hamstring have cost him most of the year, and Gleyber Torres is sidelined with an oblique issue — but the Tigers have been winning in spite of it. At 37-49 they are not a playoff team. They are, however, capable of walking out of the Bronx with a sweep when Melton is on the mound and New York's lineup looks like this. First pitch is at 1:35 PM ET.