The Tigers were expected to be sellers at the deadline this year. They were a season-low 16 games under .500 at 22-38 on May 31.
Since then they are 24-15, the best record in the American League. But after losing to the Angels Sunday, they’re 4.5 games out of the last AL wild card spot and there are six teams ahead of them for that spot.
So are they still sellers?
Ashley MacLennan, who contributes Outside The Confines features here at BCB, also writes for the SB Nation Tigers site Bless You Boys. I
asked Ashley for some notes on the Tigers for this series preview.
The Tigers are experiencing a little 2024 déjà vu. After a rough skid through May that coincided with the temporary loss of Tarik Skubal to injury, the Tigers really started to turn things around in June. Their starting pitching has been dominant with the return of Skubal, and tremendous displays from Casey Mize and Troy Melton.
They have so many options with pitching that they’re able to use Keider Montero out of the bullpen, and they really haven’t missed Justin Verlander, who’s been out almost all year.
Offensively, the debut season of Kevin McGonigle has been everything they dreamed and more, and Riley Greene and Dillon Dingler continue to offer a great deal to the lineup. The Tigers are not to be counted out just yet and might put up more fight than expected.
Fun facts
The Cubs were 13-9-1 against the Tigers when the teams squared off four times in the World Series, going 4-0-1 in 1907 and 4-1 in 1908, then losing in six games in 1935 and in seven games in 1945.
In their regular-season meetings, the Cubs are just 16-24, for a winning percentage of .400. The only American League against which they have had less success is the Yankees: 9-19, .321
In all interleague games, the Cubs are 311-293, .515.
This will be just the Cubs’ sixth three-game series at home vs. the Tigers. They were 1-2 in 2000, 0-3 in 2006, 1-2 in 2012 and 2-1 in 2024.They won two games in 2015 and won two in 2018, for a total of 6-10 at Wrigl
(Courtesy BCB’s JohnW53)
Probable pitching matchups
Monday: Jameson Taillon, RHP (2-5, 5.19 ERA, 1.300 WHIP, 6.31 FIP) vs. Jack Flaherty, RHP (3-8, 4.48 ERA, 1.319 WHIP, 4.10 FIP)
Tuesday: David Peterson, LHP (1-1, 8.16 ERA, 1.605 WHIP, 6.31 FIP in three starts with Cubs; 4-7, 6.45 ERA, 1.640 WHIP, 4.28 FIP) vs. Framber Valdez, LHP (5-6, 4.10 ERA, 1.319 WHIP, 4.10 FIP)
Wednesday: Colin Rea, RHP (7-6, 4.74 ERA, 1.421 WHIP, 4.84 FIP) vs. TBD
NOTE: Both teams’ notes on Sunday said the Tigers starter Wednesday is TBD. MLB.com says it’s going to be Keider Montero. As always, we await developments.
Times & TV channels
Monday: 7:05 p.m. CT, Marquee Sports Network
Tuesday: 7:05 p.m. CT, Marquee Sports Network
Wednesday: 7:10 p.m. CT, ESPN (full national broadcast, no blackouts)
Prediction
The Cubs should keep the line moving by taking two of three from the Tigers.
Up next
The Cubs have Thursday off, then travel to Pittsburgh for a three-game series against the Pirates that begins Friday evening.
