Seventy-five games down, eighty-seven to go.
Last weekend, the Tampa Bay Rays got to face the team with the best record in the National League, the New York Mets; the Rays swept the Mets in three games.
Now this weekend, the Rays will take on the team with the best record in the American League, the Detroit Tigers.
The Tigers shocked the baseball world last season surging from well below .500 to securing the 3rd Wild Card spot and then sweeping the Baltimore Orioles out of the postseason; the Tigers would lose in the division series. This season, Detroit is proving that the 2024 campaign was no fluke as they dominated opposing teams in April and May. However, they’re just barely over .500 for the month of June. Entering play on Friday, the Tigers are 48-28 and hold a 9.5 game lead over the Cleveland Guardians for the American League Central.
Detroit is coming off an eventful double-header with the Pittsburgh Pirates and have won six of their past 10 games.
The Rays meanwhile just split a four game series with the Baltimore Orioles to bring their season record to 41-34, sitting 2.5 games back of the division leading Yankees and holding the top Wild Card spot with a 2.5 game lead over the 3rd place team.
The Tigers currently have three players tied for the team lead in fWAR among position players. One of them is no surprise, Riley Greene (15 HR | 134 wRC+ | 2.0 fWAR) but the other two have come out of nowhere to help lead this Detroit team: Dillon Dingler (7 HR | 107 wRC+ | 2.0 fWAR) and Zach McKinstry (4 HR | 122 wRC+ | 2.0 fWAR). Meanwhile, Javier Baez is having a comeback season, reigniting his career following multiple disastrous seasons. Baez enters play hitting .293/.327/.474 with 9 HR. There are many cogs churning for this Tigers team on the offensive side.
Meanwhile, they have the best pitcher in the American League, Tarik Skubal, pumping up masterpieces each time out, but the rest of the rotation has been in flux. The bullpen has also been a work in progress with Will Vest and Tommy Kahnle sharing the closer role and the duo of Tyler Holton and Brenan Hanifee getting high leverage outs.
Frivolities
- The top players by career bWAR to have played for the Rays and Tigers:
- David Price
- Johnny Damon
- Carlos Pena
- Damion Easley
- Aubrey Huff
- The Rays best player offensively against the Tigers all-time (min. 25 PA):
Brett Phillips: .304/.370/.870 with 4 HR over 27 PA
The next four are Wander Franco, C.J. Cron, Steve Cox, & Steven Souza Jr - The Rays most previous transacation with the Tigers:
— 3/25/25: Rays sell contract of Haden Erbe to the Tigers - The Rays first transaction with the Tigers:
— 12/10/08: Rays trade Edwin Jackson to the Tigers for Matt Joyce
Probable pitchers are projected by MLB.com
GAME ONE
Friday, June 20th
7:05 pm EDT
RHP Shane Baz vs RHP Jack Flaherty
GAME TWO
Satruday, June 21st
12:10 pm EDT
RHP Ryan Pepiot vs RHP Sawyer Gipson-Long
GAME THREE
Sunday, June 22nd
12:10 pm EDT
RHP Zack Littell vs RHP Casey Mize