In light of recent development read also ………………………..
With the Astros, Tarik Skubal hopes to break the losing streak for the Tigers……………………
May 11: Tarik Skubal is quickly rising to the top of the major league ranks as a feared pitcher.
In the second game of a three-game home series against the Houston Astros on Saturday night, the unofficial ace of the Detroit Tigers will start for the eighth time this season.
Skubal (4-0, 1.90 ERA) has started seven games for Detroit; the team has won five of them. During his most recent start, a 5-2 road loss to the New York Yankees on Sunday, was one of the outliers.
Skubal performed his share by striking out a career-high 12 batters in six innings and limiting the Yankees to just two runs. Rain caused the game to be shortened to eight innings, and he had to deal with sloppy circumstances.
In the first inning, Oswaldo Cabrera doubled in RBI, then Aaron Judge hit a home run against him in the second.
“The conditions dictated what you can throw, and it was tough to throw the slider,” Skubal stated. “I was upset to lose to a slider in the second place for that reason. It was challenging to get a hold on, but I’m not claiming to perform every slider. My glove, the rosin bag, and the balls we were receiving were all damp. For me, that ruled the game.”
It might be challenging for Skubal to record ten strikeouts on Saturday. This season, the Astros have struck out 246 times, which is a major-league low. In his career, Skubal has a 2.08 ERA versus Houston and has pitched in two no-decisions.
Cristian Javier, a right-hander for Houston who was placed on the injured list on April 21st because of neck pain, will face the left-hander. On April 14, he made his most recent major league start against Texas.
On May 4, Javier (2-0, 1.54 ERA) started a rehab game for Double-A Corpus Christi and tossed 3 1/3 innings. On Wednesday, he had a bullpen session to finish his rehabilitation.
With Javier back, the Astros can move Hunter Brown, who is having trouble, to the bullpen. Javier has a 1.54 ERA in four career appearances versus the Tigers, going 2-0.
With the aid of a four-run eighth inning on Friday night, the Astros won the first game of the series 5-2. Their first run came on a Kyle Tucker home run, his 12th of the season.