Carlos Guillen is expected to be back in the Detroit lineup for Monday’s contest.
The
Detroit Tigers have been great at home and terrible on the road for most of the season. Now they're struggling in all venues as they host the
Tampa Bay Rays on Monday night in the start of a three-game series.
The Tigers are 2-5 on their current homestand after Sunday's 9-4 victory against the L.A. Angels. The Tigers still lead the AL in home money-line units (10.8), but their margin is shrinking quickly. Detroit, freefalling since the All Star break with a 6-19 record, is now nine games behind the White Sox in the AL Central standings.
Injuries are at least partially to blame. Magglio Ordonez (ankle), Brandon Inge (hand) and Carlos Guillen (calf) were all on the disabled list. Inge returned last Wednesday and Guillen should return Monday to start this series. Ordonez is out at least another month.
Detroit was scoring 4.66 runs per game before the All-Star break, but that number has dropped to 3.09. Team ERA has also increased from 4.29 before the break to 5.00 after.
The Rays (67-43) started the second half 13-5, but have dropped four-straight. They had an embarrassing effort at Toronto on Saturday, allowing 17 runs and eight homers. Though the Rays trail the Yankees by 1 1/2 games in the AL East, they still lead the wild-card by 4 ½ games over Boston.
Outfielder Carl Crawford (soreness) has missed the last two games and first baseman Carlos Pena (foot) has been out since the beginning of the month. Injuries have also hit the pitching staff, as Jeff Niemann (shoulder) was scratched for Sunday's start.
David Price (14-5, 2.82 ERA) will get the start for the Rays in Monday's opener. The All-Star Game starter leads the AL in wins and is fourth in ERA. He's allowed 55 walks, but his OPS is still a slim .649.
The 24-year-old lefty does have a much higher road ERA (3.60) than home (2.04). Tampa Bay is 1-3 in his last four road starts. He has 17 quality starts in 21 outings and only two no-decisions all year.
Price has one start against Detroit this season. He surrendered two runs in 6 1/3 innings during a 4-2 home win. Price made one start at Detroit's Comerica Park last year, getting a 3-1 victory after allowing one earned run in 7 1/3 innings.
Armando Galarraga (3-4, 4.32 ERA) gets the call for Detroit. He allowed four runs over 7 2/3 innings in a 4-1 home loss to the White Sox last Wednesday. He surrendered five walks and could be bothered by a bruised ankle suffered two starts ago against Boston.
The 28-year-old righty has two stints in Triple-A this year. He was called up to start the second half and has made four starts since (4.05 ERA, six homers allowed). His home ERA (3.33) is less than half than away (6.66) this year.
Galarraga is 1-0 with a 6.35 ERA in three lifetime starts against the Rays. He hasn't faced them this year and last had a home start against them in 2008.
Tampa Bay swept a four-game home series against Detroit a couple of weeks ago. The Tigers scored an average of two runs per game with their decimated lineup. This is the first meeting this year in Motown.
Monday's first pitch is scheduled for 4:05 p.m. (PT), with the weather predicted to be in the low 80s and a chance of isolated thunderstorms.