The Detroit tigers enjoyed a day off on Thursday after a 5-1 home gesture catapulted them to the top of American League Central.
Now the work is being resumed.
The tigers will look to stay hot when they open a series of three games against the rival Twins Twins on Friday night in Minneapolis. It marks the beginning of a six-match road trip for Detroit, which will also visit Milwauke Brewers for a three-game-interleague set.
Detroit manager AJ Hinch praised his team for playing well despite missing several key players due to injuries, including other bassema Gleyber Torres, the right hand Alex Cobb, Catcher Jake Rogers and Outfield Manuel Margot.
“Just play the game that is in front of you,” Hinch said. “We can’t do anything more than that with someone who is not here. I think our team embraces it … and there is also the reality that it is so it is.
“Our toughness, our resilience, our struggle, our character, all that is guaranteed. We are who we are and our players answer.”
Minnesota hopes to be able to respond after a disappointing road series where it lost three of four matches against Kansas City Royals. The twins lost 3-2 in the series finale on Thursday afternoon before flying home.
The twins Catcher Ryan Jeffers said that he and his teammates had to stay safe and find a way to get through in decisive moments.
“These situational, tight games, you have to scrape off a run here,” Jeffers said. “And we put up a big zero. …
“I’m constantly saying this all season so far: the ball has fallen the other way. We have to do a better job of serving them.”
Twins Manager Rocco Baldelli echoed Jeffer’s feelings, especially when it came to beating better with runners on the base.
“We have to force the problem,” Baldelli said. “We have to put a few more runs on the board.”
Tiger’s right-wing trader Reese Olson (1-1, 5.06 era) will try to keep Minnesota strokes on Friday in his third start in 2025. Olson gave up four runs in 4/3 rounds in his season debut against Los Angeles Dodgers, then bounced back to limit Chicago White Sox to two runs in six reverses in six places in six.
Olson has started against the twins four times and goes 2-1 with a 3.32 era. He allowed nine runs (seven earned) at 19 hits in 19 rounds during these excursions, with seven walks and 24 strikes.
The twins right hand David Festa is expected to make their season debut. The 25-year-old Seton Hall-Alunen went 2-6 with a 4.90 era in 14 matches (13 starts) for Minnesota 2024.
In his lone start against Tigers, July 3 last year, partying gave up seven runs on nine hits in five rounds. He went no one and knocked out six in a 9-2 home loss.
Party was on the way to start for Triple-A Saint Paul on Friday, but he will take Haugen a few miles west instead. His marketing will enable the twins starters Chris Paddack and Simeon Woods Richardson to have an extra rest day, and it will help a rotation that lost ace right hand Pablo Lopez to a hamstring injury this week.
“We have many games in a row right now,” Baldelli said. “… it’s a forward-looking, forward-by-thing for our starting pots.”
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