Twins at Tigers
David Price sealed Detroit’s fourth consecutive American League Central
crown in 2014 with a dominant performance versus Minnesota at home in
the regular-season finale. Price will get a chance to open this season in
the same manner Monday when the Tigers open their season with a
three-game set against the Twins.
Price delivered the kind of
effort his new team wanted when it dealt for him July 31 as he fanned
eight over 7 1/3 scoreless innings to help Detroit win the division by
one game over Kansas City. The former No. 1 overall pick in the 2007
draft was unable to prevent his the Tigers’ playoff demise in his next
start, however, while the Royals cruised into the World Series.
Minnesota’s third last-place finish in four seasons was enough to end
the 13-year tenure of manager Ron Gardenhire, but opened the door for
Paul Molitor to begin his managerial career. The Twins also reached back
into their past to bring back Torii Hunter, who spent the last two
seasons with the Tigers, but was a 22-year-old at the beginning of his
Twins’ career as Molitor was wrapping his up in 1998.
TV: 1:08 p.m. ET, FSN North (Minnesota), FSN Detroit
PITCHING MATCHUP: Twins RH Phil Hughes (2014: 16-10, 3.52 ERA) vs. Tigers LH David Price (2014: 15-12, 3.26)
Hughes enjoyed one of the finest seasons in his first year in Minnesota, reaching career highs in innings pitched (209.2) and strikeouts (186) while setting a major-league record with an 11.6 strikeout-to-walk ratio. The 28-year-old former first-round pick of the New York Yankees was particularly stingy against Detroit in 2014, winning both outings while posting a 0.64 ERA. Hughes, who inked a five-year contract worth $58 million in the offseason, will draw the first Opening Day assignment of his career.
Price, acquired from the Tampa Bay Rays in a three-team blockbuster deal at the trade deadline, went 4-4 despite a 3.59 ERA in 11 starts with Detroit. The 2012 AL Cy Young Award winner surrendered a major-league high 230 hits – 38 more than in any of his previous six seasons – but also led the majors with 248.1 innings pitched and 271 strikeouts. Price faced Minnesota four times in 2014, going 3-1 with a 2.40 ERA while posting a 0.93 WHIP and holding the Twins to a .198 batting average.
WALK-OFFS
1. RHP Justin Verlander (triceps), who was placed on
the disabled list for the first time in his career Thursday, will see
his streak of seven consecutive Opening Day starts come to an end.
2.
Hughes became only the sixth pitcher in baseball history to walk fewer
than 20 batters while pitching at least 200 innings in a season.
3.
Detroit closer Joe Nathan’s seven blown saves tied Washington’s Rafael
Soriano and Minnesota's Glen Perkins for the most in the majors for any player with at least 16
opportunities.