Tigers at Twins
The Detroit Tigers look to continue their early-season dominance over American League Central-rival Minnesota when they kick off a 10-game road trip against the Twins on Monday. David Price takes the mound for the Tigers, who opened the season with a three-game sweep of Minnesota - outscoring the Twins 22-1 while extending their winning streak in the all-time series to four contests.
Detroit appears to have snapped out of its offensive funk, pushing across 12 runs in taking the final two games from Cleveland after scoring only eight times during a four-game skid. Miguel Cabrera ended a 12-game drought with a two-run homer among his three hits in Detroit's 8-6 victory on Sunday, but leadoff hitter Rajai Davis exited in the ninth inning due to tightness in his groin. Minnesota won its final two games in Seattle to complete a 3-3 road trip heading into an 11-game homestand. Manager Paul Molitor has hinted at moving Joe Mauer to the leadoff spot, but the three-time AL batting champ made a loud statement to stay put with a tiebreaking two-run triple and an RBI double in Sunday's 4-2 victory.
TV: 8:10 p.m. ET, FSN Detroit, FSN North (Minnesota)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Tigers LH David Price (1-1, 3.28 ERA) vs. Twins LH Tommy Milone (2-0, 3.38)
Price's ERA rose nearly three full runs from 0.40 to 3.28 following the shellacking by the Yankees, who pounded him for eight runs on 10 hits over 2 1/3 innings. Price struggled with his command, throwing 51 pitches in a disastrous first inning, after yielding a total of one earned run in his first three starts. He is 6-3 with a 2.27 ERA and .208 batting average against in 12 appearances (11 starts) versus the Twins.
Milone was victimized by control issues and the long ball last time out, walking four batters and serving up a pair of homers in 5 2/3 innings at Kansas City to deny him a third straight victory to open the season. He beat the Royals in his previous turn, allowing three runs over 5 1/3 frames in his lone home start. Victor Martinez is 4-for-8 and Miguel Cabrera 5-for-13 against Milone, who is 5-3 lifetime versus Detroit.
WALK-OFFS
1. Davis, who is listed as day-to-day, was 5-for-8 with six runs scored in two games over the weekend.
2. Mauer is a .319 hitter in 159 games against Detroit, recording one hit in each of the three contests earlier this month.
3. Cabrera, who is tied with Jim Edmonds for 57th place on the all-time list with 393 home runs, batted .378 in 18 games versus the Twins in 2014.