Blue Jays at Tigers
The Detroit Tigers did not miss Miguel Cabrera in their first game since
losing the superstar slugger to a calf strain. The Tigers look
to follow up another solid offensive showing when they aim for a
three-game series sweep at home against the Toronto Blue Jays on Sunday.
Hours after announcing that Cabrera would miss up to six weeks with the injury, Detroit scored four first-inning runs en route to an 8-3 win over the Blue Jays on Saturday. The Tigers have eight runs on 13 hits in each of the first two games of the series and have a chance for their first three-game sweep since they took three from Cleveland from April 10-12. Toronto has dropped three in a row while allowing 28 runs, and has dropped five of six overall. Marco Estrada will look to bounce back from a rocky outing when he gets the ball for the Blue Jays opposite Tigers right-hander Justin Verlander.
TV: 1:08 p.m. ET, MLB Network, SNET (Toronto), FSN Detroit
PITCHING MATCHUP: Blue Jays RH Marco Estrada (5-4, 3.58 ERA) vs. Tigers RH Justin Verlander (0-1, 5.09)
After flirting with a perfect game two turns ago at Tampa Bay, Estrada struggled with his command in a 2 1/3-inning outing against Boston on Tuesday at home. He was charged with four runs (two earned) on three hits and four walks in his shortest start of the year. The 31-year-old has never faced Detroit.
Verlander was skipped a turn in the rotation before allowing two earned runs in six innings of a no-decision against Pittsburgh on Tuesday. He walked five and struck out only three, giving him more free passes (eight) than strikeouts (seven) through three starts this season. Verlander, who needs 4 1/3 innings to reach 2,000 for his career, owns a 4.29 ERA in nine career encounters with the Blue Jays.
WALK-OFFS
1. Tigers RF J.D. Martinez homered Saturday and is hitting .365 over an 18-game surge.
2. Blue Jays LF Chris Colabello had two more hits Saturday - including his seventh homer - to raise his average to .335.
3. Detroit is 100-101 all-time at home against Toronto.