Tigers at Pirates
J.D. Martinez is no stranger to opening the season with a flourish. After beginning the 2012 campaign with a nine-game hitting streak, Martinez looks to extend his current run to eight straight contests on Thursday afternoon when the visiting Detroit Tigers attempt to take three of four in their home-and-home interleague series versus the Pittsburgh Pirates.
Ian Kinsler homered in his second straight game in Wednesday's 7-3 victory and is 11-for-31 with three homers and eight RBIs this season, but is just 1-for-10 in his career against Thursday's starter Gerrit Cole. The Pirates have been plagued by an inconsistent offense en route to dropping four of their last five, with just seven runs scored in the defeats. Andrew McCutchen has struck out five times in the last two games and is just 4-for-24 in his last six. The 2013 National League Most Valuable Player has made his mark against Thursday starter Jordan Zimmermann in a small sample size, going deep on two occasions in six career at-bats.
TV: 12:35 p.m. ET, MLB Network, FSN Detroit
PITCHING MATCHUP: Tigers RH Jordan Zimmermann (1-0, 0.00 ERA) vs. Pirates RH Gerrit Cole (0-1, 5.79)
Signed to a five-year, $110 million deal in the offseason, Zimmermann put his best foot forward on Friday as he scattered two hits over seven sterling innings en route to a 4-0 triumph over the New York Yankees. The 29-year-old admitted the cold weather created issues with his fastball, but Mother Nature is expected to treat him better in the Steel City on Thursday afternoon. Zimmermann hasn't fared well in a pair of career starts versus Pittsburgh, permitting four runs in each outing while allowing four homers in 12 total innings.
Plagued by inflammation around his rib cage during spring training, Cole struggled out of the blocks in his first start of the season on Saturday - yielding three runs on five hits in 4 2/3 innings of a 5-1 setback to Cincinnati. The 25-year-old Cole will look to turn it around versus Detroit, against which he posted a 1-0 mark with 14 strikeouts in 12 2/3 innings last season. Cole has handcuffed both Anthony Gose and Jose Iglesias, who are a combined 0-for-12 versus the hurler.
WALK-OFFS
1. Pittsburgh INF Jung Ho Kang has been cleared to play in extended spring training games without restriction as he works his way back from a knee injury.
2. Longtime Tigers broadcaster Paul Carey died on Tuesday after a battle with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and heart disease. He was 88.
3. Although scratched from Wednesday's start, Pirates LHP Francisco Liriano told reporters that he doesn't expect to miss much time with a balky right hamstring.