Diamondbacks at Tigers
The Detroit Tigers had high hopes for Buck Farmer when they selected the right-hander in the fifth round of the 2013 draft, but those expectations were quickly diminished after disappointing parts of three seasons in the majors from 2014-16. Fast forward to 2017 and the outlook has changed dramatically as Farmer tries to extend his scoreless innings streak when Detroit hosts the Arizona Diamondbacks on Tuesday in the opener of a two-game interleague series.
"Over the past couple years a lot of people have said I may have been rushed," Farmer told reporters Wednesday after winning for the second time in two starts since being called up from Triple-A Toledo. "But you know what? It happened, and here I am, so that's in the past." Farmer, who was 0-6 with a 6.84 ERA in 32 games - 0-5, 10.26 in eight starts - in his previous three seasons, hasn't allowed a run over 13 innings while striking out 16. The Diamondbacks counter with Zack Greinke, who returns from the paternity list after winning two straight starts and seven of his last eight decisions. The Tigers (30-32), who split a two-game set in Arizona last month, have lost four of their last six games while the Diamondbacks (39-26) are tied for the third-most victories in baseball after winning five of their past six as they battle for supremacy in the National League West.
TV: 7:10 p.m. ET, FSN Arizona, FSN Detroit
PITCHING MATCHUP: Diamondbacks RH Zack Greinke (8-3, 3.20 ERA) vs. Tigers RH Buck Farmer (2-0, 0.00)
Greinke allowed three runs, seven hits and a walk while striking out eight in five innings - tied for his shortest outing of the season - in a 7-4 victory over San Diego on Wednesday. The 33-year-old Floridian, whose wife gave birth to their second son Griffin on Friday, has allowed fewer than three runs in eight of his 13 starts this season and boasts 100 strikeouts in 84 1/3 innings. Greinke is 13-7 with a 2.79 ERA in 28 games (25 starts) versus Detroit, last facing them in 2014 as a member of the Los Angeles Dodgers, and does pretty well against Miguel Cabrera (.286 batting average in 35 at-bats, one home run, 11 strikeouts).
Farmer allowed three hits and one walk while striking out five in 6 2/3 innings of a 4-0 victory over the Los Angeles Angels on Wednesday. The 26-year-old Georgian, born George Runie Farmer, made his 2017 major league debut May 27 and struck out 11 while yielding three hits and two walks in a 4-3 win over the White Sox in Chicago. Farmer went 26-21 with a 3.65 ERA in 80 games (79 starts) playing at all three minor-league levels since starring at Georgia Tech.
WALK-OFFS
1. Arizona is hitting a major league-best .293 at home, where they own baseball's top record at 26-9, but a majors-worst .219 on the road entering Monday.
2. Tigers LF Justin Upton and 3B Nicholas Castellanos each own 10-game hitting streaks after homering Sunday with Upton's grand slam giving him a club-high 13 blasts and Castellanos' his third in four games. Upton upped his average 32 points to .269 during the streak while Castellanos' rose from .208 to .229.
3. Diamondbacks 1B Paul Goldschmidt hit a grand slam Sunday, moving into second place on the club's career home run list with 154. Luis Gonzalez hit 224 homers in eight seasons (1999-2006) with Arizona.