Probables: Friday — LHP MacKenzie Gore (2-2, 4.35) vs. RHP Jack Flaherty (0-2, 5.33); Saturday — RHP Kumar Rocker (1-2, 3.38) vs. RHP Keider Montero (1-2, 4.00); Sunday — RHP Jack Leiter (1-2, 5.17) vs. TBA.
Scouting report
Gore, Rangers: He’s coming off a five-inning, seven-strikeout start against the Athletics. He’s averaging 12 strikeouts per nine innings with a 30% chase rate. He’s added a sinker this year, which has bolstered his arsenal against lefties (.192 average, .630 OPS). He lives off his high-extension, 95-96 mph four-seamer, mixing curveballs, cutters and changeups to right-handed hitters, sinkers and sliders to lefties.
Flaherty, Tigers: The 22 walks in 25.1 innings and career-low 56% strike rate tell the tale of his issues this season. He has battled to find consistency in his mechanics and his delivery. There were two starts earlier in April when it looked like he found a groove, but the last two have been short and rough (3.1 innings and two innings. It’s been just six starts, but this feels like a critical start for Flaherty.
It did work for Flaherty the first year he was here. He was awful before he came here and credited fetter with the turn around. He may be beyond repair now but I’m not ready to give up on him quite yet.
I don’t know anything about the guy, but I get the impression he is always…the glass is half empty. Never half full. I don’t see him smile much. Complete opposite of Skubal.
We worked Gore’s pitch count pretty well when we face him last year on the Nationals. I’m pretty sure we got him to 100 pitches in the 4th inning or something, even though we didn’t score much off of him.
Series: Three games at Comerica Park, Detroit
