Detroit Tigers (4-9) vs. San Francisco Giants (5-8)
When: 1:10 p.m. Saturday.
Where: Comerica Park in Detroit.
TV: Bally Sports Detroit.
Radio: WXYT-FM (97.1; Tigers radio affiliates).
Starting pitchers: Tigers RHP Michael Lorenzen (season debut; 8-6, 4.24 ERA in 2022) vs. Giants RHP Anthony DeSclafani (1-0, 0.73 ERA).
Tigers lineup:
2B Nick Maton
CF Riley Greene
SS Javier Baez
DH Kerry Carpenter
1B Spencer Torkelson
LF Akil Baddoo
3B Zach McKinstry
C Eric Haase
RF Matt Vierling
P Michael Lorenzen
TODAY’S STARTER: Tigers’ Michael Lorenzen wants to ‘set the tone’ in first start in Detroit
FRIDAY’S VICTORY: Nick Maton bails out Tigers bullpen with walk-off 3-run HR in 7-5 (11) win
Game notes: We’ll go out on a limb and suggest the winning run today will be driven in by No. 42. It’ll come off No. 42 on the mound, too, with No. 42 behind the plate, No. 42 in the outfield and, yes, No. 42 in the dugout. No, it’s not a tribute to that old Bugs Bunny baseball short — it’s Jackie Robinson Day, MLB’s annual tribute to the trail blazer who broke the color line 76 years ago today. That means that every player, Tiger or Giant, is allowed to wear No. 42, which is retired the rest of the season.
The No. 42 in gray, black and orange will be right-hander Anthony DeSclafani, who’s hoping to recapture the late-career renaissance he showed in 2021, when he posted a 3.17 ERA with 152 strikeouts over 167⅔ innings, rather than last year’s injury-marred campaign in which he had a 6.63 ERA in five starts. So far, so good, with 11 strikeouts and one earned run over 11⅓ innings, including seven strikeouts Sunday against the Royals.
The No. 42 in white and blue will be right-hander Michael Lorenzen, signed to a one-year, $8.5 million deal in free agency after striking out 85 in 97⅔ innings over 18 starts in his first season as a full-time starter since his rookie year. Lorenzen also allowed 11 homers and walked 44 in that half a season, which doesn’t bode well for his debut at the slightly shrunk Comerica National Park.
After today’s matinee, the Tigers and Giants wrap up the series with another day game Sunday as Matthew Boyd (who signed with the Giants last offseason but never pitched for them) facing Giants ace Logan Webb (who signed a five-year, $90 million extension on Friday). After that, the Tigers get their first visit from an AL Central foe as the Cleveland Guardians hit Comerica on Monday night, while the Giants continue east to visit the Marlins in Miami for a three-game set on Monday-Wednesday.
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This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Detroit Tigers beat S.F. Giants, 7-6 (11): Game thread recap
