Wednesday, August 20

DETROIT -- Tarik Skubal has had plenty of marquee matchups with formidable starting pitchers this season, from Zack Wheeler in Philadelphia on Aug. 2 to Blake Snell on Opening Day at Dodger Stadium. Tuesday night, however, presents a different matchup. 

Not only is Astros right-hander Hunter Brown a fellow All-Star and an AL Cy Young Award candidate, he’s a local. Born in Detroit and drafted by Houston in the fifth round in 2019 out of Wayne State University, Brown still does a good chunk of offseason training in the area, working out in nearby Madison Heights.

Brown grew up idolizing Justin Verlander. Now his latest homecoming lines him up opposing Detroit’s next great ace. He’s an admirer of Skubal’s game, too.

“What’s really not to like, right? The guy throws a bunch of strikes and doesn’t walk people,” Brown told reporters on Monday at Comerica Park. “He’s reigning Cy Young, so he’s doing his thing, but I know the guys will come out ready to try and jump on him and put us in position to win the game.” 

The respect is mutual. 

“He throws hard,” Skubal said. “Two fastballs that are really good. He can spin the ball really well. He’s got good stuff, pitches in the zone, strikes guys out. He kind of does everything that you want as a starting pitcher. That’s why he was at the All-Star Game, and it’s why he’s got the numbers he’s got.” 

The two met at the All-Star Game at Truist Park, where they had neighboring lockers in the visitors' clubhouse.  

Any rivalry between opposing starting pitchers is always tricky, because they never actually face each other. With the universal DH, one pitcher doesn’t face another. They try to outperform the other, but that’s just as reliant on the opposing lineups. 

“Obviously he’s a great pitcher,” Skubal said. “He’s not standing in the box. I’ve said that before, my job is to compete against the guys standing in the box and compete with myself. If you let who’s pitching on the other side dictate or change anything, that’s not what you want. You want to just keep playing baseball the way I know how to play. 

“You’re going to know runs are at a premium. I think that’s probably the difference. But I’m not competing against Hunter Brown, I don’t think.” 

That said, it’s a matchup he’s looking forward to, as are a lot of people in Detroit. 

“I’ve faced off against Zack Wheeler. I’ve faced off against Blake Snell,” Skubal said. “It’s fun.” 

It’ll be a rare marquee matchup in which Brown won’t be facing an entirely hostile crowd. His support group in the stands will be significant. 

“Probably too many to count,” Brown said. “I’m sure everybody will be here. It’s right down the road. It’s going to be awesome. I’m going to have a lot of support and see a lot of familiar faces. It will be good.” 

Zach McKinstry stole bases in back-to-back games on Saturday and Sunday at Minnesota and enters Tuesday with 10 home runs and 19 stolen bases this season. Who was the last Tiger to post a 10-homer, 20-steal season? 

A. Willi Castro 

B. Curtis Granderson 

C. Robbie Grossman 

D. Austin Jackson 

• Triple-A Toledo: The Mud Hens enter Tuesday tied atop the International League’s West Division with a 27-18 second-half record after going 4-2 against Columbus. No. 10 prospect Max Anderson, just promoted from Double-A, batted 8-for-26 (.308) with two doubles, two homers and five RBIs. 

• Double-A Erie: The SeaWolves are 21-23 in the second half after splitting a six-game series at Orioles-affiliated Chesapeake. Top prospect Kevin McGonigle had a monster series, batting 6-for-19 (.316) with four walks, four home runs and eight RBIs, including a go-ahead two-run homer in Wednesday’s 8-6 win. No. 2 prospect Max Clark went 5-for-20 (.250) with two homers, four RBIs, six walks and seven runs scored. 

• High-A West Michigan: The Whitecaps are 34-14 and leading their division in the second half after going 4-2 in Fort Wayne against the Padres’ Midwest League affiliate. No. 22 prospect Izaac Pacheco hit five homers with 11 RBIs in the series, including a pair of two-homer, four-RBI games. Peyton Graham, the Tigers’ second-round Draft pick in 2021, went 11-for-24 (.458) with five runs scored, continuing his August tear.  

• Single-A Lakeland: The Flying Tigers are 29-18 in the second half and atop the Florida State League’s West Division again heading into a seven-game, six-day homestand against the Dunedin Blue Jays. No. 23 prospect Jude Warwick went 7-for-22 (.318) with a double, three RBIs and two stolen bases last week at Clearwater. No. 24 prospect Nick Dumesnil went 3-for-6 with two doubles and two runs scored in last Tuesday’s 16-6 win over the Threshers. 

C. Robbie Grossman

Grossman hit 23 home runs and stole 20 bases for the Tigers in 2021. He’s the sixth player to do it in the Comerica Park era, including Curtis Granderson twice.

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