Detroit @ Minnesota preview
Target Field
Last Meeting ( Jun 28, 2010 ) Detroit 7, Minnesota 5
The Detroit Tigers' return to first place came at a hefty price. If the Tigers are to stay there, they’ll probably have to do it without one of their best pitchers.
Detroit secured first place in the AL Central from the Minnesota Twins with Monday’s 7-5 victory, but the Tigers will likely be without Joel Zumaya for another extended period of time.
Zumaya shook off his glove and crumpled to the ground during the eighth inning Monday after throwing a 99 mph fastball - his 14th pitch of the night. He held his right arm close and screamed in pain before being helped off the field.
Zumaya has one of the most powerful arms in baseball, but his career has been riddled by injuries. The last three seasons alone have been wrecked with arm and finger issues that have prevented him from possibly achieving his potential.
An MRI is scheduled for Tuesday, but Tigers manager Jim Leyland called the situation heartbreaking after Zumaya worked so hard to return from previous injuries. He is 2-1 this season with a 2.63 ERA and 34 strikeouts in 38 1/3 innings.
The injury stripped away the luster from the Tigers’ return to first place. It’s the first time Detroit has been alone atop the division since April 11 - and that was only for a day.
Although it’s not as serious, Detroit is also without outfielder Magglio Ordonez, who was a late scratch with a nagging injury on his right side. Ordonez is expected to be checked out by a team doctor, adding even more pressure to Brennan Boesch.
Boesch leads all rookies with 12 homers and his 45 RBIs are tied with Atlanta Braves slugger Jason Heyward.
The Tigers are 11-5 over their last 16 games and they'll attempt to take advantage of the slumping Twins, who have lost six of their last seven.
It doesn’t look like it will get much better for Minnesota with Nick Blackburn pitching on Tuesday. Blackburn has failed to survive the fourth inning in four of his last five starts.
He allowed five runs in 3 2/3 innings in his last start against the Milwaukee Brewers last Thursday, when he surrendered two home runs. Blackburn has allowed four in his last two brief starts.
For the month of June, Blackburn is 0-4 with a staggering 12.05 ERA. His spot in the rotation could be on the line as another short outing just may be his last.