New York @ Detroit preview

Last Meeting ( Mar 23, 2013 ) NY Yankees 6, Detroit 10

The Detroit Tigers made quick work of the New York Yankees in the American League Championship Series last October. The Yankees look like a much different team than the one that lost that series, and they will attempt to pull to .500 when they open a three-game series at the Tigers on Friday. New York will feature only a handful of players who saw the field in that playoff series this weekend while Detroit will trot out largely the same squad.

The Tigers spent some money to bolster their team for another playoff run in the offseason, re-signing pitcher Anibal Sanchez and bringing in Torii Hunter to add another bat to an already potent lineup. The Yankees mostly stayed out of the free-agent bidding wars and are instead trying to capture some magic from a group of veterans while waiting for some injured All-Stars to come off the disabled list. For all the preseason predictions that had it running away with the American League Central, Detroit had a tough time getting its bats going while dropping two of three to the Minnesota Twins. New York opened by dropping a home series to the rival Boston Red Sox.

TV: 1:08 p.m. ET, YES (New York), Fox Sports Detroit

PITCHING MATCHUP: Yankees RH Ivan Nova (2012: 12-8, 5.02 ERA) vs. Tigers RH Doug Fister (10-10, 3.45)

Nova had to fight to win his starting spot back in spring training after posting a 7.87 ERA in his final eight starts of 2012 and not making an appearance in the playoffs. The 26-year-old right-hander served up 28 home runs in as many starts in 2012 but was solid in the spring and showed enough command to keep his spot. Nova has never beaten Detroit, going 0-1 with a 9.24 ERA in three career games - including two starts. Prince Fielder and Miguel Cabrera have each homered off Nova.

Fister battled through injury in 2012 but still made 26 starts in the regular season and posted a 1.40 ERA in three postseason starts, including tossing 6 1/3 scoreless innings against New York in the ALCS. The 29-year-old got the No. 4 spot in the rotation and will get to make his first start at Comerica Park, where he has gone 10-5 with a 2.89 ERA in his career. Of the new-look Yankees, Fister has had his most success against Kevin Youkilis (2-for-16) while struggling to retire Travis Hafner (6-for-21 with three walks and two home runs).

WALK-OFFS

1. Eduardo Nunez is filling in at shortstop for Derek Jeter (ankle) and went 4-for-6 in the last two games.

2. Detroit signed veteran RHP Jose Valverde, who had served as the team’s closer the past few seasons, to a minor-league contract on Thursday.

3. New York’s biggest remaining bat, 2B Robinson Cano, went 1-for-11 in the first three games.

PREDICTION: Tigers 6, Yankees 3