Colorado @ Detroit preview

Last Meeting ( Jun 17, 2012 ) Colorado 0, Detroit 5

The Detroit Tigers are engaged in an arms race with the Oakland Athletics and are clearly focused on their path to the World Series. The Tigers will introduce newest piece David Price before opening a three-game interleague series with the visiting Colorado Rockies on Friday. Detroit shocked baseball with a three-team trade just before the deadline on Thursday that brought in Price and sent away center fielder Austin Jackson and left-hander Drew Smyly.

The Rockies were an intriguing club prior to the deadline but ultimately made no major moves, holding onto shortstop Troy Tulowitzki, outfielder Carlos Gonzalez and left-hander Jorge De La Rosa. The Tigers were not content to stand still after American League-best Oakland brought in All-Star Jon Lester and got creative in its deal for Price, bringing in the Seattle Mariners as a third team in order to bolster a staff that now includes the last three AL Cy Young Award winners. Colorado owns the worst record in the National League and enters the series having lost four of its last five contests.

TV: 7:08 p.m. ET, ROOT (Colorado), FSN Detroit

PITCHING MATCHUP: Rockies LH Franklin Morales (5-5, 5.18 ERA) vs. Tigers RH Justin Verlander (9-9, 4.79)

Morales lasted only four innings against Pittsburgh on Sunday, issuing five walks to go along with two runs and six hits. The veteran swingman has walked 14 in 20 2/3 innings over his last four outings while striking out 16 in that span. Morales made six relief appearances against Detroit in the past, allowing a total of five runs on eight hits and five walks in seven innings.

Verlander is now the weak link in a Detroit rotation that boosts four pitchers (Price, Max Scherzer, Rick Porcello and Anibal Sanchez) with an ERA of 3.57 or under. Verlander posted quality starts in each of his last two turns but has allowed two or fewer earned runs only twice in his last 14 outings. The former MVP was reached for three runs on six hits and three walks in seven innings to suffer a loss at the Los Angeles Angels on Saturday.

WALK-OFFS

1. Tigers RF Torii Hunter is 6-for-10 with a home run, two RBIs and four runs scored in the last three games.

2. Colorado 3B Nolan Arenado has doubled in three straight games and hit safely in six in a row.

3. Detroit OF Rajai Davis replaced Jackson on Thursday and will likely take over that spot moving forward.

PREDICTION: Tigers 8, Rockies 3