Detroit @ New York preview

Last Meeting ( May 5, 2011 ) NY Yankees 3, Detroit 6

THE STORY: Justin Verlander is a prohibitive favorite for the American League Cy Young Award and a contender for league MVP honors. So it’s no secret that the Detroit Tigers are pinning their hopes on the ace righthander when they open the AL Division Series on the road against the New York Yankees on Friday night. CC Sabathia, a 19-game winner, will oppose Verlander in Game 1 of the best-of-5 series. Detroit prevailed 4-3 in the season series.

TV: 8:37 p.m. ET, TBS

PITCHING MATCHUP: Tigers RH Justin Verlander (24-5, 2.40 ERA) vs. Yankees LH CC Sabathia (19-8, 3.00 ERA).

Verlander led the AL in wins, ERA and strikeouts (250), but perhaps the most important stat is that he went 0-1 in two starts vs. New York. He allowed three runs and four walks in six innings in both outings against the Yankees – the only two starts in which he walked that many batters. Still, Verlander has gone 22-2 since he last saw New York and was 12-0 in his last 13 starts.

Sabathia was near-unhittable while winning seven straight starts from mid-June to mid-July. He wobbled a bit down the stretch, allowing 10 hits in five of his last 10 starts and failing in three attempts to earn his 20th win. Although he’s only 15-12 lifetime against the Tigers, Sabathia owns a 5-1 record in eight postseason starts the past two years. Miguel Cabrera is 9-for-16 with two homers and 11 RBIs against him.

ABOUT THE TIGERS: Detroit enters the series on a 30-9 roll. Cabrera owns a nine-game hitting streak, including six straight multi-hit games during which he went 15-for-26 with four homers and seven RBIs to claim the AL batting title. DH Victor Martinez is 11-for-23 during a six-game batting streak and has 26 RBIs in his last 23 games. Jose Valverde has converted all 49 save opportunities.

ABOUT THE YANKEES: New York led the majors in homers (222) and had three players – Curtis Granderson (119), Robinson Cano (118) and Mark Teixeira (111) – with more than 110 RBIs. Granderson had 41 homers but is in a 1-for-20 slump. Alex Rodriguez sat out the season finale with a sore knee and was 4-for-28 in his last eight games. Derek Jeter batted .331 since coming off the DL on July 4.

FINAL PITCH: Prior to the 2010 season, the Yankees acquired Granderson in a three-team trade that sent CF Austin Jackson and LHP Phil Coke to Detroit and RHP Ian Kennedy to Arizona.