DETROIT TIGERS NOTES:

TIGERS BASH FOUR HOMERS TO EVEN SERIES: The Tigers defeated the Red Sox, 6-2, on Saturday afternoon. Kerry Carpenter belted a pair of solo homers, while Spencer Torkelson had his first career four-hit game, including a solo homer. Eric Haase also went deep for his fourth homer of the season. Riley Greene added two hits and drove in a run. Matt Manning started and picked up his fourth win of the season, allowing an unearned run on two hits with three walks and a strikeout in 5.1 innings. Jason Foley gave up a hit in a scoreless 1.2 innings for his fifth save.

ROSTER MOVES: The Tigers have announced the following roster moves:
*Placed INF Javier Báez on the bereavement list

*Recalled INF Isan Díaz from Triple A Toledo

KEEP CALM AND KERRY ON: Kerry Carpenter launched a pair of solo home runs yesterday, recording the second multi-homer game of his career (other, July 15, 2023 at Seattle). He also became the first Tiger to hit two homers in a game at Fenway Park since Jhonny Peralta on July 30, 2010. With the two homers yesterday, Carpenter extended his hitting streak to a career-best nine games. Over his last 16 games, Carpenter is batting .333/.387/.579 with two doubles, four home runs and nine RBI.
FULLY TORKED: Spencer Torkelson posted the first four-hit game of his big league career, going 4×4 with a double, a home run and a RBI. He joined Eric Haase and Matt Vierling as Tiger players to have four hits in a game this season. Since June 27, Torkelson ranks tied for fifth in the American League with 10 home runs and 28 RBI. GREENE MACHINE: Riley Greene had a pair of hits and drove in a run on Saturday, extending his hitting streak to six games. Greene has hit safely in 48 of his last 59 games, over which he is batting .336/.400/.527 with 17 doubles, a triple, eight home runs and 23 RBI. Among American League players with at least 300 plate appearances this season, Greene ranks sixth with a .304 batting average. Greene also leads all big leaguers age 23-or-younger in wRC+ (136), while he is tied or sixth in fWAR (2.5).

ON THE ROAD: The Tigers are 1-1 on their current nine-game road trip, which includes three games at Boston (1-1), two games at Minnesota (August 15-16) and four games at Cleveland (August 17- 20). Detroit is 27-31 on the road this season. As a team, the Tigers are hitting .223/.290/.368 away from Comerica Park, while the pitching staff has a 4.18 ERA (501.2IP/233ER).

TIGERS AND RED SOX: The Tigers and Red Sox conclude their season series today. Boston has won four of the first five meetings from Detroit this season. In 2022, the Tigers went 1-5 against the Red Sox, including losing all three games at Fenway Park.

ON DECK: After an off day tomorrow, the Tigers and Twins begin their final series of the season on Tuesday. Detroit has gone 7-4 against Minnesota this season, including taking three-of-four games earlier this week in Detroit. The Tigers have clinched the season series against the Twins for the first time since 2016.

TIGERS ON THE IL:

• LHP Tyler Alexander (left lat/shoulder strain, 60-day IL on July 4, retroactive to July 3)
• LHP Matthew Boyd (left elbow sprain, 60-day
  IL on June 27)
• RHP Mason Englert (left hip tightness, 15-day IL on July 24, retroactive to July 23)
• OF Austin Meadows (anxiety, 60-day IL on April 8, retroactive to April 7)
• RHP Casey Mize (right elbow sprain, 60-day IL on February 17)
• RHP Freddy Pacheco (right elbow sprain, 60-day IL on March 27)
• RHP Spencer Turnbull (neck discomfort, 60- day IL on May 12, retroactive to May 7)

TODAY’S TIGERS STARTING PITCHER

57 Eduardo Rodriguez • 8-5, 2.75 ERA (101.1IP/31ER)

• Rodriguez will make his 18th start of the season today in the series finale at Boston.
• Earned his eighth win of the season on Tuesday vs. Minnesota, working 7.0 scoreless innings with four hits allowed, three walks and five strikeouts…marked his fifth start this season with at least 7.0 shutout innings, the most such starts by a Tigers pitcher since Justin Verlander, who also had five outings with at least 7.0 scoreless innings in 2013.
• His only career start against the Red Sox came on April 13, 2022, when he took the loss after giving up seven runs, only two earned, on five hits with three walks and five strikeouts in 3.2 innings…in 78 career outings, including 74 starts, at Fenway Park, Rodriguez has a 28-18 record with a 4.30 ERA (410.0IP/196ER) and 435 strikeouts.
• Among American League pitchers with at least 100.0 innings pitched, he ranks third in ERA (2.75), fourth in FIP (2.95), seventh in opponent batting average (.218) and eighth in WHIP (1.05).
• Had six consecutive starts with at least 5.0 innings pitched and one run-or-less allowed from April 12-May 10, the longest streak of his career, and tied with Michael Fulmer (May 21-June 17, 2016) and Al Benton (April 19-May 20, 1945) for the second-longest streak in franchise history…over that stretch, he compiled a 4-0 record with a 0.43 ERA (41.2IP/2ER) and 41 strikeouts.
• Since 2018, he has a .667 winning percentage, which ranks eighth among all active Major League pitchers over that span (min. 100 starts).

BOSTON RED SOX NOTES:

STATE OF THE SOX: The Red Sox yesterday snapped a 3-game winning streak…They’re 4-2 in their last 6 games. Despite losing 8 of their 10 games from 7/29-8/8, the Sox own the AL’s 4th-best record since 6/14 (28-21). They’re 21-14 since 6/30, the 7th-best mark in MLB. At 61-56 (.521), Boston is tied with the Chicago Cubs for MLB’s 12th-best record.

SERIES BUSINESS: With a win today, Boston would climb to 21-15-2 in series play…They didn’t win their 21st series last season until 9/27-29 vs. BAL, finishing 22-24-6. They would also improve to 13-7-0 in home series, surpassing their win total from 2022 (12-10-4). They are 7-4-0 in their last 11 series, beginning 6/30. On Friday, the Sox improved to 22-16 in series openers…They’re 15-5-1 in series when they win Game 1. Boston is 9-6 in rubber games this season, losing 3 of their last 4 since 7/19 at OAK.

YESTERDAY’S NEWS: The Red Sox lost to the Tigers yesterday in the 2nd game of this series, 6-2. Justin Turner (2-for-4, 2 R, HR, RBI) hit a solo HR in the 8th inning…Rafael Devers (2-for-3, BB) and Reese McGuire (2-for-4, 2B) each had multiple hits.

HOME COOKING: The Sox are 4-5 so far on their season-long 10-game homestand (0-3 vs. TOR, 3-1 vs. KC, 1-1 vs. DET). Boston is 13-6 in its last 19 home games and 34-28 overall, compared to 27-28 on the road. At home, the Sox lead the majors in AVG (.285)…They also rank 2nd in OBP (.350), 4th in SLG (.460) and OPS (.810), and 5th in runs scored per game (5.31).

HIGH FIVE: Boston owns MLB’s best record when scoring 5+ runs (48-7, .873)…They’ve scored 4 runs or fewer in 8 of their last 10 games. Since 6/14, they’ve won 21 of their last 22 games when scoring 5+ runs, including each of their last 7 since 7/22.

LOCK IT DOWN: The Red Sox own MLB’s best record when leading after 6 innings (47-3, .940)…In 2022, they ranked 18th in MLB when leading after 6 (63-10, .863). Boston leads MLB in save % (77.3; 34-for-44).

SOX & TIGERS: The Red Sox have won 4 of their 5 games against the Tigers this season, outscoring DET 31-17. Yesterday’s loss snapped a 9-game win streak vs. DET dating back to 4/12/22…It was Boston’s longest against the Tigers since 1996 (10 games, 6/28-9/19). They swept a 3-game series at DET from 4/6-9. The Sox are 8-1-1 in their last 10 series against the Tigers, dating back to June 2017.

CENTRAL TIME: Boston is 15-10 against AL Central teams this season, after going 18-15 in 2022. The Sox in a stretch of 7 straight games against AL Central teams (3-1 vs. KC, 1-1 vs. DET). They’re 4-2-1 in series against AL Central opponents.

ON THE MEND: Tanner Houck is on a rehab assignment with Triple-A Worcester…He tossed 3.0 scoreless innings in Game 1 of Friday’s doubleheader vs. Buffalo (H, 3 SO, 34 pitches) and also started 8/5 at Syracuse (1.2 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 3 BB, 3 SO, 46 pitches).

BACK TO THE GRIND: On Tuesday, the Red Sox will begin a 10-game road trip to WSH (3 games), NYY (3 games), and HOU (4 games)…It is their longest trip of the year by games. Boston is in a stretch of 32 games in 34 days, from 7/28-8/30…Tomorrow will be their only scheduled day off in a 27-day span from 8/4-30. After tomorrow, the Sox are scheduled to play a game on 16 consecutive days from 8/15-30, their 2nd-longest stretch of the season (19 games, 4/8-26).

IT’S GO TIME: Boston is 4-2 so far in a stretch of 10 games against sub-.500 teams (3-1 vs. KC, 1-1 vs. DET, 3 at WSH). Those 3 teams are a combined 143-211 (.404). Prior to this stretch, the Sox went 4-7 in a stretch of 11 games against teams with a winning record (2-0 vs. ATL, 1-2 at SF, 1-2 at SEA, 0-3 vs. TOR).

SLUGGING SOX: The Red Sox are tied for the MLB lead in doubles (255)…They rank 2nd in the AL in AVG (.261) and XBH (399), 3rd in OBP (.327), and 4th in SLG (.430), and OPS (.757). In their last 35 games since 6/30, Boston leads the AL in AVG (.269) and ranks 3rd in SLG (.455) and OPS (.779).

PITCHING IN: The Red Sox have allowed 3 runs or fewer in 4 of their last 6 games (2, 9, 3, 0, 2, 6), posting a 3.67 ERA. In that span, Sox starters are 2-2 with a 3.64 ERA (12 ER/29.2 IP), while relievers are 2-0 with 6 holds, 3 saves, and a 3.70 ERA (10 ER/24.1 IP).

THE CLOSING ACT: Since July 1, Kenley Jansen ranks T-2nd in the AL with 10 saves…Overall, he ranks 5th in the AL with 26. Jansen has converted each of his last 17 save opportunities since 5/20, the 2nd-longest active streak of successful save chances (TOR’s Jordan Romano-18).

MARTY PARTY: Since 6/9, Chris Martin has allowed only 1 run over his last 23 outings (20.2 IP)…He leads MLB with a 0.44 ERA in that span (min. 20.0 IP). Overall, his 1.41 ERA (6 ER/38.1 IP) is 5th best in the majors (min. 30.0 IP)…His 0.44 home ERA (1 ER/20.1 IP) ranks 2nd in MLB (Josh Hader-0.42; min. 20.0 IP).

RUNNIN’ RED SOX: Boston is 6-for-12 in stolen base attempts over its last 15 games, after going 31-for-36 in the previous 25 games…Overall, the Sox rank 7th in the AL in steals and 9th stolen base % (79.4, 81-for-102). The Sox’ top 3 leaders in steals are a combined 38-for-42 (90.5%): Jarren Duran (23-for-25), Masataka
Yoshida (8-for-8), and Rob Refsnyder (7-for-9).

TODAY’S STARTER: 50 KUTTER CRAWFORD – RHP
W-L ERA G GS IP ER HR BB SO WHIP AVG
2023 5-6 3.80 22 14 85.1 36 13 21 87 1.15 .238
CAREER 8-13 4.81 44 27 164.2 88 26 52 166 1.31 .258

Faced the Tigers in relief on 4/13/22 (0.1 IP, 3 R) and as a starter on 4/9/23 (5.0 IP, 1 R), both in Detroit. Has a 3.43 ERA in his last 9 starts since 6/20 (17 ER/44.2 IP). Owns a 2.13 ERA, 0.95 WHIP, and .209 opponent AVG on the road (50.2 IP), compared to a 6.23 ERA, 1.44 WHIP, and .277 opponent AVG at home (34.2 IP). Ranks in MLB’s 75th percentile or higher in chase rate (91st), walk rate (85th), fastball spin (90th), and expected opponent average (75th). Opponents have hit .173 vs. his 4-seam fastball (19-for-110), which ranks 8th of 136 in MLB (min. 100 PA ending with 4-seam fastball).