Detroit Tigers game vs. Tampa Bay Rays: Time, TV channel, lineup

Detroit Tigers progress report: Jeff Greenberg explains what to watch

Detroit Tigers GM Jeff Greenberg sat down with Freep’s Evan Petzold to discuss the 2024 team. Full interview is out now on our “Days of Roar” podcast.

Detroit Tigers (13-10) vs. Tampa Bay Rays (12-12)

When: 6:50 p.m. Tuesday.

Where: Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, Florida.

TV: Bally Sports Detroit.

Radio: WXYT-FM (97.1). (Tigers radio affiliates).

Weather reports: Indoors.

Probable pitchers: Tigers RHP Kenta Maeda (0-1, 7.64 ERA) vs. Rays RHP Ryan Pepiot (2-2, 4.37 ERA)

• Box score

Tigers lineup:

DH Riley Greene
RF Wencel Perez
1B Mark Canha
LF Kerry Carpenter
3B Matt Vierling
SS Javier Baez
2B Colt Keith
CF Parker Meadows
C Carson Kelly

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Game notes: The Tigers will have Kenta Maeda on the mound Tuesday as he continues to try and find his footing this season. Maeda was knocked out before completing the fourth inning for the second time this year in his last outing, throwing just 2⅔ innings against the Texas Rangers and surrendering five earned runs, seven hits and most crucially, three home runs. The game against the Rangers was also the second time this year that he’s given up three homers, also doing so in his 3⅓ outing in his season debut against the Chicago White Sox on March 30.

The most recent outing was a major regression for Maeda, who seemed to be trending in the right direction after opening the season with a stinker. Maeda’s three home runs allowed on April 18 moved him into a tie for the league lead at the time for homers allowed with seven, certainly not a statistic anyone wants to lead in. Kyle Hendricks of the Chicago Cubs has since passed Maeda with eight home runs allowed, but Maeda still sits in second.

The home runs and overall production in general against Maeda are obviously a sign of something bigger overall. Maeda had Tommy John surgery in September of 2021 and then missed the entire 2022 season while recovering. He came back last year and after a rocky start, including some time on the injured list, finished really strong over his final 17 appearances. As Our Man Evan Petzold wrote this week, Maeda believes he knows what’s causing his early struggles.

“There’s certain parts within my mechanics that I have to clean up,” Maeda told Our Man Petzold. “Prior to the surgery, I didn’t have to be aware of it or mindful of it. Everything just synced, and I was able to go out there and deliver my pitches naturally, but since the surgery, especially this year, there’s one thing that mind is trying to do, and my body is doing something else, so there’s a little bit of a discrepancy between the mind and the body. That part needs to be all synced up. I’m having some trouble getting those to align .”

Maeda’s fastball in the last game averaged just 89 mph, and he had issues throwing strikes. Struggling early in the season is certainly not something Maeda hasn’t overcome in the past, but the Tigers will be looking for him to turn the corner sooner than later.

After Tuesday’s showdown, the Tigers will finish their series against the Rays with another 6:50 pm start at Tropicana Field before an off day on Thursday and then the start of a new series with the Kansas City Royals.