Tigers vs. Rays Preview: Skubal to the mound for the rubber match

The Detroit Tigers and Tampa Bay Rays split the first two of their three-game weekend series with the hometown boys prevailing on Friday night behind a home run barrage, 10-4, while the visitors struck back on Saturday against Casey Mize for a 7-2 victory. Now on Sunday, the two tangle once more to see who comes away with the series win.

It is an early one in the Motor City today with a lunchtime hour start, so we will keep it short and sweet. Another former prized pitching prospect in Tarik Skubal takes the mound for the Old English D while the Rays send a young gun of their own to the bump in 21-year-old Luis Patiño. Here is an overview of their respective numbers.

Detroit Tigers (67-76) vs. Tampa Bay Rays (89-53)

Time/Place: 12:10 p.m., Comerica Park
SB Nation site: DRays Bay
Media: Bally Sports Detroit, MLB.TV, Tigers Radio Network
Pitching Matchup: LHP Tarik Skubal (8-12, 4.30 ERA) vs. RHP Luis Patiño (4-3, 4.65 ERA)

Key Matchup: Skubal vs. the Rays offense

Tampa Bay has the second-most strikeouts of any major league team with 1,369 over the course of 142 games this season (the Chicago Cubs have the most, with 1,410 in 143 games). Skubal has been able to strike out opposing hitters with some amount of authority in 2021 and has tallied two games with 10 or more Ks. Look for him to mark his third on Sunday afternoon.