DETROIT -- Eric Haase, the Detroit-area native who hit a dramatic home run in his first Opening Day at Comerica Park, is getting the start in Game 2 on Saturday.
The Tigers (1-0) will face the White Sox (0-1) at 1:10 p.m.
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Haase will catch starting pitcher Casey Mize and hit seventh in the Tigers’ batting order. All other spots are identical to the opener, which the Tigers won 5-4 in front of a sell-out crowd on Friday afternoon.
Haase entered the game as a pinch hitter and came to the plate in the bottom of the ninth with the Tigers trailing by one run. He worked the count full before driving one over the left field fence against Chicago White Sox closer Liam Hendriks.
Tigers manager A.J. Hinch said Haase’s start was pre-planned rather than a response to Friday’s heroics.
Hinch said the other reserve catcher, Dustin Garneau, will start on Tuesday and that Miguel Cabrera will get a day off on Wednesday. Rookie Spencer Torkelson could sit in favor of veteran utility man Harold Castro as early as Sunday.
Hinch said he mapped out the lineups for the first homestand of the season to get everyone at-bats and ensure that no one languished on the bench after playing daily in spring training.
“I’m just warning you that (the lineups) are kind of pre-made. Whether Tork gets two hits or four hits or no hits today, he may have tomorrow off,” Hinch said. “I’ve got to get these guys in the game.”
Haase and the Tigers will have their work cut out for them on Saturday. White Sox starter Dylan Cease is 8-0 with a 2.10 ERA in nine career starts against Detroit. He’s struck out 59 in 51 1/3 innings.
The White Sox lineup is nearly identical to the opener, except Gavin Sheets will start at designated hitter instead of Andrew Vaughn.
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