Detroit Tigers beat Seattle Mariners, 5-3, in series finale: Game thread replay

Detroit Tigers (17-21) vs. Seattle Mariners (20-19)

When: 1:40 p.m. Sunday.

Where: Comerica Park in Detroit.

TV: Bally Sports Detroit.

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

Starting pitchers: Tigers LHP Joey Wentz (1-3, 6.09 ERA) vs. Mariners RHP Logan Gilbert (1-2, 3.79).

• Box score

Tigers lineup:

1. 2B Zach McKinstry

2. CF Riley Greene

3. SS Javier Báez

4. 1B Spencer Torkelson

5. DH Nick Maton

6. 3B Andy Ibáñez

7. LF Akil Baddoo

8. RF Matt Vierling

9. C Jake Rogers

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Game notes: It could be a matchup of stuff vs. scouting for the Tigers vs. Logan Gilbert today at Comerica Park. The third-year righty — he was drafted No. 14 overall in 2018, 13 picks after the Tigers took Casey Mize at No. 1 — has steadily been decreasing the usage of his four-seam fastball in favor of his curve. And for good reason: His four-seamer, which featured a minus-19 run value in his rookie season and a minus-12 RV last year, has been a plus-1 pitch this season, with Gilbert throwing it 48.1% of the time. Meanwhile, Gilbert has gone from throwing his curve 7.2% of the time as a rookie to 19.2% this season (though it hasn’t increased its effectiveness similarly). Just one problem: The Tigers, as a team, fare reasonably well against curves; their .231 batting average on the pitch ranks 15^th and is six points above the league average (.225). Against four-seamers, however, the Tigers have had issues: Their .233 average is well below the league’s mark of .268 and ranks 27^th out of 30 teams. (Only the Padres, at .221, the Guardians, at .216, and the Twins, at .197, have hit worse against four-seamers this season.)

Meanwhile, as Joey Wentz is on the mound, expect to see a fair amount of cutters; the lefty has utilized the pitch 25.5% of the time, second only to his four-seamer (46.5%). The Mariners have struggled against cutters this season; their .214 average against the pitch ranks 24^th and is well below the league mark of .251.

After today’s series finale — the teams meet again in Seattle in mid-July right after the All-Star Game (which is also in Seattle) — the Tigers get Monday off before hosting the Pittsburgh Pirates in The Battle For Jim Leyland’s Heart (or something like that). The Mariners, meanwhile, head further east, with a visit to Boston for three games against the Red Sox beginning Monday.

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This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Detroit Tigers beat Seattle Mariners 5-3: Game thread replay