Tigers vs Orioles Preview: Heroic Flaherty Faces Bassitt

Detroit needs a win badly. The Tigers are sitting at 20-31 with a brutal six-game losing streak hanging over their heads. They've only won one game in their last ten. This is the moment to turn things around. Jack Flaherty takes the mound for Detroit. He's posted a 4.39 ERA this season with a 1.95 WHIP. The Tigers' legendary pitching staff—led by ace Tarik Skubal—was supposed to carry them far. Skubal is rehabbing an elbow injury but is throwing harder already. Detroit needs to trust their arms and their bats right now.

Baltimore is 21-29 and lost three straight games. They need answers fast. Chris Bassitt steps onto the mound wearing an Orioles uniform. His numbers look rough—0-1 with an 8.78 ERA and 2.44 WHIP through his starts. That's a lot of damage per inning. The O's built their hopes around pitching depth, but Bassitt hasn't delivered yet. This is his chance to show what he can do. The Orioles' hitters need to score runs and give him breathing room. Baltimore has young talent at the plate. They need their bats alive tonight.

Both teams are banged up. Detroit lost Parker Meadows to surgery—he fractured his radius and won't return for months. Gleyber Torres can't swing full speed yet with an oblique strain. Kerry Carpenter and Javier Baez are both close to returning soon. Baltimore's closer Ryan Helsley just played catch for the first time since his injury. He's making progress but still needs work. The Orioles are also without Dean Kremer, who's building back his arm strength. Injuries always change how teams play. The healthy players stepping up will decide this game.

Jack Flaherty once wore an Orioles uniform. Now he's back in Baltimore as a Tiger. He's a first-round draft pick from 2014 who came up with the Cardinals. Flaherty has pitched for four different MLB teams. Each stop taught him something new. His experience matters tonight. The Orioles know how Flaherty pitches. Baltimore's hitters have faced him before. But history doesn't guarantee anything in baseball. Flaherty wants to prove his Tigers aren't done fighting. One win starts the climb back up.