Detroit — Tigers right-hander Michael Lorenzen had to wait an extra day to face his former teammates.
The Tigers and Angels game scheduled for Wednesday night was postponed with severe weather forecasted for most of the night in metro Detroit.
The game will be made up as part of a straight doubleheader Thursday starting at 1:10 p.m. The second game will start 40 minutes after the first one ends.
“It’ll be fun,” said Lorenzen, who pitched for his hometown Angels last season. “I enjoy everyone over there on that team. It’s been good to see a lot of familiar faces.”
As an added bonus — for fans more than the Tigers — Angels manager Phil Nevin told reporters Wednesday that Shohei Ohtani would start in Game 1. Initially, the Angels planned to for Ohtani’s next pitching start to be Friday in Toronto.
The change was made, Nevin said, to avoid Ohtani having to hit in both games of a doubleheader, travel and then pitch on Friday. Ohtani is still expected to hit in both games Thursday.
The Tigers are expected to pitch Lorenzen in Game 1 and Matt Manning in Game 2. But they hadn’t made that official as of 6 p.m. Wednesday.
“Ohtani took me deep twice in spring training,” Lorenzen said. “I’ve got to figure out a different plan.”
Lorenzen said he also picked Ohtani’s brain about his slider.
“He has an incredible slider,” Lorenzen said. “Just seeing why it was so good, how it fits his mechanics so well. Trying to replicate something like that has helped my slider.”
This will be the first time Lorenzen has faced a former team. He’d spent the first seven seasons in the big leagues with the Reds but didn’t face them last season.
“He’s really smart,” Lorenzen said. “He’s got power and stuff but he doesn’t rely on that. He studies and knows his stuff. That’s why what he’s doing is not only impressive but it’s sustainable.”
Lorenzen, who spent the first seven seasons in the big leagues with the Reds, never faced them last season. So, this is the first time he’s faced former teammates.
“It’s going to be a good atmosphere,” he said. “They are in a tight spot. They have to win every game (to stay in the playoff race). There’s going to be some good battles tomorrow. I’ve got to show up with my A-game for sure.”
It could also be Lorenzen’s last start in a Tigers uniform. Being on a one-year deal and enjoying All-Star success, he’s a very likely trade candidate before the Aug. 1 deadline.
Fans with paid tickets for Wednesday’s game can exchange their tickets any time for any future regular season game of similar value in the next 12 months, excluding Opening Day 2024.
Angels at Tigers
▶ First pitch: (Straight doubleheader) 1:10 p.m., 3:30 (approximately), Comerica Park
▶ TV/radio: Bally Sports Detroit, MLBN / 97.1
Scouting report
Game 1
▶ RHP Shohei Ohtani (8-5, 3.71), Angels: He’s had a rough month on the mound. In three July starts he’s been tagged for 14 earned runs in 16.1 innings and he’s given up six home runs.
▶ RHP Michael Lorenzen (5-6, 3.49), Tigers: Since giving up five runs on five singles in the second inning in Denver, he’s been on a run of 21.2 straight scoreless innings. He’s 3-0 in July, holding hitters to a .136 average. In that stretch, he’s lowered his ERA from 4.28 to 3.49. Nice time to be facing his former teammates.
Game 2
▶ LHP Patrick Sandoval (5-7, 4.16), Angels: His elite changeup is going to be a challenge for Tigers hitters. He’s holding opponents to a .181 batting average with a 41.5% whiff rate with it. He’s made two strong starts this month, limiting the Padres and Yankees to one earned each, covering 12.1 innings.
▶ RHP Matt Manning (3-1, 3.19), Tigers: His start was moved up a day since he was limited to two innings on Monday because of a rain delay. He’s only gone six or more innings once since he’s returned from the injured list, and that was his no-hit performance over 6.2 innings against the Blue Jays.
chris.mccosky@detroitnews.com
Twitter: @cmccosky