Detroit Tigers lineup vs. Chicago Cubs: Riley Greene returns for series finale

Detroit Tigers (58-68) vs. Chicago Cubs (65-60)

When: 1:10 p.m. Wednesday, series finale.

Where: Comerica Park in Detroit.

TV: Bally Sports Detroit, MLB Network for out-of-market.

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

Starting pitchers: Tigers LHP Tarik Skubal (3-2, 3.76 ERA) vs. Cubs RHP Jameson Taillon (7-8, 5.56 ERA).

• Box score

Tigers lineup:

LF Akil Baddoo
RF Riley Greene
1B Spencer Torkelson
DH Kerry Carpenter
3B Matt Vierling
CF Parker Meadow
SS Zach McKinstry
2B Andy Ibáñez
C Jake Rogers

NEW HOME: Former Detroit Tigers catcher Eric Haase claimed off waivers by Cleveland Guardians

Who to follow: Evan Petzold, Free Press beat writer on Tigers.

Game notes: Young Tigers lefty Tarik Skubal has looked great for much of the 2023 season but has struggled at times with a few blowup innings that ruined otherwise great starts. However, he corrected the issue in his last outing against the Cleveland Guardians, allowing just one run.

Plain and simple, Skubal has absolutely nasty stuff on the mound. He is capable of being one of the best pitchers in the MLB, but his tendency to give up hits and runs in bunches has hurt him this year and it has led to some inconsistent performances. In five of his eight starts, he has allowed one run combined. In the other three starts? 15 earned — not much in-between there.

Skubal completed a season-high six innings in his last outing against the Guardians. The team has been very careful with his inning count since returning from a flexor tendon surgery that sidelined him for the first half of the year.

Albeit in a small sample size, Skubal has been dominant in games at Comerica Park this season. He has a 0.00 ERA in his four starts at home this season, compared to his 7.20 ERA on the road.

On the other side, the Tigers will close out their series with a matchup against Jameson Taillon, a native of Lakeland, Florida, an area the Tigers know well as their spring training home. Taillon spent four seasons with the Pittsburgh Pirates and two with the New York Yankees and his ERA never topped 4.44, but this year has been a different story. Taillon has the highest ERA of his entire career, at 5.56, but he still has time to try and right the ship as the Cubs push for a playoff spot. As for Taillon’s recent form, he allowed just two runs on six hits against the Kansas City Royals in his last outing, was but shelled in the outing before that, giving up eight runs in just three innings against the Toronto Blue Jays on Aug. 13.

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