New York Yankees @ Detroit Tigers: Gerrit Cole vs. Casey Mize

Almost exactly a month ago, Gerrit Cole faced the Detroit Tigers at Yankee Stadium, and absolutely dissected their lineup. The Yankee ace threw six shutout innings, stuck out twelve, and didn’t walk a single man. He’ll look to replicate that performance tonight against these very same Tigers, this time from Comerica Park.

Casey Mize, a consensus top 5 prospect in baseball just a year ago, opposes Cole, and has taken steps forward in 2021. His ERA+ of 125 points at a player that’s kept his opponent off the board, a marketed improvement over last season. However, he’s striking out batters at a rate 1.5 points lower than last season, which may hint that he’s actually less deceptive now that teams have more MLB-level data on him. Either way, he’s one of the young stars crucial to Detroit’s rebuild, and this will be his first time seeing the Yankees.

Comerica Park holds a special place in my heart, as I completed my undergrad within walking distance of the stadium, albeit on the other side of the border. Tunnel Bus rides and nosebleed seats were a staple of the spring and fall of university, and although Comerica isn’t always mentioned as one of the better parks in baseball, I think it deserves to be included in short lists.

Giancarlo Stanton is back and batting second!

How to watch

Location: Comerica Park, Detroit, MI

First pitch: 7:05 pm ET

TV broadcast: YES, BSDET

Radio broadcast: WFAN 660/101.9 FM, WADO 1280

Online stream: MLB.tv

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