Zimmermann said after the game that he is “going to go back to the drawing board.” I would think he should have a pretty spiffy board by now.

Thankfully, we get treated to a Fulmer start this afternoon. Let’s hope Mikie and the boys can scratch out a run or two for him.

Chad Bell was apparently still on the team, since he has been sent back to Toledo. Zac Reininger has been called up to the bigs for the first time. Bryan Holaday is a fan of Reininger, and says he has a 98 fastball and three good offspeed pitches. Hopefully we don’t see him today (I hope we get 8 out of Fulmer), but he at least sounds worth taking a look at.

Today’s Lineup:

1. Ian Kinsler, 2B
2. Mikie Mahtook, RF
3. Justin Upton, LF
4. Miguel Cabrera, DH
5. Nick Castellanos, 3B
6. James McCann, C
7. John Hicks, 1B
8. JaCoby Jones, CF
9. Jose Iglesias, SS

Pitching:  Michael Fulmer vs Jaime Garcia

Mikie-Man gets a rare day off with The Lettuce being served up in center.

Rumor has it that Nick has been taking pre-game outfield practice.

Today’s Lineup:

1. Ian Kinsler, 2B
2. Alex Presley, RF
3. Justin Upton, LF
4. Miguel Cabrera, 1B
5. Nick Castellanos, 3B
6. Victor Martinez, DH
7. John Hicks, C
8. Andrew Romine, CF
9. Jose Iglesias, SS

Pitching:  Jordan Zimmermann vs Luis Severino

That was a classic Verlander start to stop the losing streak. Apparently, according to Chris McCosky, Verlander decided before the game to add a new pitch to his mix, a cut-slider, and was throwing two different sliders, which had the Dodgers confused. Good stuff.

Today’s Lineup:

1. Ian Kinsler, 2B
2. Mikie Mahtook, CF
3. Justin Upton, LF
4. Miguel Cabrera, 1B
5. Nick Castellanos, 3B
6. Victor Martinez, DH
7. James McCann, C
8. Alex Presley, RF
9. Jose Iglesias, SS

Pitching:  Matthew Boyd vs Masahiro Tanaka

Justin Verlander and the Sunday Scrubs try to keep the Tigers from being swept for the second consecutive series.

Yesterday Michael Fulmer became just the 2nd Tiger in 10 years to lose a game where he pitched at least 7 innings with no earned runs. It was a different kind of historic day for the Dodgers who won their record 13th consecutive interleague game.

In other news Justin Upton says he hasn’t decided if he is doing to opt out of his contract or not.

Today’s Lineup:

1. Ian Kinsler, 2B
2. Alex Presley, RF
3. Justin Upton, LF
4. Miguel Cabrera, 1B
5. Mikie Mahtook, CF
6. Victor Martinez, DH
7. John Hicks, C
8. Andrew Romine, 3B
9. Dixon Machado, SS

Pitching:  Justin Verlander vs Kenta Maeda

Curtis Granderson will lead the game off for the Dodgers, which should be a familiar sight for a lot of the Tiger fans at the game.

We may see an old face back in Detroit tonight: the Dodgers have acquired Curtis Granderson from the Mets.

Today’s Lineup:

1. Ian Kinsler, 2B
2. Mikie Mahtook, RF
3. Justin Upton, LF
4. Miguel Cabrera, 1B
5. Nick Castellanos, 3B
6. Victor Martinez, DH
7. James McCann, C
8. JaCoby Jones, CF
9. Jose Iglesias, SS

Pitching:  Michael Fulmer vs Hyun-Jin Ryu

Well, the Tigers were just swept by the Rangers, so they couldn’t do any worse against the Dogers, right?

Sauchie is on the DL with longballitis—um, i mean hamstring soreness—and the Tigers bring up the other forgotten man, Jacoby Jones (what, no Adduci?).

Today’s Lineup:

1. Ian Kinsler, 2B
2. Mikie Mahtook, CF
3. Justin Upton, LF
4. Miguel Cabrera, 1B
5. Nick Castellanos, 3B
6. Victor Martinez, DH
7. James McCann, C
8. Alex Presley, RF
9. Jose Iglesias, SS

Pitching:  Jordan Zimmermann vs Rich Hill

Rich Hill is a Wolverine alum, so there should be plenty of friends and family and all that there to watch.

Ian Kinsler is not at all happy about Angel Hernandez behind the plate, and he is not the only one—just the one willing to take the fine/suspension that is coming his way.

Today’s Lineup:

1. Ian Kinsler, 2B
2. Mikie Mahtook, CF
3. Justin Upton, LF
4. Miguel Cabrera, DH
5. John Hicks, 1B
6. Nick Castellanos, 3B
7. James McCann, C
8. Alex Presley, RF
9. Jose Iglesias, SS

Pitching: Anibal Sanchez vs Cole Hamels

McCann and Mikie continued their hot streaks, and Upton was Upton, but nobody else did much of anything.

Supposedly the Tigers and Astros are still discussing a Verlander trade.

And SS Isaac Paredes is ripping it up for the West Michigan Whitecaps: in 5 games his has hit .400 with 3 HR.

Today’s Lineup:

1. Ian Kinsler, 2B
2. Mikie Mahtook, CF
3. Justin Upton, LF
4. Miguel Cabrera, 1B
5. Nick Castellanos, 3B
6. Victor Martinez, DH
7. James Hicks, C
8. Alex Presley, RF
9. Jose Iglesias, SS

Pitching: Justin Verlander vs AJ Griffin

The bullpen purge continues; yesterday Mujica was Mudhenned, today it’s Bruce Rondon, who got the quick hook after starting his last appearance off with back-to-back walks. Eventually they will cut this guy loose.

The good news is Michael Fulmer is back from the DL.

The other good news is that even though I apparently jinxed Mikie Mahtook, who took an 0-for-5 after I spotlighted him (and chose him in Beat the Streak), James McCann still stayed hot.

Not much has been said about McCann, but since the break he has hit .354 with a .906 OPS. Getting the starting job back seems to agree with him.

Today’s Lineup:

1. Ian Kinsler, 2B
2. Mikie Mahtook, CF
3. Justin Upton, LF
4. Nick Castellanos, 3B
5. John Hicks, 1B
6. Victor Martinez, DH
7. James McCann, C
8. Alex Presley, RF
9. Jose Iglesias, SS

Pitching:  Michael Fulmer vs Martin Perez

It’s hard to be a curmudgeon with a mean streak when the Tigers pull out a game the way they did last night. It’s hard to say enough about Mikie Mahtook. Since the break he has been hitting .361 with an OPS of 1.037.

Maybe it was sharp scouting or maybe just plain baseball luck, but the Tigers really seemed to have pulled one off when they picked up Mahtook for some player to be named later. (OK I looked it up, some minor leaguer named Drew Smith, who Tampa has since released and is now on the Mets AA team).  And the best thing, with the Tigers dire salary predicament, is that they are getting all this for $541,000. Mahtook is not eligible for arbitration until 2019, and free agency until 2022.

Still, Justin Upton upstaged Mikie with the walkoff. Another one. Upton is the one player playing up to his very high salary. I shudder to think where this offense would be without him.

Miguel Cabrera left last night’s game with back stiffness and is taking today off. Although in this down season, John Hicks may even be an upgrade.

Edward Mujica pitched himself back to Toledo; the Tigers call up RH Jeff Farrell.

Today’s Lineup:

1. Mikie Mahtook, CF
2. Alex Presley, RF
3. Justin Upton, LF
4. Nick Castellanos, 3B
5. John Hicks, 1B
6. Victor Martinez, DH
7. James McCann, C
8. Andrew Romine, 2B
9. Jose Iglesias, SS

Pitching:  Matthew Boyd vs Ervin Santana

Today’s game starts early, to give Nick time to tag up and get to 3rd.

Alex Presley back up in the newest chapter in the mystery thriller The Adduci Recusal.  Adduci back to Mudville

Today’s Lineup:

1. Ian Kinsler, 2B
2. Mikie Mahtook, CF
3. Justin Upton, LF
4. Miguel Cabrera, 1B
5. Nick Castellanos, 3B
6. Victor Martinez, DH
7. James McCann, C
8. Alex Presley, RF
9. Jose Iglesias, SS

Pitching:  Jordan Zimmermann vs Jose Berrios

Well, a slow day in my head, so let’s just check in with what

The Donkey, Don Kelly, has been up to.

Today’s Lineup:

1. Ian Kinsler, 2B
2. Mikie Mahtook, CF
3. Justin Upton, LF
4. Miguel Cabrera, 1B
5. Nick Castellanos, 3B
6. Victor Martinez, DH
7. James McCann, C
8. Andrew Romine, RF
9. Jose Iglesias, SS

Pitching:  Sanchie vs Gibsy