The Tigers looked like they were heading for a losing series in Kansas City, until a complete game gem by David Price and 5 innings or perfect game to start Sunday’s game by Anibal Sanchez led them back to what turned out to be a satisfying series split.

Hopefully the day off didn’t cool any momentum the Tigers had, and if momentum in baseball is really your next game’s starter, let’s hope Shane Greene pitches more like his first few starts than like his last two. The weather in Chicago is foggy and drizzly, and we know how the Tigers have done in sketchy weather this season. On the other hand, the White Sox have had a rough week and are riding a 5-game losing streak, which began with an empty-stadium loss and Baltimore, followed by a 4-game sweep by the Twins.

Tonight’s lineup will be missing Jose Iglesias, who joins Rajai Davis in the tight groin club and is day-to-day. Iglesias’ .345 bat will be replaced by The Lettuce, who is merely hitting .545 with an OPS of 1.188. Ladies and gentlemen, you don’t get much better than that from your #9 hitters.

Tonight’s Tightly-Groined Tigers lineup:

1. Anthony Gose, CF
2. Ian Kinsler, 2B
3. Miguel Cabrera, 1B
4. Victor Martinez, DH
5. JD Martinez, RF
6. Yoenis Cespedes, LF
7. Nick Castellanos, 3B
8. Alex Avila, C
9. Andrew Romine, SS

It wasn’t cold last night, and the Tigers didn’t hit into a bunch of double plays or leave a dozen men on base. The latest winning streak came to an end because last night Cy Pelfrey baffled the Tigers to the tune of only 3 hits and 6 total base runners. Was this the first “tip your cap” game of the season? Although with no Jim Leyland around there was nobody to literally say “you have to tip your cap to him,” although Victor Martinez came close with “you have to give him credit and move on.” OK, we’ll go with that.

Speaking of Victor Martinez, there is a hole in the Tigers lineup which is like the elephant in the room. The Tigers are close to having the weakest cleanup hitter in baseball; in the American League only Minnesota is worse. The prime 4th spot in the lineup has given the Tigers this so far: .247 BA .654 OPS (which includes a paltry .301 slugging percentage) and more double plays grounded into (4) than extra base hits (2). The Tigers have been lucky so far to get surprisingly good production from their 9th and leadoff hitters, and that won’t last, which will only make the hole look bigger, and lead to more games like the game last week in Cleveland where Miguel Cabrera only got one swing in the entire game.

Things that will never happen: moving Yoenis Cespedes up to the cleanup spot until Victor gets his legs back would put a bat behind Cabrera that would actually scare pitchers now and then.

Today’s Bag O’ Lettuce Lineup:

1. Rajai Davis, CF
2. Ian Kinsler, 2B
3. Miguel Cabrera, 1B
4. Victor Martinez, DH
5. JD Martinez, RF
6. Yoenis Cespedes, LF
7. Nick Castellanos, 3B
8. James McCann C
9. Andrew Romine, SS

Rajai is back today to try out his rested groin, James McCann replaces The Walkman, and Andrew Romine gets his first start since April 11, when he had a hit, 3 walks, and 2 stolen bases.

By now most of you will have heard the bad news that Kirk Gibson has been diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease, which explains his absence from the broadcasting booth. Jason Beck has a collection of reactions to the news.  As Brad Ausmus says, “I can’t see Kirk Gibson folding up shop and crawling into a corner over this.” Best wishes to one of the most memorable Tigers from the Sparky era.

Well, the Tigers tried an experiment last night with the lineup, and it worked:  Jose Iglesias went nuts in the 2nd spot, with three hits including a home run (!) and a triple. People are already starting to talk about how his success isn’t sustainable (which of course it isn’t), just as his average his rookie season was a fluke, based on an abnormal number of infield hits. At a certain point though, if a guy is consistently “lucky”…well, maybe the “luck” will last a while.

At any rate, with a right-hander on the mound, the experiment is over and Iglesias takes his seat at the back of the Bottom-of-the-Order Boys section of the lineup.

Tonight’s Win-One-For-The-Gibby Lineup:

1. Anthony Gose, CF
2. Ian Kinsler, 2B
3. Miguel Cabrera, 1B
4. Victor Martinez, DH
5. JD Martinez, RF
6. Yoenis Cespedes, LF
7. Alex Avila, C
8. Nick Castellanos, 3B
9. Jose Iglesias, SS

The Tigers are back to winning, taking the Indians series with a 2-game winning streak, and now they get the Twins, who they dominated by a combined score of 22-1 to start the season. It would be nice to get some momentum to take on the road to Kansas City on Friday.

The victory Sunday came with a cost, however, as Rajai Davis had to leave the game with a groin strain and is day-to-day. Davis says he doesn’t “think it’s serious at all,” but you may recall Davis struggled down the stretch at the end of last season with a bad groin.

David Price laid an egg his last start, on a night on which he said he couldn’t feel his fingers. It’s should be in the high 60s in Minneapolis tonight.

Today’s Price-Is-Right Lineup:

1. Ian Kinsler, 2B
2. Jose Iglesias, SS
3. Miguel Cabrera, 1B
4. Victor Martinez, DH
5. JD Martinez, RF
6. Yoenis Cespedes, LF
7. Alex Avila, C
8. Hernan Perez, 3B
9. Anthony Gose, CF

This is the most different lineup of the season so far. With Davis out, Gose plays center, but against the lefty Milone is slotted 9th, which gives Kinsler his first leadoff spot of the year. Also Iglesias moves up to 2nd, which, considering how often he puts the ball in play, should be a good spot for him. The slumping LOB machine Nick Castellanos gets a day off. The two missed pop flies in the same at bat could not have helped his cause.

Well, there is one good thing about last night’s game. But what it is I couldn’t tell you. I guess if you were at the game, the beer stayed cold, we’ll go with that.

The Tigers turn to Anibal Sanchez to stop their first losing streak of the season, and hope to see the old Anibal, or at least not the one from the past two games. Over his last start Sanchez has only managed a combined 9.2 innings pitched, and given up 14 earned runs, including 5 long balls (he only gave up 4 HRs all of 2014).

If Sanchez struggles again this time out, the well-worked bullpen will be severely tested. The Tigers brought up a fresh arm today to help out: Ian Krol, who would be unavailable today anyway, was sent to Toledo and swapped out for right-hander Alex Wilson, who came to Detroit from Boston in the Rick Porcello trade. Wilson has yet to give up a run this season in Toledo, and is 3 for 3 in saves.

And speaking of saves, today the Tigers announced the sad news that Joe Nathan will be having season-ending Tommy John surgery. I wasn’t in any particular hurry to see Joe take the closer role back from Soria, but nonetheless this is a tough break for Nathan, and it’s hard to not see this as the end of his very good career.

Today’s Chilled-Out Lineup:

1. Anthony Gose, CF
2. Ian Kinsler, 2B
3. Miguel Cabrera, 1B
4. Victor Martinez, DH
5. JD Martinez, RF
6. Yoenis Cespedes, LF
7. Alex Avila, C
8. Nick Castellanos, 3B
9. Hernan Perez, SS

Castellanos takes a step back in the order, and Iglesias gets a day off.