Cole Hamels and Mike Fiers could soon find themselves in a pennant race. Both
veterans can increase their chances of joining a championship contender with
solid starts on Saturday afternoon.
The two pitchers will be the mound opponents when the Texas Rangers and
Detroit Tigers play the third game of a four-game series at Detroit¡¯s Comerica
Park. They have split the first two games.
Both teams are floundering Youth
Jordan Akins Jersey , but contenders seeking veteran help could
turn to Hamels or Fiers.
Hamels, a 34-year-old Texas left-hander, knows about the trade rumors but is
more concerned with improving upon his recent outings.
¡°It¡¯s not a big deal,¡± he told MLB.com after his last start. ¡°It¡¯s out of my
control. I have to go and pitch, and hopefully that¡¯ll be the last time I have
to answer that question.¡±
Hamels had stellar road outings against the Los Angeles Dodgers and Kansas
City in mid-June, but he lasted just five innings in each of his last two
starts. He gave up a season-high seven runs and nine hits to the Chicago White
Sox on Sunday.
Hamels (4-7, 4.05 ERA) is 4-2 with a 3.69 ERA in six career starts against
the Tigers.
Fiers has been at the top of his game in his last two starts. He held Oakland
to one run and five hits in seven innings, then worked a season-high eight
innings on Monday in Toronto. The Blue Jays managed just one run and three hits,
but he wound up with no-decision when the bullpen couldn¡¯t hold a one-run lead
in the ninth inning.
Fiers (5-5, 3.79) has kept opponents off-balance by mixing well-located
fastballs with a healthy dose of curveballs and changeups.
¡°He was changing speeds, locating the ball Youth
Darius Leonard Jersey ,¡± Tigers manager Ron Gardenhire said
afterward. ¡°He paints the strike zone. When the catcher sets up away and in
front, he throws away and in front.¡±
Fiers issued 62 walks in 29 outings last season with Houston and was left off
the playoff roster. He has shown much better control this year, issuing 20 free
passes in 16 starts.
¡°Just throwing a lot of strikes, changing speeds,¡± Fiers told the Detroit
News. ¡°I¡¯m just glad I got the opportunity here.¡±
Texas has solved Fiers in the past. He¡¯s 1-3 wth an 8.10 ERA in seven career
appearances against the Rangers.
Texas didn¡¯t have any luck on Friday night against Detroit pitcher Jordan
Zimmermann after Shin-Soo Choo smacked a leadoff homer. Zimmermann struck out a
season-high 11 batters in the Tigers¡¯ 3-1 victory.
Zimmermann pitched eight innings, allowing Gardenhire to go straight to
fill-in closer Joe Jimenez. Detroit¡¯s regular closer, Shane Greene, is on the
disabled list.
¡°Best thing we¡¯re all seeing is we¡¯re pounding the strike zone right now,¡±
Gardenhire said. ¡°Pitchers are getting deeper into games. That¡¯s really going to
help our baseball team.¡±
Choo¡¯s on-base streak increased to 45 games with the homer, his 17th this
season. His bat hasn¡¯t cooled off despite a nagging right quad injury. Choo is
batting .291 with a .401 on-base percentage.
The Rangers had scored five or more runs in eight of their previous 12
games.
The Chicago Bears say they have interviewed Minnesota Vikings
defensive coordinator George Edwards for their coaching job.
The 50-year-old Edwards has coached 28 seasons ¨C 20 in the NFL ¨C and has been
Minnesota¡¯s defensive coordinator since 2014. The NFC North champion Vikings
gave up a league-low 275.9 yards and 15.8 points per game. They were also second
against the run and the pass.
The interview with Edwards in Minnesota on Thursday was the Bears¡¯ second
since they fired John Fox this week. Chicago also met with defensive coordinator
Vic Fangio at the team¡¯s headquarters on Wednesday.
Fox was let go after posting a 14-34 record in three years and a .292 winning
percentage that ranks as the second-lowest in franchise history. The Bears were
5-11 this past season.
¡ª