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A 1-1 day on the diamond yesterday isn’t quite what I wanted, but I’ll take it as it’s always better than losing both games. The one win at the Twins was pretty sweat free and no issues. The loss to the Red Sox was a little more frustrating. Trey Yesavage, to his credit, threw a great game, but the Red Sox tied it and then blew it late. Well, let’s go to the AL Central for this one.
The American League Central Division leader is playing in this game, but it’s not the one any of us expected. As I’ve said about other teams, this is not the time to start printing playoff tickets. However, it is very cool that the Chicago White Sox are leading their division as they were expected to be bottom feeders this season. They are 39-34 on the year, giving South Side fans a reason to cheer for the first time in a lot of years. It would be shocking to see them end this, but it would also be equally surprising to see if the White Sox break through in the next month via trade.
Tarik Skubal of the Detroit Tigers looks on between the pitches during the first inning against the Atlanta Braves at Truist Park in Atlanta, Georgia on April 29, 2026. (Brandon Sloter/Getty Images)
They will almost certainly need some pitching if they want to close this one out. If they want to make a full push for a trophy, they need a pair of arms, a bat and maybe something else. Today they use journeyman Erick Fedde as starter. He has been okay for the team, but nothing special. He is 2-5 on the year with a 4.50 ERA and a 1.41 WHIP. A major cause for concern today is that Fedde has been terrible on the road with a 6.18 ERA in five starts. He had a solid win against the Tigers in late May, going four innings and allowing four hits and two earned runs.
The Detroit Tigers are making the news today because of their starting pitcher. We’re all well aware that Tarik Skubal will likely make a boatload of money this offseason, but we’re equally aware that he could be traded before the deadline. He said yesterday that if the Tigers don’t improve, it’s likely more than just him will be traded. For a team that has made the postseason two years in a row, they look very bad at the moment. They are 14 games under .500, and are 27 games under since August 23 of last year.
TIGERS INCREASINGLY LIKELY TO TRADE TARIK SKUBAL BEFORE DEADLINE AS PLAYOFF HOPE FAILS, REPORTS SAY
Chicago White Sox’s Munetaka Murakami celebrates his two-run home run against the Arizona Diamondbacks during the seventh inning in Phoenix, Arizona, on April 22, 2026. (Ross D. Franklin/AP Photo)
We know that Skubal is on the wish list of any team, but if I buy him, I want to see that he will be healthy for the rest of the year. This will be just his second start back since landing on the injured list. He went 4.2 innings against the Guardians, allowing five hits and giving up three runs (two earned). He has not faced the White Sox this season, but has seen them quite a bit over the seasons. They’re hitting just .209 against him, but Randal Grichuk has actually succeeded, going 4-for-11 against him.
Every time Skubal takes the mound, the books will tilt the money line in his favor. It makes sense; he gives the Tigers a very good chance to win every five days. But I will probably never pay that type of price for a baseball game. The value is on the White Sox as Skubal must re-figure his pitching after missing some time. However, I wouldn’t bet on that either. I don’t hate the Tigers -1.5 at -105.
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Detroit Tigers pitcher Tarik Skubal pitches in the first inning against the Chicago White Sox at Comerica Park in Detroit, Mich., on Sept. 6, 2025. (Rick Osentoski/Imagn Images)
Instead, I’ll take the under 8s in this game. The reason is that Skubal might not be quite as crisp, but if he is, we won’t see any runs from the White Sox. The Tigers are averaging just four runs per inning. game, and the White Sox offense is giving up about that amount as well. Most of the Tigers’ games are low-scoring. The White Sox have given up a lot of runs lately, but I just don’t see the Tigers getting there, even against Fedde.
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