Detroit Tigers manager Jim Leyland named right hander Anibal Sanchez as the start for Game 1 of the American League Championship Series against the Boston Red Sox.
Sanchez will match up against Boston’s Jon Lester, who was named Thursday.
The series starts Saturday in Boston at 5 p.m. ET.
Detroit finished off the Oakland A’s in five games Thursday. Justin Verlander pitched eight innings of two-hit ball for the Tigers.
Two of Detroit’s other starters, Doug Fister and Max Scherzer, pitched Tuesday’s Game 4. Fister started and Scherzer pitched two innings in relief on short rest.
Sanchez went 14-8 with an AL best 2.57 ERA during the regular season. He allowed six runs (five earned) in 4 1/3 innings Monday in Game 3 of the AL Division Series.
Lester is 1-0 with a 2.35 ERA in the playoffs.