Miguel Cabrera is inching closer to .300, and that’s a major development for the Detroit Tigers’ slumbering offense.
Cabrera had three hits and an RBI in the opener of a three-game series against the Kansas City Royals on Friday. The veteran slugger will carry a .295 average into the middle game of the series on Saturday afternoon at Detroit’s Comerica Park.
Cabrera took some extra batting practice, and it paid off. He has only hit one homer this year, but manager Ron Gardenhire isn’t concerned about the power drop.
“He’s doing fine,” Gardenhire said. “He’s able to work. His body is letting him go out and take swings, some early batting practice today. He got out there and was working on using the whole field, shooting the ball the other way. The power will come when it warms up a little and the ball starts flying.”
The Tigers held on for a 4-3 victory on Friday and became the final American League team to reach the 100-run mark for the season.
Closer Shane Greene gave up a run for just the second time this season but still converted his 13th save in as many chances.
“We put him in an awful lot of games early on but that means we’re winning games,” Gardenhire said. “He’s got good stuff. The ball is jumping out of his hand. His fastball’s up to 94 or 95 miles an hour and he’s got a nice slider. He got one ball up tonight where the guy (Jorge Soler) crushed it. Other than that, he hasn’t been hurt too much.”
Right-hander Tyson Ross returns from the paternity list to start Saturday for Detroit. Ross (1-3, 4.03 ERA) made his last start in Boston on April 24, allowing four runs on seven hits in five innings.
His only victory this season came against the Royals, as he limited them to one run on five hits in seven innings while striking out eight on April 7. Ross has won all three of his career starts against Kansas City while posting a 2.37 ERA.
Royals right-hander Homer Bailey, who celebrated his 33rd birthday on Friday, will oppose Ross. Bailey (2-3, 5.70 ERA) has lost his last two starts, most recently a six-inning outing against the Los Angeles Angels in which he gave up four runs on six hits.
He lasted just one-plus inning his previous start at Tampa Bay, when he gave up four runs and walked four. He allowed three runs to the Angels, then settled down.
“He did a great job,” manager Ned Yost said after Bailey’s last start. “As a manager, you’re kind of evaluating every inning. I know he totally didn’t have it his (previous) start. And the first inning he could have got out of it with nothing. But still, you think, ‘What will I do if he can’t find it here?’, and you start lining up (relief) innings. He just went out there and made adjustments and competed.”
Bailey is 0-1 with a 3.07 ERA in two career starts against the Tigers.
Royals first baseman Ryan O’Hearn will likely return to the lineup on Saturday with a right-hander on the mound. He had a pinch-hit double off Greene on Friday. Adalberto Mondesi served as the designated hitter.
“If it wasn’t a lefty (on Friday), I would’ve played O’Hearn, and (Hunter) Dozier probably would’ve DH-ed and Mondie would’ve had to wait,” Yost told the Kansas City Star.