Tigers turn to Jack Flaherty in home opener vs. White Sox

Following a season-opening 2-4 road trip, the Detroit Tigers host the Chicago White Sox in their home opener on Friday afternoon.

Right-hander Jack Flaherty will get the starting nod for the Tigers. Flaherty (0-0, 3.18 ERA) pitched well in his first outing, holding the Los Angeles Dodgers to two runs and three hits over 5 2/3 innings last Friday.

Flaherty was dealt at the trade deadline by Detroit last season to the Dodgers. Flaherty earned a World Series ring, then returned to Detroit in free agency.

“He was incredible,” manager AJ Hinch said. “I know (last Friday) was important for him and for us and I thought he pitched very well. He adjusted his plan a little bit and I thought he had pretty much every pitch at some point and he was in complete control.”

Despite pitching for the opposition, Dodger fans gave him a standing ovation when Hinch took him out.

“Very much unexpected, especially in the game and the way it was going,” Flaherty said. “It was a tight game. Very unexpected and it means a lot. Growing up (in Los Angeles) and spending a lot of time here — yeah, it was special.”

Pitching the home opener will also be special for Flaherty, who is 1-1 with a 2.93 ERA in three career outings against the White Sox. The ace of the staff, Cy Young Award winner Tarik Skubal, started Detroit’s most recent game — a 3-2 loss Wednesday at Seattle.

That prevented Detroit from completing a three-game sweep. The Tigers trailed 3-0 after four innings and couldn’t erase the deficit.

“We didn’t do enough,” Hinch said. “They got an opening with a couple of mistakes and they took advantage of it. It is frustrating. It’s a good series win, we’ll take that and head home. But this is a game we feel we could’ve won if we do one or two more things correctly.”

The Tigers won 10 of 13 meetings against the White Sox last season. Chicago, which also enters with a 2-4 mark, will start second-year right-hander Jonathan Cannon (0-0, 0.00 ERA).

Cannon struggled against Detroit in his rookie campaign, going 1-2 with a 12.60 ERA. He was solid in his first start this season, holding the Los Angeles Angels scoreless for five innings on Saturday. Cannon settled in after a 34-pitch first inning.

“First start of the season was a little bit amped up,” Cannon said. “Lost my command a little bit and was able to dial it back in and throw a really good sweeper to get out of that inning. Then after that, just kept battling.”

Chicago will be playing its first road game of the season. The White Sox lost to Minnesota, 6-1, on Wednesday with their lone run coming on a Brooks Baldwin homer.

Andrew Benintendi has been the hottest hitter in the lineup with a .333 average, two homers and six RBIs.

“I think you have a timeline for yourself,” he said. “Certain number of swings where you feel comfortable and I think I did that late in spring there, just getting those at-bats in the back field and then some live BPs. … I usually get off to a super slow start — I think last year I was 3-for-33, so it’s good to get that number already.”

–Field Level Media