(Soccer!) Streaming: Detroit Tigers VS Kansas City Royals Live 20 July 2023
Of the 15 whiffs he generated on 90 pitches, seven came from his four-seam fastball. Fiers’ second start didn’t go quite as well. He opted for a few more two-seam fastballs against the high-powered Yankees lineup, a tough matchup for any pitcher. While 29 of the 43 fastballs he threw hit the strike zone, Yankees hitters didn’t swing and miss on a single one. Worse yet, Fiers caught a lot of the plate with those fastballs, resulting in five of the eight hits he allowed to the Yanks. Two more, including Aaron Hicks’ inside-the-park home run, came off of Fiers’ changeup, a pitch that plays off of his fastball.
Duffy left his final spring training start after just 32 pitches with an apparent injury, and didn’t throw more than 42 in any Cactus League start. Duffy has shaped up since then, getting better in every start along the way. He blanked the Toronto Blue Jays for six innings in his last outing, striking out eight while allowing just two hits.
RHP Mike Fiers (1-1, 3. 86 ERA) Game 19 Pitching Matchup Pitcher IP K% BB% FIP fWAR Duffy 21. 0 25. 6 12. 2 4. 37 0. 2 Fiers 11. 2 20. 4 4. 1 4. 42 0. 1 As fun as it was to see Daniel Norris finally get a start on Friday, I’m still a little miffed we were deprived the “Battle of the Dans” slated for a rainy Sunday two weeks ago. Duffy vs. Norris was a matchup of present against (hopeful) future, even if Duffy was coming off a rough Opening Day outing against the White Sox. As conditions worsened on a rainy, cold day in Kansas City, Duffy started to lose his command some. Jose Abreu and Matt Davidson took advantage of center-cut fastballs for a home run apiece, while several others made loud contact in his final inning of work. The weather was likely to blame for most of his troubles — Duffy had trouble keeping his footing on the wet mound — but his stamina also could have been to blame.
While Fiers’ changeup is his best pitch, everything works off of his fastball. We prefer his four-seamer to the two-seamer, but it won’t matter what he throws to the Royals on Saturday if he locates like he did in his last start. The Tigers will need him at his best against lefthander Danny Duffy, especially if Detroit’s offense pulls the same disappearing act it did against both Royals starters on Friday. Kansas City Royals (4-14) at Detroit Tigers (8-10) Time/Place: 1:10 p. m., Comerica ParkSB Nation site: Royals ReviewMedia: Fox Sports Detroit, MLB Network, MLB. TV, Tigers Radio NetworkPitching Matchup: LHP Danny Duffy (0-2, 3. 86 ERA) vs.