Yankees vs. Tigers Series Preview & Prediction: Records, Pitching Matchups and More - MLB Season 2024

This weekend, the Detroit Tigers will head to the Bronx for their first match of the season against Aaron Judge and the New York Yankees. With both teams off to strong starts in 2024, both clubs have the chance to pull ahead to the top spot in their respective divisions if a few wins can be strung together during the three-game series.

For the Yankees, their spot atop the AL East is no more, owing to dropping three of four to the Baltimore Orioles last week. Regardless, the Bombers' 20-13 record is only one game back of the O's. For the Tigers, who finished with a mediocre 78 wins last season, their 18-13 record puts them third in the AL Central, two games behind the leader.

Yankees vs Tigers Preview

The weekend series will be a three-game affair, with a variety of promotional events to take place. Friday's 7:05 pm ET first pitch will kick off the Yankees tumbler giveaway night. Moreover, Saturday's 1:05 pm start will mark the Gerrit Cole Jedi Bobblehead giveaway, and is to be followed by a 1:35 pm start for the series finale on Sunday.

Coming into the series, the Detroit Tigers boast a 10-4 record on the road, which is the best in MLB. At the same time, the Yankees will seek to defend their 8-5 win-loss ratio at home.

Yankees vs Tigers Probable Pitchers

Game 1

24 year-old Reese Olson will be searching for his first win of the year on Friday. The Tigers pitcher is currently in his second season in MLB, and finished with a 3.99 ERA across 21 appearances last year. Although Olson's ERA over his past four starts is a solid 3.97, the Georgia native has been charged with a loss in all four affairs.

Olson's opponent will be Yankees pitcher Marcus Stroman. Since inking a two-year deal in the Bronx this offseason, the former Gold Glover has been dealing. Currently 2-1 with a 3.69 ERA, Stroman was pulled in his last start against the Milwaukee Brewers after coughing up four earned runs in four innings.

"Marcus Stroman strikes out Jake Bauers to end the first" - Talkin' Yanks

Game 2

Right-hander Casey Mize is set to take the mound for Detroit in Game 2. The first overall pick in the 2018 draft, Mize will be making his sixth start of the season. Now 1-0 with a 3.08 ERA on the year, Casey Mize has only allowed two runs over his past eleven innings pitched.

For the New York Yankees, Clarke Schmidt will be getting the nod on Saturday. The 28 year-old is coming off his first season as a full-time starter, in which he went 9-9 with a 4.64 ERA. Over the course of six starts thus far in 2024, Schmidt is 2-1 with a 3.19 ERA in 31 innings pitched.

Game 3

Tarik Skubal has been, without a doubt, the best pitcher in the Tigers' rotation this year, and will make the start on Sunday. Now 4-0 on the season, Skubal allowed just four hits and one earned run in seven innings in his last start against the Kansas City Royals. The 6-foot-3 southpaw will be intent on preserving his 1.72 ERA.

"Tarik Skubal, 99mph. And head nod...I think he's feeling it." - Pitching Ninja

The Yankees are set to trot out Nestor Cortes for the series finale. In his last start on Tuesday, the Cuban was charged with his third loss of the season after giving up four earned runs across six innings in his team's loss to the Baltimore Orioles.

Yankees vs Tigers Prediction

Although the Tigers' road record puts them at an advantage, many members of the Yankees have been swinging hot bats lately. Over the past seven days, the Yankees' 14 home runs has led MLB, led by contributions from Juan Soto, Anthony Rizzo, and Aaron Judge.

"Juan Soto is atop MLB's first-ever Player of the Game leaderboard update!" - MLB

Although the Tigers appear to have a renewed energy, the most likely outcome appears to be the Yankees taking two out of three games in this series.