The Detroit Tigers are on a roll as the All-Star break approaches, notching their fifth win of July and seventh in the last eight games after securing a 6-2 win over the Athletics on Tuesday night. Troy Melton set a new career high in strikeouts with nine while allowing just an unearned run over just over five frames of work, while home runs by Jake Rogers and Spencer Torkelson paced the Motor City Kitties on offense.
Taking the mound in the series finale for the Tigers is left-hander Framber Valdez, who has struggled to keep runners from crossing the plate over his last two appearances. After a four-game stretch that saw him post a 2.45 ERA and 4.03 FIP across 22 innings, the 32-year-old surrendered nine runs on 18 hits (two home runs) — but just two walks — over 11 frames with a loss to show for it.
For the Athletics, right-hander Jack Perkins will climb the hill for his seventh start of the 2026 campaign. The 26-year-old has struggled since moving to the rotation, posting an 8.10 ERA, 5.44 FIP and 1.69 WHIP over those 26 2/3 frames of work, giving up seven home runs while striking out 34 to 14 walks.
As a reliever, Perkins’ ERA was still a bloated 5.46, but his FIP sat at a tidy 2.62 and his WHIP at 1.21 over 28 innings. Maybe the starting gig is not the best use of the second-year hurler’s talents.
Here is how Valdez and Perkins match up on Thursday evening as Detroit looks for its second sweep in the past three series.
Detroit Tigers (42-50) vs. Athletics (41-51)
Time (ET): 6:40 p.m.
Place: Comerica Park, Detroit, Michigan
SB Nation Site: Athletics Nation
Media: Detroit SportsNet, MLB.TV, Tigers Radio Network
Game 93: LHP Framber Valdez (4-6, 4.29 ERA) vs. RHP Jack Perkins (2-4, 6.75 ERA)
