NEW YORK, N.Y. – David Price has only been a member of the Detroit Tigers for five days, but the wait to see Dave Dombrowski's newest acquisition on the field in the Old English D has seemingly stretched on and on.
On Tuesday night that wait will come to an end, as Price makes his Tigers debut in Yankee Stadium against an AL East opponent that the electric lefty knows very well.
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TV: 7:05 p.m. ET, MLB Network, FSN Detroit, YES (New York)
The Tigers fell 2-1 in the first of this four-game series against the Yankees despite an excellent showing from defending Cy Young Award winner Max Scherzer. New York will aim to beat a second straight Cy Young winner on Tuesday.
Price is in the midst of another phenomenal season, posting a 3.11 ERA in 23 starts with Tampa Bay. New York has seen Price three times this year, mustering eight earned runs and striking out 23 times. Price owns a 3.89 ERA against the Yankees this season en route to a 1-1 record.
Read: Tigers trade Jackson, Smyly for former Cy Young winner David Price
New York will counter with 39-year-old Hiroki Kuroda. The Tigers own a .274 batting average against the right-hander, led by Miguel Cabrera's .444 mark. Kuroda is 7-7 on the season with a 3.98 ERA. He's coming off a month of July in which he posted a season-best 3.38 ERA in six starts.
The Tigers will look to avoid losing the first two games in New York this season and keep their charging AL Central rivals at bay. The second-place Royals have crept back within 4.5 games of the Tigers, while a four-game winning streak has brought the Cleveland Indians back into the race as well.
Detroit currently owns the worst record of the three AL division leaders, which means it would have to travel to Baltimore to start the ALDS. The Tigers haven't earned home field advantage in the first round of the playoffs in any of the past three seasons.
Dombrowski hopes the addition of Price will provide the boost the Tigers need to finish the regular season with enough wins to begin the postseason in Comerica Park.
The Tigers and Yankees will play two more games in New York on Wednesday and Thursday before Detroit travels north of the border to battle the Toronto Blue Jays.