DETROIT – Two of the most exciting young pitchers in the world are scheduled to face the Detroit Tigers on Wednesday.
The Tigers and Pirates will play a doubleheader at Comerica Park after the first half of this two-game series was postponed Tuesday due to weather.
While the Pirates aren’t having quite the season they hoped for at 25-29, they do have two of the most talented young pitchers in MLB. And both will take the mound today in Detroit.
First up is Jared Jones, a 22-year-old rookie who’s taken the league by storm in his first 10 starts.
Jones was a top 100 prospect when he made the Pittsburgh roster out of spring training, but nobody expected him to put up these types of numbers right off the bat: a 3.05 ERA, 0.97 WHIP, and 10.4 strikeouts per nine innings.
Jones is already one of the best in baseball at missing bats, with 95th percentile whiff and chase rates to go along with an 86th percentile strikeout rate.
The one weakness for Jones is hard contact -- specifically home runs. He’s allowed 10 bombs in 10 starts, so when the Tigers put the ball in play, they should be able to do so with authority.
Game two will feature an even bigger name: No. 2 overall prospect Paul Skenes.
Since being drafted last season, Skenes has risen to stardom thanks to minor-league dominance and incredible raw stuff.
In three MLB starts, the 22-year-old owns a 2.25 ERA, 1.00 WHIP, and 21 strikeouts in 16 innings.
Wednesday is his birthday, and he’s looking to celebrate with a ton of whiffs.
Fortunately, Detroit has a couple of its own aces taking the mound: Tarik Skubal in game one and Jack Flaherty in game two. Runs should be at a premium.
The Tigers won three straight against the Blue Jays over the weekend to claw back within one game of .500. While the Pirates might look like a favorable matchup on paper, the Tigers are going to have to earn it at the plate today.