Detroit Tigers game vs. Texas Rangers: Time, TV channel, lineup for series finale

Detroit Tigers (10-8) vs. Texas Rangers (10-9)

When: 1:10 p.m. Thursday.

Where: Comerica Park in Detroit.

TV: Bally Sports Detroit, MLB Network.

Radio: WXYT-FM (97.1). (Tigers radio affiliates).

Weather report: High of 66 degrees, mostly sunny, 9 mph winds.

Probable pitchers: Tigers RHP Kenta Maeda (0-1, 6.00 ERA) vs. Rangers RHP Jack Leiter (MLB debut).

• Box score

Tigers lineup: TBD.

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Game notes: The Detroit Tigers hitters will get the very first look at one of the more anticipated prospects in baseball, even after a down year in 2023. Jack Leiter, the No. 2 overall pick in the 2021 MLB draft and the son of former New York Yankees pitcher and two-time All-Star Al Leiter, will get the start Thursday for a Rangers starting rotation dealing with some injury issues. Make no mistake, this was not a small decision to bring up Leiter. MLB teams are always very careful about when they decide to bring up their top prospects to the big leagues, and the Rangers also had to make a corresponding move on their 40-man roster to clear space for Leiter to face the Tigers.

Leiter looks set to fill the fifth spot in the Rangers rotation, at least temporarily, which the Tigers have gotten to see most of during their four-game series. The Tigers hitters continued their slow start in Game 1 of the series, going scoreless against former Tigers starter Michael Lorenzen, but the bats woke up a bit in Game 2 for a late comeback win. The Tigers will be looking to hand the 23-year-old righty a “welcome to the MLB” moment to close out the series.

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Meanwhile, the Tigers will have Kenta Maeda on the mound, who is pretty much the opposite of Leiter in terms of where they are in their career. While Leiter is still looking to check the box on many “firsts,” Maeda has been there and done that. The veteran pitcher, in his first year with the Tigers, came out of the gates slow in his debut start sporting the Old English D, lasting just 3⅓ innings against the Chicago White Sox while giving up six earned runs on three home runs.

Maeda had a nice bounceback the next time out, giving up three earned runs and just two hits, but was hurt by the four walks he issued. The 36-year-old righty more than cleaned up the walks issue in his third start this season against the Minnesota Twins, not issuing a single free pass and allowing just one earned run. Maeda will be trying to keep the momentum going in the right direction in his fourth start this year.

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After Thursday’s game, the Tigers will head to Minnesota to start another series with the Twins, which will be the last time the divisional foes face off until July 2.

Live updates

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