Friday night baseball is back, and this weekend's showdown at Comerica Park features two teams desperate to find their footing. The Detroit Tigers host the Toronto Blue Jays in a series opener that promises plenty of drama—and maybe a few clean slates.
The Tigers are stumbling through one of their roughest stretches of the season. After getting swept at home by the Red Sox and losing road series to both the Royals and the Mets, Detroit is hoping a return to familiar turf can flip the script. Despite their recent woes, the Tigers boast the third-best home record in the American League at 12-6. Their road record? Dead last in MLB at 7-19. It's a tale of two teams, and Friday's game is a chance to prove which one shows up.
Toronto hasn't fared much better away from home (6-13), but they have a secret weapon on the mound. Rookie Trey Yesavage takes the ball for the Blue Jays, and in his first three starts (just 13.1 innings total), he's been electric—allowing only one run while striking out 15 batters. The Jays will lean on his arm to quiet a Tigers lineup that's been inconsistent at best.
Detroit's pitching staff is in crisis mode. With Tarik Skubal, Casey Mize, and Justin Verlander all on the injured list, manager A.J. Hinch is patching together rotations with bullpen games and hope. Even when the Tigers get a quality start—like Framber Valdez's solid outing against the Mets—the offense or bullpen falters. It's been a frustrating cycle, but it's only mid-May. There's still time for both teams to climb back above .500.
Who will grab the series opener? Here's everything you need to watch the action.
How to Watch Tigers vs. Blue Jays
This game won't air on traditional TV. Instead, it's part of Apple TV's "Friday Night Baseball" package, streaming exclusively on the platform. New subscribers get a free week, and after that, it's just $12.99 per month. The Apple TV app is available on smart TVs, Roku, Amazon Fire TV, and more—so grab your remote, settle in, and enjoy the game.