After a 2-0 start to the season, the Red Sox have lost their past two outings, which were the first couple of games in the series against the Tigers. The last one was a 4-1 setback at Tiger on Saturday, when Boston had its fewest run total in a game thus far on the season.
The Red Sox will look to get their offense back when they face Tigers starter Daniel Norris. Xander Bogaerts is going to be just in time to see Norris, against whom he is 3-for-5 in his career. Bogaerts hasn’t played in the first two games of this series due to personal reasons, but is expected to be back in action today.
Reigning AL Cy Young Award winner Rick Porcello, meanwhile, is set to toe the rubber, eyeing to get his second win of the year. Porcello was the Red Sox’s opening day starter, allowing three earned runs on six hits while striking out five in six innings of a 5-3 win over Pittsburgh on Apr. 3.
As a former Tiger, Porcello is very much familiar pitching at Comerica Park. He is 37-29 with a 4.53 ERA in 90 career starts there dating back to 2009. He made one start there last year, pitching seven frames and giving up just an earned run on three hits in a 10-2 victory for Boston.
Daniel Norris has got some Instagram game but will he look as good on the mound today as his photographs?
Norris dealt with some arm fatigue in the offseason but said he’s fully okay now. The Tigers will get to see how fine the left-hander is, as Norris takes on the dangerous Red Sox today. Norris started one game versus the Red Sox last season. He pitched five innings and yielded three runs on eight hits with two walks in a 3-2 loss at Comerica Park on Aug. 20, 2016. Norris finished the 2016 season with a 7-4 record and 3.64 ERA. The Tigers are 4-1 in his last five starts overall.
The pair of Ian Kinsler and J.D. Martinez look to continue their stellar career hitting opposite Porcello. Kinsler is 7-for-16 with a double and a triple in his career against Porcello. Martinez, on the other hand, is 4-for-5 with a home run.
