Bard expected to start for the Angels against Tigers
Los Angeles Angels (16-20, fourth in the AL West) vs. Detroit Tigers (16-17, fourth in the AL Central)
Detroit; Thursday, 1 p.m. EDT
BOTTOM LINE: Both Los Angeles and Detroit are looking for a series win with a victory.
The Tigers are 9-7 in home games. The Detroit pitching staff averages 8.7 strikeouts per nine innings, Matthew Boyd leads them with a mark of 11.3.
The Angels are 5-11 on the road. The Los Angeles pitching staff has a team ERA of 5.09, Matt Harvey paces the staff with a mark of 6.94. The Tigers won the last meeting 10-3. Boyd earned his fourth victory and Ronny Rodriguez went 3-for-4 with a double, a triple and four RBIs for Detroit. Tyler Skaggs registered his third loss for Los Angeles.
TOP PERFORMERS: Niko Goodrum leads the Tigers with three home runs and has 11 RBIs. JaCoby Jones is 6-for-30 with three doubles, two home runs and four RBIs over the last 10 games for Detroit.
Andrelton Simmons leads the Angels with 43 hits and has 19 RBIs. Jonathan Lucroy is 8-for-27 with a double, four home runs and seven RBIs over the last 10 games for Los Angeles.
LAST 10 GAMES: Tigers: 4-6, .241 batting average, 5.95 ERA, outscored by 14 runs
Angels: 6-4, .246 batting average, 5.73 ERA, outscored by 11 runs
Tigers Injuries: Jordan Zimmermann: 10-day IL (elbow), Matt Moore: 60-day IL (knee), Blaine Hardy: 10-day IL (forearm), Michael Fulmer: 60-day IL (elbow), Christin Stewart: 10-day IL (quad), Josh Harrison: 10-day IL (shoulder).
Angels Injuries: JC Ramirez: 60-day IL (elbow), Keynan Middleton: 60-day IL (elbow), Andrew Heaney: 10-day IL (elbow), Justin Upton: 60-day IL (toe), Michael Hermosillo: 10-day IL (groin), Tommy La Stella: day-to-day (back).
