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Milwaukee Brewers 5/18-20

The Milwaukee Brewers will make their only visit to Comerica Park this season for a three-game series from May 18-20. The club finished their 2014 campaign in third place in the National League Central Division with an 82-80 record.

Catcher Jonathan Lucroy earned his first All-Star selection in 2014 after batting .301 with 176 hits and driving in 69 runs. he also hit a MLB leading 53 doubles, just one more than Tigers first baseman Miguel Cabrera (52).

At 25 and 27, shortstop Jean Segura and left fielder Khris Davis, bring youth to a lineup that includes veterans Ryan Braun and Adam Lind. Segura appeared in a career-high tying 146 games, batting .246 with 126 hits and Davis, who spent his first full season in the majors in 2014, had a .244 average with 122 hits, 69 RBI and 61 extra-base hits.

Righthanded pitcher Wiley Peralta earned a career-high 17 wins, tying him for fifth among National League pitchers in 2014. Joining Peralta in the Brewers’ rotation is fellow righthander Kyle Lohse, who had 13 wins and a 3.54 ERA.

Tigers vs. Brewers (All-Time)

Houston Astros (5/21-24)

The Houston Astros close out a seven-game homestand with four games at Comerica Park from May 21-24. After finishing in fourth place in the American League West with a record of 70-92, the Astros hired A.J. Hitch as the team’s new manager. Prior to joining the Astros, Hinch was the manager of the Arizona Diamondbacks and worked in the front office of the San Diego Padres.

Jose Altuve, at second base, led all MLB batters with a .341 batting average in 2014, six points higher than Tigers’ designated hitter Victor Martinez. Altuve ended the 2014 campaign as an All-Star and Silver Slugger award winner, thanks to his .341 average, 225 hits, 59 RBI and 56 stolen bases.

On the mound for the Astros, Dallas Keuchel set career highs in wins with 12, complete games with five, strikeouts with 146 and innings pitched with 200.0. He had his lowest career ERA with a 2.93.

Tigers vs. Astros (All-Time)

Oakland Athletics (6/2-4)

The Oakland Athletics make their only trip to Comerica Park for a three-game series from June 2-4. After losing to the Kansas City Royals in the American League Wild Card game and finishing in second place in the American League West with an 88-74 record, manager Bob Melvin is looking to take the Athletics to the postseason for the fourth straight season.

In the offseason, the Athletics added corner infielders Ike Davis from Pittsburgh and Brett Laurie from Toronto. The first baseman and third baseman, respectively, bring a .233 and .247 batting average, while combining for 89 RBI, 23 home runs and 148 hits in 2014. The Athletics also signed Billy Butler, who as a part of the American League Champion Kansas City Royals, hit .271 with 149 hits, 32 doubles, nine home runs and 66 RBI.

Sonny Gray returns to the Athletics rotation after finishing the 2014 season with a 14-10 record, a 3.08 ERA and 183 strikeouts. Joining Gray is veteran and All-Star lefthander Scott Kazmir, who had a 15-9 record with a 3.55 ERA in 2014.

Tigers vs. Athletics (All-Time)

Chicago Cubs (6/9-10)

The Chicago Cubs, under new manager Joe Maddon, will make their first trip to Comerica Park since 2009 from June 9-10. Prior to joining the Cubs before the start of the season, Maddon managed the Tampa Bay Rays for nine seasons, winning 754 games and leading them to an American League pennant in 2008. The Cubs are looking to rebound from their 73-89 record and last place finish in the National League Central Division.

The Cubs made waves in the offseason with the signing of three-time All-Star and lefthanded pitcher Jon Lester. In 2014, Lester combined for a 16-11 record between his time with the Boston Red Sox and Oakland Athletics. He pitched to a 2.46 ERA and struck out 220 batters. He joins righthander Jake Arrieta, who led all Cubs pitchers with 10 wins and 167 strikeouts and had the second lowest ERA of Cubs regular starters with 2.53.

Starlin Castro and Anthony Rizzo return for another season at Wrigley Field. Castro had a .292 batting average, 65 RBI and 154 hits, while Rizzo contributed with a .286 batting average, 78 RBI and career-high 150 hits.

Tigers vs. Cubs (All-Time)

This content was originally published in Issue 2 of “The Tigers Magazine” distributed at stands throughout Comerica Park during the 2015 Detroit Tigers season.