The pitching matchup looks lopsided on paper and isn't. Gausman is coming off the worst start of his year — 6 earned in 4.2 against Tampa on May 11 — though he did punch out his 2,000th career strikeout in the process. Flaherty, meanwhile, is 0-4 with a 5.73 and leads the majors in walks. He hasn't completed 4 innings in 4 of his last 5 starts. Two pitchers heading the wrong direction, and the market still wants Toronto.
The injury ledger is brutal on both sides. Toronto is without Berrios (elbow surgery Wednesday), Scherzer (forearm/thumb), Bieber, Francis, and Kirk. Detroit is missing Skubal, Verlander, Carpenter, Baez, and Torres. Two rotations being held together with duct tape, which is part of why Flaherty keeps getting the ball every 5th day no matter what the line score says.
- Day-To-DayGeovanny Jesus Planchart (C) — no05/08
- Day-To-DayChay Yeager (RP) — Yeager will undergo season-ending UCL surgery on his right elbow Wednesday, Arden Zwelling of Sportsnet.ca reports.05/08
- Day-To-DayCJ Stubbs (C) — The Blue Jays signed Stubbs to a minor-league contract Friday that includes an invitation to spring training.05/08
- Day-To-DayJaven Coleman (P) — no05/08
- 10-Day-ILNathan Lukes (RF) — Lukes (hamstring) will begin a rehab assignment with the rookie-level Florida Complex League on Monday, Ben Nicholson-Smith of Sportsnet.ca reports.05/15
- 10-Day-ILAddison Barger (RF) — Barger will undergo an MRI on his right elbow after waking up Sunday with limited range of motion, Keegan Matheson of MLB.com reports.05/11
- 10-Day-ILAlejandro Kirk (C) — Kirk (thumb) is expected to begin hitting this weekend, Brian Murphy of MLB.com reports.05/08
- 15-Day-ILJose Berrios (SP) — Berrios will undergo surgery to repair his right elbow Wednesday, Hazel Mae of Sportsnet reports.05/16
- 15-Day-ILMax Scherzer (SP) — Scherzer (forearm) will receive a cortisone injection after experiencing a recurrence of right thumb discomfort, Arden Zwelling of Sportsnet.ca reports.05/11
- developmental listFernando Perez (P)
- 15-Day-ILLazaro Estrada (RP) — The Blue Jays placed Estrada on the MLB 15-day injured list April 5 with a right shoulder impingement, Keegan Matheson of MLB.com reports.05/08
- 60-Day-ILYimi Garcia (RP) — The Blue Jays announced Tuesday that Garcia's (elbow) next rehab outing in the rookie-level Florida Complex League will be delayed for at least a couple of days, Arden Zwelling of Sportsnet.ca reports.05/11
- 60-Day-ILShane Bieber (SP) — Bieber (elbow) will face live hitters Tuesday, Arden Zwelling of Sportsnet.ca reports.05/08
- 60-Day-ILAnthony Santander (RF) — Toronto transferred Santander (shoulder) from the 10-day injured list to the 60-day IL on Sunday.05/08
- 60-Day-ILCody Ponce (SP) — Ponce underwent surgery Friday to repair the ACL in his right knee, Arden Zwelling of Sportsnet.ca reports.05/08
- 60-Day-ILBowden Francis (SP) — The Blue Jays placed Francis (elbow) on the 60-day injured list Wednesday.05/08
- Day-To-DayTy Madden (SP) — X-rays on Madden's right forearm came back negative following his removal from Friday's game against Toronto, Evan Woodbery of MLive.com reports.05/16
- Day-To-DayDugan Darnell (RP) — The Tigers announced Sunday that Darnell (hip) has been playing catch five times a week and is also taking part in a running progression, Evan Petzold of the Detroit Free Press reports.05/08
- 10-Day-ILGleyber Torres (2B) — Manager A.J. Hinch said Friday that Torres (oblique) is "trending toward" beginning a rehab assignment, Evan Woodbery of MLive.com reports.05/15
- 10-Day-ILKerry Carpenter (RF) — The Tigers placed Carpenter on the 10-day injured list Sunday due to an AC joint sprain in his left shoulder.05/10
- 10-Day-ILJavier Baez (SS) — The Tigers placed Baez on the 10-day injured list Wednesday with a right ankle sprain.05/08
- 15-Day-ILWill Vest (RP) — Manager A.J. Hinch said Saturday that Vest (forearm) could return from the injured list Sunday, Evan Woodbery of MLive.com reports.05/16
- 15-Day-ILTarik Skubal (SP) — Skubal (elbow) has resumed playing catch, Jon Heyman of the New York Post reports.05/15
- 60-Day-ILJustin Verlander (SP) — The Tigers transferred Verlander to the 60-day injured list Sunday.05/10
- 60-Day-ILBeau Brieske (RP) — Brieske (adductor) will begin a rehab assignment with Single-A Lakeland on Tuesday, Jason Beck of MLB.com reports.05/08
- 60-Day-ILTrey Sweeney (SS) — The Tigers transferred Sweeney (shoulder) to the 60-day injured list Saturday.05/08
- 60-Day-ILReese Olson (SP) — The Tigers placed Olson on the 60-day injured list Tuesday after he underwent a right shoulder labral repair Feb. 2 that will result in him missing the 2026 season.05/08
- 60-Day-ILTroy Melton (RP) — Melton (elbow) yielded two runs (one earned) on two hits and no walks while striking out two batters over 1.2 innings in his rehab start Sunday with Single-A Lakeland.05/08
- 60-Day-ILParker Meadows (CF) — Tigers manager A.J. Hinch said that Meadows underwent surgery Tuesday to repair a left radius fracture and will be sidelined "multiple months," Jason Beck of MLB.com reports.05/08
- 60-Day-ILBailey Horn (RP) — The Tigers transferred Horn (elbow) from the 15-day injured list to the 60-day IL on Wednesday.05/08
The total sits at 8 and the under is the side getting the steam (-115 at Pinnacle, 81% of DK handle). That tracks if you trust Gausman to bounce back — the splits suggest the Jays do, given they're laying -1.5 at +140. The Tigers are 12-6 at home this year, so it's not a gimme.
Bottom line: rubber match, day game, two rotations bleeding out, and a Tigers club that's lost 4 of its last 5. If Gausman shows up looking like himself, Toronto walks out of Detroit with the series. If Flaherty finally locates a fastball, the Tigers steal one back. Pick your poison.