Chicago Cubs @ Detroit Tigers – Series Preview (June 6-8): Overview, Game and Broadcast Info, Starting Pitchers, W2W4
The Cubs (39-23) won their seventh series in a row by taking two of three from the Nationals in Washington. Chicago scored a combined 15 runs in their two victories as they moved a season-high 16 games over .500 mark. Now the degree of difficulty ratchets up significantly with a trip to Detroit to face the best team in baseball.
The Tigers (41-23) made a dramatic run to the playoffs in 2024 and they haven’t slowed down since, becoming the first team to win 40 games in 2025. The offense has been very good with a team OPS of .734, which is ninth in MLB. The heart of the lineup is Riley Greene, Spencer Torkelson, and Kerry Carpenter, who have combined to hit 40 home runs so far this season.
Cubs fans are no doubt happy to see Javy Báez having a good year while patrolling center field. A couple of other players with ties to the North Side, Zach McKinstry and Gleyber Torres, are also important cogs for Detroit.
The pitching is really what deserves most of the attention in the Motor City, with a team ERA of 3.19 that is currently tied for the third best in baseball. Tarik Skubal is the unquestioned staff ace after winning the Cy Young and the pitching Triple Crown in 2024, and he has been every bit as good this year with a 2.26 ERA and 99 strikeouts in 75.2 innings pitched.
Starters Jack Flaherty, Reese Olson, and Casey Mize are also pitching well to create a formidable rotation for Detroit. Brant Hurter and Tommy Kahnle have been stellar out of the bullpen, and closer Will Vest has dominated.
Scoring on the Tigers is not an easy proposition, even for a lineup as talented as the Cubs. This is not an unbeatable team, however, as they did just split a four-game set with the White Sox on the South Side. This should be an excellent series with a playoff atmosphere at Comerica Park.
Game Time and Broadcast Info
- Friday, June 6 at 6:10pm CT on Apple TV+.
- Saturday, June 7 at 12:10pm CT on MLB Network and Marquee.
- Sunday, June 8 at 12:40pm CT on Marquee.
Starting Pitchers
| Date | Pitcher | Age | T | ERA | W/L | FIP | K/BB |
| 6/6 | Ben Brown | 25 | R | 5.72 | 3-3 | 3.11 | 3.74 |
| Tarik Skubal | 28 | L | 2.26 | 5-2 | 1.88 | 14.14 | |
| 6/7 | Jameson Taillon | 33 | R | 3.76 | 5–3 | 5.11 | 4.08 |
| Keider Montero | 24 | R | 4.02 | 2–1 | 4.74 | 1.63 | |
| 6/8 | Cade Horton | 23 | R | 4.21 | 3-0 | 4.44 | 3.80 |
| Jack Flaherty | 29 | R | 3.72 | 4–6 | 3.95 | 3.80 |
What to Watch For
- Ian Happ got on base seven times against Washington and hit his first home run in a month.
- Kyle Tucker returned to the lineup Thursday after jamming his finger over the weekend.
- Michael Busch had five hits against the Nats and came up a double short of the cycle Tuesday.
- Brown had his best outing of the season against the Reds, giving up just one hit in six innings.
