Detroit Tigers: Who Should Start the Rain-Delayed Game 4?

Game 4 of the ALCS series between the Detroit Tigers and New York Yankees was delayed due to the threat of rain.  We will not get into how there was no rain until well beyond two hours after the game was supposed to start, instead we will focus on the next game and who should pitch for the Tigers.

Currently, Max Scherzer is supposed to pitch against CC Sabathia.  Scherzer has had his best season ever.  He finishes second in the American League to his teammate Justin Verlander in total strikeouts. However, his strikeouts per nine rating lead the AL.

Scherzer wore down as the season progressed.  He missed starts, left a game early and saw his innings drop due to a tired arm.  At this point, he only has so many pitches left this season.  The team should save him for one last game in the World Series.

With the delayed game, they should now pitch Doug Fister on his normal rest.  Fister has been very good this postseason and can handle the pressure of helping the Tigers sweep the Yankees.

If the team does not win Game 4, they would still be able to come back with Anibal Sanchez for Game 5, Scherzer for Game 6 and Verlander for Game 7.

With the World Series not starting until next week, starting Fister would not harm any rotation issues.  Instead, it would allow the team to protect Scherzer’s arm for the limited amount of pitches he has left in the season.

PJ Sapienza is a featured columnist covering the Detroit Red Wings as well as many other sports.

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