MLB Opening Day 2017: Detroit Tigers Face White Sox In Chicago On April 3

METRO DETROIT, MI — According to baseball “experts,” the Detroit Tigers chances of winning a World Series title in 2017 are somewhere between slim and none. Heck, most don’t even think the Tigers are good enough to make the playoffs. No matter where you fall in the spectrum of optimism and pessimism, one thing is for certain: baseball will be back on April 3 when the Tigers open the season in Chicago against the White Sox.

Opening Day in the “D” will be April 7 against the Boston Red Sox, a team that is favored to make a playoff run. The Tigers play a total of 25 games in April, including 15 against Central Division rivals Chicago, Minnesota, and Cleveland. The Indians won the division a year ago and lost to the Chicago Cubs in the World Series.

Detroit finished in second place in the Central with an 86-75 record. If the Tigers are going to improve on that mark, it will have to be through better performances from within. General Manager Al Avila didn’t make any significant additions to the roster over the offseason.

The Tigers still look to field a strong everyday lineup, with the exception of centerfield where Cameron Maybin was traded to the Los Angeles Angels. Still, with Miguel Cabrera, Ian Kinsler, J.D. Martinez, Justin Upton and Victor Martinez, the Tigers figure to score plenty of runs in 2017.

Pitching appears to be Detroit’s biggest question mark. Justin Verlander returned to form last year with a 16-9 record and a 3.04 ERA. He has looked solid again this ring. Jordan Zimmermann, last season’s big free agent signing, spent much of the year on the disabled list and was ineffective when he did pitch.

Rookie of the Year Michael Fulmer is back in the starting rotation, too. Daniel Norris and Matt Boyd, both left handers, appear to have won the other rotation spots. If they make the team at all, Anibal Sanchez and Mike Pelfrey are likely destined for the bullpen. Speaking of which, Francisco Rodriguez will try to duplicate his 44 save season. Justin Wilson, Alex Wilson and Kyle Ryan appear to be locks to head north in the bullpen, too.

Here’s a look at the Tigers complete 2017 schedule:

APRIL:
April 3: at Chicago Sox 4:10 p.m.
April 5: at Chicago Sox, 2:10 p.m.
April 6: at Chicago Sox, 2:10 p.m.
April 7: Boston, 1:10 p.m.
April 8: Boston, 1:10 p.m.
April 9: Boston, 1:10 p.m.
April 10: Boston, 1:10 p.m
April 11: Minnesota, 1:10 p.m.
April 12: Minnesota, 1:10 p.m.
April 13: Minnesota, 1:10 p.m.
April 14: at Cleveland, 7:10 p.m.
April 15: at Cleveland, 4:10 p.m.
April 16: at Cleveland, 1:10 p.m.
April 18: at Tampa Bay, 7:10 p.m.
April 19: at Tampa Bay, 7:10 p.m.
April 20: at Tampa Bay, 1:10 p.m.
April 21: at Minnesota, 8:10 p.m.
April 22: at Minnesota, 2:10 p.m.
April 23: at Minnesota, 2:10 p.m.
April 25: Seattle, 7:10 p.m.
April 26: Seattle, 7:10 p.m.
April 27: Seattle, 1:10 p.m.
April 28: Chicago Sox, 7:10 p.m.
April 29: Chicago Sox, 1:10 p.m.
April 30: Chicago Sox, 1:10 p.m.
MAY
May 1: Cleveland, 7:10 p.m.
May 2: Cleveland, 7:10 p.m.
May 3: Cleveland, 7:10 p.m.
May 4: Cleveland, 1:10 p.m.
May 5: at Oakland,10:05 p.m.
May 6: at Oakland, 9:05 p.m.
May 7: at Oakland, 4:05 p.m.
May 9: at Arizona, 9:40 p.m.
May 10: at Arizona, 9:40 p.m.
May 11: at Los Angeles Angels, 10:07 p.m.
May 12: at Los Angeles Angels, 10:07 p.m.
May 13: at Los Angeles Angels, 9:07 p.m.
May 14: at Los Angeles Angels, 3:37 p.m.
May 16: Baltimore, 7:10 p.m.
May 17: Baltimore, 7:10 p.m.
May 18: Baltimore, 1:10 p.m.
May 19: Texas, 7:10 p.m.
May 20: Texas, 7:15 p.m.
May 21: Texas, 8 p.m.
May 22: at Houston, 8:10 p.m.
May 23: at Houston, 8:10 p.m.
May 24: at Houston, 8:10 p.m.
May 25: at Houston,, 8:10 p.m.
May 26: at Chicago Sox, 8:10 pm.
May 27: at Chicago Sox, 8:10 p.m.
May 28: at Chicago Sox, 2:10 p.m.
May 29: at Kansas City, 7:15 p.m.
May 30: at Kansas City, 8:15 p.m.
May 31: at Kansas City, 8:15 p.m.

JUNE
June 2: Chicago Sox, 7:10 p.m.
June 3: Chicago Sox, 4:10 p.m.
June 4: Chicago Sox, 1:10 p.m.
June 6: Los Angeles Angels, 7:10 p.m.
June 7: Los Angeles Angels, 7:10 p.m.
June 8: Los Angeles Angels, 1:10 p.m.
June 9: at Boston, 7:10 p.m.
June 10: at Boston, 7:15 p.m.
June 11: at Boston, noon
June 13: Arizona, 7:10 p.m.
June 14: Arizona, 7:10 p.m.
June 15: Tampa Bay, 7:10 p.m.
June 16: Tampa Bay, 7:10 p.m.
June 17: Tampa Bay, 4:10 p.m.
June 18: Tampa Bay, 1:10 p.m.
June 19: at Seattle, 10:01 p.m.
June 20: at Seattle, 10:01 p.m.
June 21: at Seattle,10:01 p.m.
June 22: at Seattle, 10:01 p.m.
June 23: at San Diego, 10:01 p.m.
June 24: at San Diego, 10:01 p.m.
June 25: at San Diego, 4:40 p.m.
June 27: Kansas City, 7:10 p.m.
June 28: Kansas City, 7:10 p.m.
June 29: Kansas City, 1:10 p.m.
June 30: Cleveland, 7:10 p.m.
JULY
July 1: Cleveland, 7:15 p.m.
July 2: Cleveland, 1:10 p.m.
July 4: San Francisco, 1:10 p.m.
July 5: San Francisco, 7:10 p.m.
July 6: San Francisco, 1:10 p.m.
July 7: at Cleveland, 7:10 p.m.
July 8: at Cleveland, 7:15 p.m.
July 9: at Cleveland, 8:05 p.m.
July 14: Toronto, 7:10 p.m.
July 15: Toronto, 6:10 p.m.
July 16: Toronto, 1:10 p.m.
July 17: at Kansas City, 8:15 p.m.
July 18: at Kansas City, 8:15 p.m.
July 19: at Kansas City, 8:15 p.m.
July 20: at Kansas City, 8:15 p.m.
July 21: at Minnesota, 8:10 p.m.
July 22: at Minnesota, 7:10 p.m.
July 23: at Minnesota, 2:10 p.m.
July 24: Kansas City, 8:15 p.m.
July 25: Kansas City, 7:10 p.m.
July 26: Kansas City, 7:10 p.m.
July 28: Houston, 7:10 p.m.
July 29: Houston, 6:10 p.m.
July 30: Houston, 1:10 p.m.
July 31: at New York Yankees, 7:05 p.m.
AUGUST
Aug. 2: at New York Yankees, 1:10 p.m.
Aug. 3: at Baltimore, 7:05 p.m.
Aug. 4: at Baltimore, 7:05 p.m.
Aug. 5: at Baltimore, 7:05 p.m.
Aug. 6: at Baltimore, 1:35 p.m.
Aug. 7: at Pittsburgh, 7:05 p.m.
Aug. 8: at Pittsburgh, 7:05 p.m.
Aug. 9: Pittsburgh, 7:10 p.m.
Aug. 10: Pittsburg, 1:10 p.m.
Aug. 11: Minnesota, 7:10 p.m.
Aug. 12: Minnesota, 6:10 p.m.
Aug. 13: Minnesota, 1:10 p.m.
Aug. 14: at Texas, 8:05 p.m.
Aug. 15: at Texas, 8:05 p.m.
Aug. 16: at Texas, 8:05 p.m.
Aug. 18: Los Angeles Dodgers, 7:01 p.m.
Aug. 19: Los Angeles Dodgers, 4:05 p.m.
Aug. 20: Los Angeles Dodgers,1:10 p.m.
Aug. 22: New York Yankees, 7:10 p.m.
Aug. 23: New York Yankees, 7:10 p.m.
Aug. 24: New York Yankees, 1:10 p.m.
Aug. 25: at Chicago Sox, 8:10 p.m.
Aug. 26: at Chicago Sox, 7:10 p.m.
Aug. 27: at Chicago Sox, 2:10 p.m.
Aug. 28: at Colorado, 8:40 p.m.
Aug. 29: at Colorado, 8:40 p.m.
Aug. 30: at Colorado, 3:10 p.m.
SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER
Sept. 1: Cleveland, 7:10 p.m.
Sept. 2: Cleveland, 6:10 p.m.
Sept. 3: Cleveland, 1:10 p.m.
Sept. 4: Kansas City1:10, p.m.
Sept. 5: Kansas City, 7:10 p.m.
Sept. 6: Kansas City, 7:10 p.m.
Sept. 8: at Toronto, 7:07 p.m.
Sept. 9: at Toronto,1:07 p.m.
Sept. 10: at Toronto, 1:07 p.m.
Sept. 11: at Cleveland, 7:10 p.m.
Sept. 12: at Cleveland, 7:10 p.m.
Sept. 13: at Cleveland, 12:10 p.m.
Sept. 14: Chicago Sox, 1:10 p.m.
Sept. 15: Chicago Sox, 7:10 p.m.
Sept. 16: Chicago Sox, 6:10 p.m.
Sept. 17: Chicago Sox, 1:10 p.m.
Sept. 18: Oakland, 7:10 p.m.
Sept. 19: Oakland, 7:10 p.m.
Sept. 20: Oakland, 1:10 p.m.
Sept. 21: Minnesota, 7:10 p.m.
Sept. 22: Minnesota, 7:10 p.m.
Sept. 23: Minnesota, 7:10 p.m.
Sept. 24: Minnesota,, 1:10 p.m.
Sept. 26: at Kansas City, 8:15 p.m.
Sept. 27: at Kansas City, 8:15 p.m.
Sept. 28: at Kansas City, 8:15 p.m.
Sept. 29: at Minnesota, 8:10 p.m.
Sept. 30: at Minnesota, 7:10 p.m.
Oct. 1: at Minnesota, 3:10 p.m

Photo by Keith Allison via Flickr Commons