​The Detroit Tigers saw their six-game winning streak halted on Saturday night as the Philadelphia Phillies prevailed 4-2 at Comerica Park. Casey Mize struggled once again, while Eduardo Valencia continued to show he belongs at the major league level, but the Detroit offense failed to get anything going against Cristopher Sánchez. On Sunday afternoon, the Old English D will try to secure its fourth straight series win before the All-Star break, with Tarik Skubal on the mound. The 29-year-old left-hander has posted a 1.64 ERA and a 3.02 FIP over his last two starts, including a five-inning, one-run performance in his most recent home appearance against the Athletics, a win that boosted him to five on the season in a 6-2 game.
The Tigers face another stiff test as the Phillies counter with right-hander Zack Wheeler, aiming to clinch a series win of their own. Wheeler’s last outing against the Cincinnati Reds was a standout, marking his 10th quality start of 2026. He worked seven innings of one-run baseball on four hits, with one home run allowed, and tied a season high with 14 strikeouts as he secured his ninth win in a 4-1 victory.
Here’s how the two premier pitchers stack up for Sunday’s clash:
Time (ET): 1:40 p.m.
Venue: Comerica Park, Detroit, Michigan
SB Nation Site: The Good Phight
Media: Detroit SportsNet, MLB.TV, Tigers Radio Network
Game 96: Tarik Skubal (5-4, 3.06 ERA) vs. Zack Wheeler (9-1, 2.28 ERA)
Skubal vs. Wheeler: Key indicators
Skubal — GIPK% BB% GB% FIP fWAR
Skubal: 12 games, 70.0 innings, .23 K%, .4 BB%, .6 GB%, 3.6 FIP, 1.7 fWAR
Wheeler — GIPK% BB% GB% FIP fWAR
Wheeler: 14 games, 87.0 innings, .29 K%, .4 BB%, .4 GB%, 4.0 FIP, 2.4 fWAR
As Sunday’s matinee approaches, all eyes will be on Skubal and Wheeler to see which ace can steer his team to a critical win. The Tigers will look to bounce back from recent stumbles by generating offense and backing Skubal with run support, while Wheeler will try to maintain his dominant form and extend his team’s lead in the series. Fans can tune in to MLB.TV, Tigers Radio Network, and local broadcasts for full coverage of this high-stakes matchup at Comerica Park.