Whether the Tigers made the better move than Cleveland at the trade deadline will be tested this week. Doug Fister, acquired from Seattle, will face the Indians on the Tuesday. He did well his first start in a Detroit uniform at Comerica Park against the Rangers, but this is on the road against the Tigers' nearest competition in the American League Central.
Fister is 0-2 with a 3.14 ERA in his career against the Indians. He is 0-0 with a 2.51 ERA at Progressive Field. He pitched eight innings, allowing four hits and two earned runs at Cleveland earlier this season. The Mariners lost that game, 5-4.
Ubaldo Jimenez pitches against the Tigers Wednesday. The Indians really need him to step forward and be Cleveland's version of Justin Verlander. The general consensus is that Jimenez, who was 15-1 at point of the 2010 season, is a better pitcher than Fister. Is he, really? Jimenez was underwhelming in his first start for the Indians.
We'll know more this week.