- Orioles starter Chris Tillman looks really good, but the Tigers are making him work for it. It's possible this could only be a five-inning start for him because his pitch count is so high (81). Max Scherzer has been much more efficient. That's good for the Tigers. The last thing they want is this to become quickly a battle of the bullpens.
- Count me among those who was absolutely wrong about Nelson Cruz. I thought the Tigers, like most of MLB, should avoid him like the plaque. His defensive metrics had alarmingly declined. His advanced numbers were way down overall, in fact.. He appeared past his prime. There was the PED suspension. But having written that, every time he steps to the plate, especially against Max Scherzer, it remains a menacing thought for Tigers' fans. Also, there is no way the Orioles are here without Cruz. It was a great signing.
- Having gone on and on about Cruz as a "Tiger Killer," and his big season in '14, part of the blow was lessened for the Tigers because J.D. Martinez had such a good season. He doesn't have to center the ball perfectly to drive and extra base hit or hit the ball out of the park. We saw that on his home run today.
- Both these teams are lacking offensively at the bottom of the order. There is no edge either way, that way.