The Detroit Tigers are approaching the first matchup of their three-game series against the Houston Astros.
The clash is scheduled to kick off on Monday at 8:10 p.m. ET at Daikin Park.
Ahead of the set, the Tigers announced news regarding their young right-hander.
As reported by Detroit baseball reporter Evan Petzold on X, 25-year-old Troy Melton has been scratched from starting tonight.
Tigers’ Troy Melton Will Not Start Against Astros
GettyDetroit Tigers’ Troy Melton was scratched from starting on Monday against the Houston Astros
According to Petzold, skipper A.J. Hinch stated the right-hander has been scratched due to “general back tightness.”
In his place, 32-year-old Drew Anderson will be stepping up on the mound to kick off the series in the Lone Star State.
Up until this point, Melton has registered a 2.81 ERA and 14 strikeouts across 25.2 innings pitched through four starts.
Assessing his two years in the Major Leagues, he owns a career 2.78 ERA and a 1.01 WHIP, with 20 games and four starts under his belt.
Melton is still quite fresh into his MLB career, but it’s never an ideal time to lose a starter.
Drew Anderson Takes Center Stage
Anderson has several more years of experience than Melton.
He was picked 668th overall by the Philadelphia Phillies in the 21st round of the 2012 MLB draft.
He made his debut in August 2017.
GettyDetroit Tigers’ Drew Anderson will be starting on Monday
After playing three seasons with the Phillies, he landed with the Chicago White Sox, where he played his 2020 campaign.
In 2021, he played a brief stint with the Texas Rangers, followed by a period overseas.
Now, he’s navigating his first year with Detroit’s organization.
At the time of this writing, he owns a 3.92 ERA and 53 strikeouts across 43.2 innings pitched through 25 games, one of which he started.
Tigers Right Now
With Detroit’s hideous loss to the Cleveland Guardians now in the past, they’re now left to face the Astros on the road.
The Tigers are currently sitting near the bottom of the American League Central standings at 29-42 overall.
They are just barely sitting atop the Kansas City Royals, who are 29-43 overall.
Surprisingly, the White Sox (38-32) lead the division, followed by the Guardians (39-33) and the Minnesota Twins (33-40).
When considering the MLB as a whole, Detroit isn’t looking any more promising.
The only franchises placed lower are the Los Angeles Angels, the Royals, the San Francisco Giants and the Colorado Rockies.
Astros Right Now
Houston and Detroit are in a similar predicament at this time.
The Astros are also second-to-last in their division, the American League West.
Their overall record of 33-40 was enough to edge out the Angels (29-43), but they still trail the Seattle Mariners, the Athletics and the Rangers.
Houston is coming off a frustrating 4-0 loss to Kansas City on Sunday, but previously, they defeated the Royals 10-8 and 8-7 on Friday and Saturday, respectively.
Detroit needs to bag a successful series this week, but with Melton on the sidelines, it’s unclear how the ballclub will fare during their bullpen matchup.
Anderson is certainly a quality player, but his start may not be enough to boost the Tigers right off the bat in the first clash.
Detroit Tigers Starter Scratched From Start Before Astros Game