Game 111 Preview: Yankees vs. Tigers

Mandatory Credit: Adam Hunger-USA TODAY Sports

Pitching Match-up: Scherzer vs. McCarthy

Tonight’s pitching match-up pits Brandon McCarthy against reigning American League Cy Young Award winner Max Scherzer.  McCarthy has turned his season around since his trade to the Yankees last month going 3-0 with a 2.55 ERA.  He credits a lot of his new found success to the increased use of his cut fastball since joining the Yankees.  His previous team, the Arizona Diamondbacks, had limited his use of the pitch deeming it to be too dangerous on his arm.  However, McCarthy is coming off his worst outing since donning the pinstripes.  He surrendered four runs on nine hits in six innings against the Rangers.  He will have to improve on that performance and keep the Tiger offense in check as runs against Scherzer generally come at a premium.

Scherzer is 13-3 with a 3.27 ERA this season as a follow-up to his Cy Young season a year ago.  Scherzer is having an excellent follow-up season to his 2013 award winning campaign and has turned it on lately going 5-0 with a 2.08 ERA over his last seven starts.  Over his career, however, he has struggled at Yankee Stadium posting a career ERA over 5.  The right hander will be going for his 14th win which would make him the first player in the majors to reach that number of wins.