Cooper Albers previews Sunday’s MLB series finale between the Houston Astros and the Detroit Tigers at Comerica Park.
Surging American League clubs collide as the Houston Astros visit the Detroit Tigers for Sunday’s series finale at Comerica Park.
The Astros (41–44, 4th AL West) have taken two of the first three matchups in this four-game series, capped by an 8–6 triumph without the help of Yordan Alvarez. They’ll welcome back the star slugger on Sunday with hopes of taking a 5–2 advantage in the season series with the Tigers (35–48, 4th AL Central).
Looking at the pitching probables, we’ve got ascendant Astros right-hander Hunter Brown (1–0, 1.40 ERA) squaring off with veteran Tigers righty Jack Flaherty (1–8, 5.35 ERA).
First pitch is at 1:40 p.m. ET. The Astros enter as 1.5-run road favorites with -131 moneyline odds on DraftKings Sportsbook. The Tigers are +109 underdogs, with the game total set at O/U eight runs.
Houston heads into Sunday’s series finale riding arguably its hottest stretch of the season. The Astros are 14–10 in June — fifth-best in MLB — and have won eight of their last 11 contests. Included in that stretch are four triumphs over the Tigers.
While the offense has cooled slightly of late, Houston is always one big swing away from breaking a game open. After a scheduled off-day on Saturday, American League MVP frontrunner Yordan Alvarez is back in the lineup for the series finale. He leads MLB with a 1.046 OPS this season and keeps getting hotter — hitting .349 this month.
Meanwhile, the Astros’ pitching staff has steadily improved from its dreadful start to 2026, particularly their bullpen. The Houston arm barn ranks fifth in MLB with a 2.74 ERA in June. On Sunday, those guys will back up burgeoning ace — and Detroit native — Hunter Brown. The right-handed fireballer, 27, has posted a microscopic 1.40 ERA (2.46 xERA) and a 1.19 WHIP in 16 starts (19.1 IP) this season, coming back strong after spending time on the injured list. Just last week, Brown twirled 5.2 innings of one-run ball with seven strikeouts in a 4–2 win over the Tigers.
Despite stumbling on their way to the finish line, the Tigers have also been one of MLB’s hottest teams since the calendar flipped to June. Their 13–10 record this month ranks just behind Houston as the sixth-best mark in the majors.
A leading factor in that success has been a power surge in Motor City. Detroit has crushed 40 home runs this month — second-most in MLB — while sitting eighth in wRC+ and wOBA. Leading the charge is Dillon Dingler, who’s hitting .356 with a 1.093 OPS and eight home runs in that span.
On the other side of the ball, the Tigers’ pitching staff has been absolute nails. With the rotation and the bullpen operating in complete harmony, Detroit leads the American League with a 3.05 ERA this month. However, part of that success came from veteran starter Jack Flaherty being shelved for half of it. The 30-year-old right-hander returns from the IL on Sunday, liable for a 5.35 ERA (4.64 xERA) and a 1.57 WHIP across 15 turbulent outings (65.2 IP). He ranks in the bottom ten percent of MLB starters in ground-ball rate, hard-hit rate, and average exit velocity.
Sometimes, a game’s outcome really boils down to its pitching matchup. Hunter Brown has established himself as one of the most exciting young starters in the game, while Jack Flaherty is firmly on the decline. Add in a recharged Yordan Alvarez, and it looks like the formula for an Astros victory in Sunday’s series finale.
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