DETROIT — The Detroit Tigers can still seize a series win Wednesday afternoon against the Washington Nationals at Comerica Park after missing their first chance Tuesday night, when Washington took the middle game 3-1 in Detroit to even the three-game set at one apiece.
Drew Anderson was saddled with the loss despite tossing a quality start, as Detroit's offense barely made a peep in the 3-1 defeat at Comerica Park. The series now hinges on Game 159, set for 1:10 p.m. ET Wednesday at Comerica Park in Detroit, Michigan, airing on Detroit SportsNet, MLB.TV and Tigers Radio Network, with left-handers Framber Valdez (10-11, 4.06 ERA) and Richard Lovelady (3-4, 3.86 ERA) slated to start.
Making his final start of the 2026 campaign, the 32-year-old Valdez is the lone survivor from Detroit's Opening Day rotation. While his overall numbers fall short of expectations for his pay level, he has been a mostly steady presence aside from a short suspension in May and is finishing strong. Over three September starts, Valdez has posted a 1.50 ERA and 3.71 FIP across 18 innings, allowing 12 hits including one home run and seven walks with 13 strikeouts and a hit-by-pitch, earning two wins and a loss.
Washington will counter with fellow southpaw Lovelady in his sixth start of the season as the Nationals look to take the series. The 31-year-old journeyman opened the season with the New York Mets primarily as a back-end reliever before being acquired by Washington in a mid-April trade, where he has served as a Swiss Army arm. Lovelady has not thrown more than two innings in an appearance this season and is expected to work in an opener role Wednesday.