Troy Melton Starts Tigers Vs White Sox Series Against Fedde

Troy Melton makes his second start of the season as tigers vs white sox opens Friday night at Rate Field in Chicago. The Tigers need a cleaner series after dropping seven straight before this three-game road set, while the White Sox enter two games over.500 in second place in the AL Central.

Melton Faces Fedde

Melton was scheduled to take the mound against Erick Fedde at 7:40 p.m. ET. The right-hander enters 1-0 with a 1.59 ERA after his first start lasted 5 2/3 innings, when he allowed one run on two hits and three walks and struck out three in a win over the Baltimore Orioles.

His work against Chicago last year gives Detroit a useful reference point. Melton faced the White Sox twice and threw five shutout innings on Aug. 13 in a 1-0 victory.

White Sox Recent Form

Fedde goes in with a different line. He is 0-5 with a 5.47 ERA, and his most recent outing came in relief against the San Francisco Giants on the road, when he gave up eight runs on 10 hits and two walks while striking out three over 3 1/3 innings.

The matchup leans on past contact between the starters. Fedde also faced Detroit on May 20 last year, allowing four runs on five hits and no walks while striking out two over five innings.

Detroit At Rate Field

The series opens with the Tigers tied for last place in the American League after taking one of three games from the Los Angeles Angels. Chicago has the better recent line after winning three of four at home against the Minnesota Twins, and that split in form sets up the first game as a test of whether Detroit can stop the slide or whether the White Sox keep moving up the division pack.

For the Tigers, the immediate focus is simple: get a second straight strong start from Melton and avoid turning a short road trip into another lost series. For the White Sox, Fedde’s inning count and run prevention will decide whether they can turn a home series opener into another step away from the group at the bottom.