MLB’s trade deadline is in the rearview and a sweltering August is upon us. The month starts out right with two playoff hopefuls tangling for a three-game interleague set. The Detroit Tigers enter Friday tied for the best record in the American League, while the Philadelphia Phillies are just a half-game away from leading their division. A.J. Hinch’s crew brings a four-game winning streak into Philly, where one of the sport’s rowdiest crowds awaits. Headlined by an All-Star pitching matchup on Saturday and a “Sunday Night Baseball” finale, this series should be among the best of the weekend.

How to watch Detroit Tigers at Philadelphia PhilliesViewing guide
Time (ET)TVStreamProbables

6:45 p.m., Fri.

MLB.TV (national)
NBCSP, FDSN Detroit (local)

Jack Flaherty
Ranger Suárez

4:05 p.m., Sat.

MLB.TV (national)
NBCSP, FDSN Detroit (local)

Tarik Skubal
Zack Wheeler

7:10 p.m., Sun.

ESPN

Troy Melton
Cristopher Sánchez

“Sunday Night Baseball” is also available with an ESPN+ subscription.

Prepare for some strident pitching and stingy defense. Four of the six probable starters (and all three Phillies) carry sub-3 ERAs into August action. The hosts open with left-hander Ranger Suárez on Friday night. He’s one of baseball’s best off-speed pitchers, slated into the 99 percentile for hard-hit percentage through 15 starts. Suárez has found increased success with his changeup and cutter this season, while his go-to sinker continues to induce soft contact.

Similarly, Sunday’s southpaw starter Cristopher Sánchez is in the 99 percentile for off-speed run value across his 21 starts. Sánchez didn’t get an All-Star bid this year, but his numbers are decidedly better than last year’s All-Star season. He’s seventh in the National League in strikeouts and K:BB rate, and up to second in adjusted ERA+, which evens out to reflect ballpark factors. He’s at a 1.95 ERA in his last five starts, and that’s after giving up four earned runs to the White Sox on Monday.

The marquee here is Saturday’s Cy Young-worthy battle between lefty Tarik Skubal and righty Zack Wheeler. Skubal was the American League Triple Crowner in 2024, and he’s been even cleaner this season — a sharper ERA (2.09 vs. 2.39), WHIP (0.838 vs. 0.922), K/9 (11.5 vs. 10.7) and BB/9 (1.3 vs. 1.6). Watch him paint the corner with late-game triple-digit heat:

Tarik Skubal dials up the 100mph heater for his 13th strikeout 😱

WHAT A PITCHER 🔥 pic.twitter.com/LcN6sQPSrT

— ESPN (@espn) June 30, 2025

Then watch him humiliate with a buckling changeup:

Tarik Skubal, Dirty 87mph Changeup…and Sword. ⚔️ pic.twitter.com/1J1hYYLbFl

— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) July 20, 2025

Filthy stuff from Skubal. He’s matched in kind by Wheeler, who is well on his way to a fourth 200+ K season with the Phillies. The 35-year-old ace leads the NL in strikeouts and WHIP, and he’s recorded at least eight Ks in seven of his last eight outings. Wheeler did take the L in his prior start, allowing four earned runs and seven base runners to the Yankees last Sunday. He’s still as good as anyone in the game when locked in, and opposing batters are hitting just .176 against him at Citizens Bank Park.

Both pennant chasers made interesting deadline moves to fortify their clubhouses. Philly added two impact players from Minnesota — defensive stalwart Harrison Bader in the outfield, and hard-throwing RHP Jhoan Durán in the bullpen. Detroit went out and got a trio of fresh relievers in Kyle Finnegan (Washington), Paul Sewald (Cleveland) and Rafael Montero (Atlanta). It also took a chance on 41-year-old starter Charlie Morton from Baltimore.

Both offenses can hang, too. Across the last 30 days, the Phillies rank fourth in home runs (37), sixth in OPS (.772) and 10th in batting average (.254). Trea Turner leads the NL in hits, and Kyle Schwarber is second in at-bats per home run. Bryce Harper is hitting .303 at home, compared to .237 on the road.

Detroit has put up 34 runs in its current four-game winning streak. The Tigers scored 12 times against Arizona on Tuesday. Seven different players have mashed a homer in that stretch — Kerry Carpenter, Jake Rogers, Gleyber Torres, Riley Greene, Zach McKinstry, Andy Ibáñez and Dillon Dingler.

Most home runs in both jerseys
Lance Parrish, 244 (212 DET, 32 PHI)
Nick Castellanos, 183 (104 DET, 79 and counting PHI)
Juan Samuel, 115 (100 PHI, 15 DET)
Updated odds

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(Photo of Zack Wheeler: Emilee Chinn / Getty Images)