It's strong praise from Skubal, as he says Brown's stuff is the ideal repertoire for a starting pitcher. But that wasn't all Skubal had to say about Brown, as he also wished that Brown could be a Tiger rather than facing him as an Astro.

However, the injury history of the slugger combined with this poor performance has not stopped Kerry Miller of Bleacher Report from believing that Alvarez will be the face of the franchise in 2028.

The Astros have led the American League West for about 2 1/2 months, which is rather remarkable when you consider the key players who’ve missed big chunks of time with injuries -- slugger Yordan Alvarez and All-Stars Jeremy Peña and Isaac Paredes on offense,

While the winner won't automatically earn the Cy Young, it would be a great boost to their candidacy. But in Skubal's ideal world, he wouldn't have to face Brown, as he wishes that Brown were suiting up for the Tigers instead of pitching against them.

Tayler Scott is back with the Astros for his second big-league stint in Houston this year, giving them a fresh arm for the road trip.

Detroit has a 74-53 record overall and a 40-24 record at home. The Tigers have the fourth-ranked team ERA in the AL at 3.81. Houston has a 31-29 record in road games and a 69-56 record overall. The Astros have a 41-7 record in games when they scored five or more runs.

The Tigers' bats began to come alive in the fourth inning in support of Flaherty. Wenceel Perez blasted his 10th home run, off losing pitcher Spencer Arrighetti, giving the Tigers a 1-0 lead.

The Astros have been shut out three times in four games for the first time since April 2005, leaving them looking for adjustments at the plate.

Preview the Aug. 18 matchup between the Detroit Tigers and Houston Astros with odds over/under, game spread, betting lines and more.