The Tampa Bay Rays travel to Comerica Park on Monday, August 24, 2026, for a 6:40 PM ET first pitch against the Detroit Tigers. Drew Rasmussen takes the ball for Tampa Bay, squaring off against Framber Valdez in what shapes up as a compelling pitching matchup. The game airs nationally on FS1, with local coverage on Rays.TV and radio on WDAE 95.7 FM. With regular season positioning on the line, this is a game the Rays need to take seriously on the road.

Pitching Matchup: Rasmussen vs. Valdez

Drew Rasmussen gets the start for Tampa Bay. Rasmussen has shown the kind of durability and swing-and-miss stuff the Rays covet from their rotation arms, and this road start at Comerica gives him a chance to assert himself against a Tigers lineup that, on paper, presents genuine challenges from top to bottom.

Opposing him is Framber Valdez, a left-handed sinker specialist who generates ground balls at an elite rate. Valdez is the type of pitcher who makes hitters beat the ball into the dirt, and his heavy sinker can neutralize aggressive swing-from-the-heels approaches. The Rays will need patience and disciplined at-bats to get into the Tigers bullpen early.

Detroit Tigers Starting Lineup

• Colt Keith, DH
• Hao-Yu Lee, 2B
• Kevin McGonigle, 3B
• Dillon Dingler, C
• Brett Callahan, LF
• Zach McKinstry, RF
• Spencer Torkelson, 1B
• Max Clark, CF
• Javier Báez, SS

Keys to Watch for the Rays

Working Valdez Deep Into Counts

Valdez does his best work when hitters are chasing early. The Rays' best path to scoring runs is drawing walks, fouling off sinkers, and forcing pitch counts up. If Tampa Bay can get Valdez into the fifth or sixth inning having thrown 90-plus pitches, the Tigers bullpen becomes a real opportunity.

Rasmussen Limiting the Detroit Middle of the Order

Detroit's lineup is constructed with some pop in the heart of the order. Dillon Dingler hitting fourth and Kevin McGonigle third means Rasmussen cannot let the lineup turn over cheaply. Keeping the ball down and avoiding walks in big spots will be the primary challenge for the Rays' starter.

Javier Báez in the Nine-Hole

Dropping Báez to ninth in the order is a notable lineup construction choice by Detroit's coaching staff. Whether by design or circumstance, it means the Tigers are essentially running a second table-setter ahead of leadoff man Colt Keith. Rasmussen will need to be sharp even at the bottom of the order to prevent Detroit from manufacturing runs the old-fashioned way.

Prediction

This is a road game against a legitimate starting pitcher, which is never easy. Valdez is capable of going deep into a game and keeping the Rays' offense quiet for stretches. But Rasmussen has the repertoire to match him. Expect a low-scoring affair decided by one or two swings. The Rays have the pitching to hang around — and if they can scratch out two or three runs, Rasmussen gives them a chance to steal this one in Detroit. Edge: Rays 3, Tigers 2.