DETROIT TIGERS (0-0)

at MIAMI MARLINS (0-0)

                                                First pitch: Tuesday, 7:10 p.m. ET
Line: Detroit -118, Miami +108, Total: 7 1/2

Justin Verlander and the Tigers kick off their 2016 season against Wei-Yin Chen and the Miami Marlins in an interleague matchup.

The Tigers (74-87 in 2015) finished in last place in the American League Central last season, but there’s no reason to think they can’t return to the playoffs in 2016. The Marlins (71-91 in 2015) will have difficulty squeezing into the playoffs with the Mets and the Nationals in their division, but they should be much improved from last season. The Tigers added some high-priced free agents in RHP Jordan Zimmermann (13-10, 3.66 ERA, 164 Ks in 2015) and OF Justin Upton (.251, 26 HRs, 81 RBIs, 19 SBs in 2015). The Marlins’ biggest free-agent addition was LHP Wei-Yin Chen (11-8, 3.34 ERA, 153 Ks in 2015), Tuesday’s starter. Miami also added 3B/1B Chris Johnson (.255, 3 HRs, 18 RBIs in 83 games in 2015).

The Tigers are an incredibly dangerous offensive club, and Chen will have to be awfully careful in his Marlins debut. 1B Miguel Cabrera (.338, 18 HRs, 76 RBIs in 2015) is one of the best hitters on the planet, and DH Victor Martinez (.245, 11 HRs, 64 RBIs in 2015) remains a threat despite a down year in 2015. Chen will also have to contend with Upton, 2B Ian Kinsler (.296, 11 HRs, 73 RBIs in 2015) and RF J.D. Martinez (.282, 38 HRs, 102 RBIs in 2015), who’s coming off an outstanding campaign. RHP Justin Verlander (5-8, 3.38 ERA, 113 Ks in 20 starts in 2015) is far from the most dominant pitcher in baseball—he was at one time—but he still possesses very good stuff. The Tigers haven’t seen much of Chen. Only two players on the Tigers have more than five at-bats against him. Kinsler has had tremendous success against the left-hander in his career, going 5-for-12 with a pair of doubles, an RBI and a walk.

As RF Giancarlo Stanton (.265, 27 HRs in 279 ABs in 2015) goes, so go the Marlins. The 6’6” slugger played just 74 games last season, but when healthy he’s arguably the most potent power hitter in baseball. 24-year-old LF Christian Yelich (.300, 7 HRs, 44 RBIs, 16 SBs in 126 games in 2015) has a ton of upside, as does 25-year-old CF Marcell Ozuna (.259, 10 HRs, 44 RBIs, 27 2Bs in 123 games in 2015). Always a threat to steal, 2B Dee Gordon (.333, 58 SBs, .359 OBP in 2015) can hit and is an absolute terror on the bases. If he gets on, Verlander will have to keep a very close eye on him. Verlander has spent his entire career in the American League—with the Tigers—so the Marlins have very limited experience against the six-time All-Star and 2011 American League Cy Young Award winner. Stanton has struck out in all three career plate appearances against Verlander, and Gordon is also 0-for-3 with a strikeout. Veteran 3B Martin Prado (.288, 9 HRs, 63 RBIs in 129 games in 2015) has seen a bit of Verlander, going 3-for-9 with two doubles. Future Hall of Famer Ichiro Suzuki (.229, 1 HR, 21 RBIs, 11 SBs in 2015) played in the American League from 2001 up until last season and has had a ton of at-bats against Verlander, but the former MVP is now a bench player in this late stage of his career. If Marlins manager Don Mattingly decides to insert the sweet-swinging lefty into the lineup, it’s worth nothing that he’s 18-for-62 against Verlander with a double, a triple, a home run and a walk.