Detroit Tigers vs. Pittsburgh Pirates, August 17, 2026, 7:05 p.m. ET
The Pittsburgh Pirates are continuing their home stand at PNC Park as they host the Detroit Tigers for a three-game set. The first matchup of the series is getting the national TV treatment in ESPN’s edition of Monday Night Baseball.
Taking the mound for the Pirates is Carmen Mlodzinski, who is making his third start since returning to the rotation earlier this month in replacement of Mitch Keller, who is out for the rest of the season. Mlodzinski is slowly working his way back towards pitching like a starter, but he has struggled in his first two starts, failing to make it into the fourth inning in either appearance. In his last start against the Miami Marlins on August 12, he pitched 2.1 innings, giving up five hits and four earned runs in an 8-2 loss.
The Pirates will face off against Tigers’ left-hander Framber Valdez, who is in his first season with the Tigers after spending eight seasons with the Houston Astros, becoming a two-time All-Star and a World Series champion.
Valdez has not pitched his best since arriving in Detroit, going 7-8 with a 4.26 ERA, the first time since the 2019 season that he’s had an ERA above 4. He’s coming off a loss in his last start against the Cleveland Guardians on August 12, pitching 5.2 innings, giving up six hits and four earned runs, and losing 6-4.
Location: PNC Park, Pittsburgh, PA
Broadcast: KDKA AM/FM, ESPN
Pitching Matchup: Framber Valdez (7-8, 4.26 ERA) vs. Carmen Mlodzinski (6-5, 3.79 ERA)
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