It's a bit earlier than normal this year, but the early spring tradition has return.
Must be Opening Day again in downtown Detroit!
The Detroit Tigers host their home opener on Friday afternoon (after rain postponed the game on Thursday) against the Pittsburgh Pirates at Comerica Park. And no matter whether you're the most hardcore baseball enthusiast around or just a casual fan tagging along with friends for bar-hopping, we've got you covered on everything you need to know about this unofficial Michigan holiday.
Tigers season preview: Our best stories, predictions and more
First up: Game information
Detroit Tigers vs. Pittsburgh Pirates
When: 1:10 p.m. Friday.
Where: Comerica Park, Detroit.
TV/radio: Fox Sports Detroit; WXYT-FM (97.1; other radio affiliates).
Starting pitchers: Tigers RHP Jordan Zimmermann (8-13, 6.08 ERA in 2017) vs. Pirates RHP Ivan Nova (11-14, 4.14 ERA).
Meet the 2018 Tigers
For the first time in more than a decade, the expectation is not the postseason for the Tigers.
Well, that's being nice.
The question among fans and followers is "will they avoid losing 100 games?" The Tigers have fully embraced "rebuilding for the future," as they have the No. 1 pick in June's draft.
• Meet the team: A scout's opinion on every player on the 25-man roster.
• The architects: Free Press sports writer Anthony Fenech spent much of the spring getting a wider view on Al Avila and his staff, which has been tasked with this rebuild.
• The future: Free Press sports writer George Sipple went through the team's top 20 with ESPN's Keith Law, who knows the minor leagues, in and out.
• The predictions: Fenech and Sipple make their picks for each division winner, who'll win the World Series and who'll walk away with the season awards.
The first pitch
Lolich, a staple of Tigers lore for his performance in the 1968 World Series, famously threw out the final pitch of the Tigers' world championship-clincher 50 seasons ago in St. Louis. He won three games in that series, including Games 5 and 7.
Grammy-Award winner Chrisette Michele will sing the national anthem.
Get inside the park early! The pregame festivities, which include the roster introductions for the Tigers and Pirates, traditionally start around 12:30 p.m.
Traffic information
First things first: Get to downtown Detroit early. Between the tailgaters and it still technically being a customary work day, there'll be plenty of cars near and around Comerica Park.
Comerica Park’s gates open at 11 a.m. Not only that, but parking spaces near the ballpark will fill very fast.
The streets surrounding Comerica Park will be closed off for foot traffic, including Brush, Montcalm, Witherell and Adams.
Here's the Tigers' Comerica Park traffic advisory.
Where to park
Map of parking lots available for Tigers' Opening Day. (Photo: Photo illustration by Brian McNamara)
There are plenty of parking options around the ballpark in downtown Detroit, ranging from $25 near Comerica Park down to $10-15 a few blocks away, if you're in the walking mood.
If you're looking for shuttle, group bus, limousine and taxi cab information, visit here.
Getting around downtown: If you need to park further away and would rather not walk, consider the downtown People Mover. It's just 75 cents per ride.
The new ballpark food
Last year, Comerica Park debuted the Coney Deep Dish Pizza. But the staff at Comerica Park wasn't going to rest on its laurels for 2018.
Among the new ballpark foods:
- Halal Knockwurst
- Sy Ginsberg Corned Beef Sandwich
- Ode to Detroit Dog
- Ultimate Southern Burger
- Wet Burrito
- Brisket and Cheddar Stuffed Cornbread Muffin:
- Nacho Burger
- Porchetta Sandwich
- Buffalo Cauliflower
Now I want to go! How do I get tickets?
Never fear! As of Tuesday night, there are still some tickets available to Friday's game on the Tigers' official website, though in limited quantities.
On StubHub, standing room tickets start at $34, upper reserved infield are available for $40 each and pavilion seats for $47. The most expensive ticket on StubHub are on deck circle seats for $450, which is more than double the price through the Tigers. Nearly every section in Comerica Parks has ticket available through StubHub.
Good luck, have fun, be safe and Happy Opening Day!