A-Rod Makes His Yankee Stadium Return Against The Tigers

NEW YORK -- As much as I like watching the Yankees play road games, traveling to different ballparks, usually parks you don't get to see multiple time a year like other places in the AL East, it's always great to be back at home, enjoying the comforts of the good old Yankee Stadium.

And if there's anyone more happy to be back home at their home ballpark, it's the Yankees. Coming off an awful 2-6 road trip that included being swept by the last place Chicago White Sox. The Yanks are now back in the Bronx to open up a 7-game homestand with a weekend series against one of the hottest teams in baseball -- the Detroit Tigers.

The biggest storyline heading into tonight's game is that Alex Rodriguez will be playing in his first game at Yankee Stadium since being booed off the field for his poor postseason performance. Whether he'll be cheered or booed in his first at-bat is also a big part of the story.

Tonight's Lineup, 7:05 EST @ Yankee Stadium:

Gardner CF
Ichiro RF
Cano 2B
Soriano DH
Rodriguez 3B
Granderson LF
Overbay 1B
Nunez SS
Stewart C
Nova RHP

Pitching Preview:

Ivan Nova will be the man getting the ball in the series opener, taking the mound for the first time since tossing seven shutout innings, striking out eight against the San Diego Padres last Saturday.

"I've been feeling really good," Nova said. "Like I've said in the past, I don't remember the last time I felt the way I feel now. I'm working hard to try to repeat it every time. I'm trying to go out there and do my job, try to help the team to win games."

Nova has been pitching great for over a month, pitching five straight quality starts since the beginning of July. He's been absolutely dominant on the mound, and has arguably been the Yankees best pitch for the past month, alongside Hiroki Kuroda.

Rick Porcello gets the call from his manager, given the task of outdueling Nova, as well as trying to shutdown a Yankee offense that's been anything but a force to be reckoned with for the past few months.

Porcello has tossed six straight quality starts for the Tigers, and in three starts after the All-Star break, he is 2-0 with a 1.74 ERA, and also hasn't walked more than two batters in 20 of his 21 outings this season.

"When you pitch to contact, you have to keep runners off base any way you can, and not give them any walks," Porcello said. "I take pride in not giving up many of them, and get pretty frustrated when I do give up some walks. Trying to keep those at a minimum is definitely big for me being successful out there."

Question: Would you boo A-Rod tonight? Tell me your answer on my twitter feed, @GavinEwbank2013.