World Series 2012: Tigers to start Doug Fister in Game 2, Anibal Sanchez in Game 3

Detroit Tigers manager Jim Leyland solidified his World Series rotation on Sunday afternoon, as the veteran manager told James Schmehl of MLive.com that Doug Fister and Anibal Sanchez have been selected to start the second and third games of the series respectively.

Eager to give the ball to ace righty Justin Verlander in Game 1 on the road against either St. Louis or San Francisco, Leyland has opted to roll with Fister for Game 2 the following day. From there, the 28-year-old Sanchez will take the mound for Game 3 back at Comerica Park, in a scenario that lends itself nicely to Max Scherzer making a Game 4 start with Verlander waiting in the wings for Game 5.

Though it may be seen as a surprise to some that Sanchez, and not Scherzer, was tabbed as the Game 3 starter when the series shifts back to Motown, Leyland is clearly keen to keep on featuring Sanchez while he remains red-hot. The 6'8 Fister also has had an impressive postseason, and has now given up two earned runs or less in four consecutive playoff outings. Fister would be called upon to start a possible Game 6 on the road, while Sanchez would serve as the team's Game 7 starter.