Can you feel it? Can you smell it? Can you hear the crack of the bat? Ladies and gentlemen, regular-season baseball is back.

The wait is over and after a long offseason of building expectations, the Detroit Tigers begin their chase for the American League Central on Thursday against the Chicago White Sox.

It was a competitive spring training camp for the Tigers, with many battles across the roster, especially amongst the pitchers. Matt Manning, who made his MLB debut back in 2021, was optioned to Triple-A Toledo in a tight starting pitching battle. And we still don't officially know who the Tigers' Opening Day third baseman will be, although it will likely be Gio Urshella after the team signed him to a one-year, $1.5 million deal in the offseason.

The Tigers finished up spring training Tuesday with a 3-3 tie against the Tampa Bay Rays and then traveled to Chicago to prepare for the regular-season opener. While the Tigers may not be getting the benefit of starting the season at the friendly confines of Comerica Park, they do get a fairly manageable opponent.

The White Sox finished last year 61-101, one of just four teams to finish with 100 losses last year (along with fellow AL Central members, the Kansas City Royals) and also traded their best starting pitcher, Dylan Cease, to the San Diego Padres.

REQUIRED SKUBAL READING: How Detroit Tigers' Tarik Skubal matured into an Opening Day ace

With Cease no longer rocking the pinstripes, the White Sox are rolling with lefty Garrett Crochet, who has never made an MLB start in his three-year career. Crochet split time between the White Sox and the minor leagues last year after getting sent down for a rehab assignment because of left shoulder inflammation. The former first-round pick is still just 24 years old and is 6-feet-6 and throws absolute gas. Crochet gave up just three earned runs across 12⅔ innings pitched in spring training while making two starts. The lefty is bursting with potential, but we'll see if the Tigers can get to him as he fights through the Opening Day nerves, which also happens to coincide with his first ever MLB start.

Meanwhile, the Tigers will have an equally nasty but much more proven Opening Day starter in Tarik Skubal. Tigers manager A.J. Hinch didn't waste much time in naming Skubal the starter this spring training after he spent his first healthy offseason in a while sharpening his arsenal. Skubal didn't make his debut last season until July 4 but he looked like a potential Cy Young candidate during stretches, especially in the final month of the season when he gave up just three runs over five starts and was named the AL's Pitcher of the Month. The hype train has been building all offseason, and Thursday is the first chance for Skubal to prove he's the real deal.

Here's what you need to know about Thursday's Tigers vs. the White Sox game, including the TV channel, streaming info, weather report and starting pitchers.

Detroit Tigers (0-0) at Chicago White Sox (0-0)

Probable pitchers: Tigers LHP Tarik Skubal (7-3, 2.80 ERA in 2023) vs. White Sox LHP Garrett Crochet (0-2, 3.55 ERA in 2023).

• Box score

Tigers lineup:

1. 3B Andy Ibáñez

2. 1B Spencer Torkelson

3. LF Riley Greene

4. DH Mark Canha

5. RF Matt Vierling

6. 2B Colt Keith

7. C Jake Rogers

8. Javier Báez

9. CF Parker Meadows

Detroit Tigers vs. Chicago White Sox start time

Date: Thursday, March 28.

Time: 4:10 p.m. ET.

Where: Guaranteed Rate Field in Chicago, Illinois.

Be sure to check out freep.com/sports for all your coverage throughout the week.

What channel is Detroit Tigers vs. Chicago White Sox

TV channel: Bally Sports Detroit.

Streaming live: Try Fubo (free trial).

Radio: WXYT-FM (97.1) in Detroit (find all Tigers radio affiliates).

Detroit Lions vs. Chicago White Sox weather forecast

The game will start just after 3:10 p.m. Central Time, and it is currently expected to be 50 degrees and partly cloudy with roughly 10 mph winds and little to no chance of precipitation.

Detroit Tigers vs. Chicago White Sox betting odds

Opening game lines and odds from BetMGM as of Sunday night:

Spread: Tigers (-1.5).

Over/under: 8 runs.

Moneyline: Tigers (-175), White Sox (+145).

Want to bet on MLB? Find more information on legal sports gambling in Michigan.

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This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Detroit Tigers vs. Chicago White Sox: Time, weather, TV for first game