Tigers late in the 1954 season, making his Major League debut on September 14. He played in parts of 11 seasons for the Tigers, and his 123 wins rank tenth in team history. In , Lary stepped into the Tigers' rotation as a starter and compiled a record of 14–15 in 36 games. In , Lary compiled a 21–13 record and became the Tigers' first 20-game winner since Hal Newhouser won 21 games in 1948. His record was 17-3 after July 1. Lary also led the American League in multiple statistical categories in 1956, including wins (21), games started (38), innings pitched (294), hits allowed (289), hit batsmen (12), and batters faced (1,269), and finished 17th in the voting for Most Valuable Player in the American League. His total of 1,269 batters faced was the highest total by a pitcher in the American League during the 1950s. During his years with the Tigers, Lary became known as "The Yankee Killer." He had a 27–10 record against the New York Yankees from 1955 to 1961, years during which the Yankees won six American League pennants. In 1956, he compiled a record of 5–1 against a Yankees team that had an overall record of 97–57. In , he was 7–1 against a Yankees team that had an overall record of 92–62. He became the first pitcher to win seven games in one year against the Yankees since Ed Cicotte accomplished the feat in 1916. A good hitting pitcher, Lary defeated the Yankees 4–3 on May 12, 1961, by hitting a lead off home run in the top of the ninth inning. This took place immediately following the ejection of teammate, outfielder Rocky Colavito, who had bolted into the stands at Yankee Stadium when he observed a Yankee fan tussling with his father. In The Sporting News, Joe Falls wrote: "As far as Frank Lary is concerned, the war between the states never did end. There merely was an 89-year interlude between Lee's surrender at Appomattox in 1865 and Lary's arrival in the major leagues in 1954. The objective has remained the same: rout the Yankees." He was also 5–1 against the Yankees in . Yankees manager Casey Stengel once delayed the appearance of his star pitcher, Whitey Ford, by one day so Ford would not have to face Lary. Stengel explained to reporters, "If Lary is going to beat us anyway, why