BLOOMFIELD HILLS ― The question was pretty simple: Do you miss broadcasting?

The answer, well, that’s more complicated.

“I mean, I enjoyed some of the things, but I didn’t fit,” said Kirk Gibson the other day in an interview with The Detroit News, his first public comments about his departure from the Tigers’ TV team since the press-release announcement went out in March. “All things considered, I did what was right.

“One thing I learned through many people, mentors of mine along the way, was to take the high road … going back to Sparky (Anderson, former manager). He called me out when I was young and said, ‘Can you take it!?’ I said, ‘Take what?’ He said, ‘Can you take it!?’ I said, ‘What are you talking about?’ He said, ‘Can you take it?’ … ‘Yeah, bring it on, I can (bleeping) take it.’ He gave me many examples of taking it, just keeping your mouth shut for the team.”

Gibson, 68, spent 15 years on the Tigers’ television broadcasts, first from 1998-2002, shortly after his retirement as a player, working with Josh Lewin and then Mario Impemba.

He then returned to the booth in 2015, working as an analyst to Impemba, Matt Shepard and, last year, Jason Benetti.

In February, the Tigers announced Gibson would be part of the Tigers’ television team on FanDuel Sports Network Detroit in 2025, working alongside Benetti, the play-by-play man, and fellow analysts Andy Dirks and Dan Petry, among others.

But in mid-March, less than two weeks before the season, the Tigers and Gibson issued a joint statement saying Gibson would not return to the broadcast booth. At the time, it was portrayed as a mutual decision.

Shortly after Gibson began his second stint as a Tigers broadcaster in 2015, he was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease, and he’s made his fight against the degenerative disease very public ― including on the air, broadcasting more than half the regular-season games for a decade ― even as it clearly took its toll physically. Where his delivery at times might have suffered, the quality of his preparation and analysis did not.

When the announcement was made in March, the Tigers and FanDuel Sports Network Detroit said in a joint statement: “Gibby is a shining example of what we all embody. His grit, tenacity, and dedication to the Olde English ‘D’ are unmatched qualities that have connected him so deeply with generations of Tigers fans.”

The Tigers declined comment on Gibson’s remarks this week.

Gibson remains an adviser to Tigers president Scott Harris and continues to watch almost every Tigers game, though his appearances at Comerica Park have dwindled. He was at Comerica Park in April when the Tigers held Parkinson’s Awareness Day, and he was there in June when he was presented a lifetime achievement award by the Major League Baseball Players Alumni Association. The Tigers continue to support Kirk Gibson’s Foundation for Parkinson’s; each ticket sold through his foundation’s website earns a donation to his foundation.

Stepping away from the broadcast booth has allowed Gibson more time to focus on his foundation, which in October will officially open the Kirk Gibson Center for Parkinson’s Wellness on Northwestern Highway in Farmington Hills.

Of his former broadcast partners, Gibson called Lewin “a genius” (they were affectionately known as Gibby and the Geek), “Mario was good, too,” and “nobody tried harder” than Shepard.

Before the 2024 season, Shepard was fired and replaced with Benetti, who came over from the Chicago White Sox. Benetti, like the Tigers, declined to comment.

“Things change over time, you know? You get older, you’ve gotta change if you’re going to be partners. You’ve gotta change if you’re going to make it work,” said Gibson, who is arguably the most popular living former Tiger. “I’ll just leave it at that.”

On if he wishes he still was in the booth, Gibson added, “If things are right, you do it. It wasn’t a good fit.”

Eyes might have been, and should have been, a bit blurry Monday evening after the Tigers in the span of 24 hours wrapped up a 20-round, 21-player harvest as the 2025 MLB Draft closed.

The Tigers were busy: They took 14 pitchers, three shortstops, two catchers, and two outfielders, during their Sunday-Monday shopping spree. They made 17 of their 21 picks Monday during a pitching-dominant, seven-hour span.

Even as the Tigers are a bit thin on arms in Detroit, and even factoring that their farm-crop pitchers haven’t quite flourished as had been hoped in 2025, the Tigers said Monday’s arms-splurge was all about quality and availability when their turn arrived.

It was all part of an expedition the Tigers insisted they loved, from the moment Jordan Yost was taken with their first turn Sunday, to Monday’s final bell in the 20th round when they took a chance on 6-foot-5, 210-pound, right-handed hitting outfielder Kameron Douglas from Alabama State.

“We’re very pleased with how things turned out the past 24 hours,” said Rob Metzler, the Tigers’ assistant general manager who supervises drafting and international scouting. “We’ve selected 21 players and we’re thrilled with the group.

“We got two middle-of-the-diamond players with premier bats (catcher Michael Oliveto followed Yost during Sunday’s early Tigers). We like their makeup and like their swings, and everything about Jordan and Michael.

“And we were able to add starting-pitching profiles behind that who have a chance to compete in our system.”

Mark Conner, the Tigers director of amateur scouting who with Metzler began revamping Tigers scouting in 2023, said the condensed, two-day draft frenzy – the 20 rounds had been spread over three days previously – somehow worked.

“Honestly, it was just being nimble,” said Conner, who previously worked for the Padres before joining Metzler and Tigers front-office chief Scott Harris. “There was a lot of preparation in advance before these two days.

The players lined up fairly well with our board (Detroit’s prioritized order of players throughout the college and prep ranks), and we moved on the fly like we do every year. The group did a great job.”

Referring to Monday’s 17-round scramble, Conner said it was indeed like shopping with a time limit.

“Those grocery-store references are right,” Conner said. “Every store’s a little bit different, going down the aisles, seeing what’s available. There was a lot of work from area scouts, cross-checkers, analysts, player development – honestly, it was a total group effort.”

It also required being deft with their MLB-policed 2025 draft budget of $10,990,800.

Lots of jostling there – who can the Tigers sign for less than the “recommended” slot value for a particular pick? What pick will need more to wave his college scholarship offer and sign a pro contract?

There was evidence throughout Monday’s picks of something the Tigers naturally won’t touch: the matter of how they juggled those dollars.

It is suspected they perhaps signed Yost and Oliveto to under-slot deals: Yost’s “suggested” cash at No. 24 in the first round was $3.7 million, with Oliveto scheduled to receive no more than a MLB-authorized $2.7 million.

It didn’t take long Monday to see the Tigers would need more than MLB’s sliding-scale for deeper draft picks. It descends into low six-figure sums, to lure away various players who in a few weeks can easily keep their college commitments.

Ryan Hall, a right-handed starter from North Gwinnett High, in Suwanee, Georgia? He likely will want some sweet dollars to say no to Georgia Tech. As, presumably, will ninth-rounder, Trevor Heishman, a left-handed star from St. John Bosco High, in Bellflower, California.

Same with River Hamilton, a foot-3, 195-pound, right-handed teen from Sam Barlow High in Gresham, Oregon. He is off to LSU this fall if he doesn’t opt for the Tigers.

Lots of swinging and swaying within the Tigers’ rapid-fire decisions Monday on talent they liked at a price they believed could make such players achievable.

How the 2025 MLB Draft’s final 17 rounds played out for Detroit:

Fourth round: Caleb Leys, 22, LH starter, 6-1, 190, University of Maine: Missed 2024 with arm issues but returned this spring to start 14 games, with a 2.69 ERA and 1.24 WHIP, with 67 innings featuring: 56 hits, 27 walks, 74 strikeouts – and not a single home run.

Fifth round: Ryan Hall, 18, RH starter, 6-1, 170, North Gwinnett High, Suwanee, Ga.: Terrific athlete (a marvelous quarterback was Hall at North Gwinnett) who, as mentioned, will need to be turned from his Georgia Tech commit.

Sixth round: Grayson Grinsell, 21, LH starter, 6-1, 190, University of Oregon: A Friday night starter for the Ducks. Throws strikes and has the kind of “pitchability” finesse the Tigers happily welcome at TigerTown.

Seventh round: Cale Wetwiska, 20, RH starter, 6-2, 190, Northern Oklahoma Enid: A two-way player here who can handle the outfield but who will pitch for the Tigers if signed.

Eighth round: Nick Dumesnil, 21, Outfielder, 6-2, 210, California Baptist: He had first-round thoughts fluttering within a few scouts’ heads last summer on the Cape Cod League. Had a tough spring with California Baptist, but his potential is as significant as a center-fielder’s athleticism.

Ninth round: Trevor Heishman, 18 LH starter, 6-4, 230, St. John Bosco High, Bellflower, California: A prototypical mound-horse here, with the big fastball (940 and high-rpm pitches that define a teen power-pitcher. He must be coaxed from his pledge to the University of Memphis.

10. Edian Espinal, 20, catcher, 5-8, 205, switch-hitter, Central Florida (Puerto Rico native): Espinal’s a former infielder, with a good arm and nice exit-velocities on pitches he whacks. In his 51 games from 2025: .335/.434/.470/.905, with four homers, 21 walks and 30 strikeouts.

11. River Hamilton, 18, RH pitcher, 6-3, 195, Sam Barlow High, Gresham, Oregon: He fires fastballs at 95-96, with a serious slider. It’s why the Tigers are hoping to steer him from LSU with a proper offer.

12. Cash Kuiper, 20, RH pitcher, 6-4, 200, Murray State (Junior) College: A project here, for sure, but one the Tigers like when size and all the other scouting variables are factored.

13. Jack Goodman, 21, shortstop, 6-foot, 185, RH hitter, Northeastern University: He was a 15th-round Rangers pick in 2022. Good numbers at Northeastern in 2025:,.335/.406/.547/.953, with 10 homers.

14. Beau Ankeney, 22, 1B, 6-4, 235, RH hitter, Loyola Marymount: Big man, big power: 57 games, .358/.453/.712/1.164, with 22 bombs.

15. Charlie Christensen, 21, RH pitcher, 6-4, 190, University of Central Arkansas: Size, stuff, development, are what the Tigers are counting on with Christensen.

16. Joe Ruzicka, 21, RH pitcher, 6-3, 200, Belmont University: 15 games, 3.56 ERA, 1.23 WHIP, 81 innings, 56 hits, 44 walks and 70 punchouts.

17. Joey Wimpelberg, 20, RH, 6-1, 200, pitcher Central Florida: Only one game at Central Florida this year. Otherwise pitched for Bethesda in the Cal Ripken Collegiate League.

18. Ethan Rogers, 18, LH pitcher, 6-1, 180, Lone Jack (Missouri) High: Fastball at 93. Wichita State commit.

19. Meridian Leffew, 18, SS, 6-2, 187, RH batter, Gaston Christian, Belmont, North Carolina: Central Florida commit and a big, broad-shouldered athlete with physical capacity development teams love — and speed.

20. Kameron Douglas, 21, OF, 6-5, 210, RH batter, Alabama St.: In 59 games, Douglas hit .335/.419/.639/1.058, with 17 homers.

“I think we’ve been transparent about what we value as part of the process,” Metzler said of the Tigers’ scouting identity – the traits and trademarks they’re hunting when deciding on 21 players, as they did during those frenzied 24 hours Sunday and Monday.

“It’s about an incredible work ethic, respectfully challenging each part of the process, and making the best decisions.”

It turned Sunday into a prep prospect party for the Detroit Tigers as they grabbed high school talent with their first two picks in the 2025 MLB Draft, snatching catcher Michael Oliveto of Hauppage (New York) High with the 34th overal pick – 10 spots after making Florida prep shortstop Jordan Yost their first choice at No. 24 overall.

The Tigers had been tied to Oliveto, who like Yost, is a left-handed hitter, and who unlike the 6-foot Joyce, is a big lad – 6-3, 185 pounds, and a young man with enough intellect to have earned a Yale scholarship.

Oliveto is, not surprisingly, considered to have prime-time power and a sophisticated hit-tool. Whether he can continue as a catcher or is better targeted down the road for another position is of little immediate concern to the Tigers, who clearly like his potential, both ways.

The Tigers’ calling-card through three drafts under front-office general Scott Harris have been prep hitters with up-the-middle talents. They struck twice Sunday in a manner reminiscent of last year’s first-round pick of Bryce Rainer and the Max Clark-Kevin McGonigle dual haul in 2023.

Yost, 18, is a left-handed batter from Sickles High in Tampa, Florida, about 50 miles from the Tigers’ farm headquarters in Lakeland. He is 6-foot, 170 pounds, and is viewed as a skilled hitter with the kind of contact-crunch and strike-zone eye an organization celebrates.

Yost is a high-ceiling pick, for sure, with two-way, bedrock talents that conform to the Tigers’ concentration on up-the-middle draft skills and baseball savvy, even when a prospect is as young as Yost.

OLSM grad Ike Irish drafted by Orioles in first round of 2025 MLB Draft

With their second-round pick, No. 62 overall, the Tigers grabbed right-handed pitcher Malachi Witherspoon (6-3, 211 pounds) from the University of Oklahoma.

The Tigers were to pick once more Sunday – at No. 98  –  in the 2025 draft’s first three rounds. Rounds 4-20 are set for Monday.

The Tigers have gone for prep bats in early rounds spanning the three years Tigers drafts have been headed by Rob Metzler and Mark Conner, all since Scott Harris became Tigers front-office boss in 2022.

First-place teams, winning records across the board – the Tigers’ farm surge has been a story as generally upbeat as a Detroit team’s first-place grip in the American League Central.

A look at some of the best, some of the not-so-great, and a stream of performers who have brought color and organizational muscle to the Tigers’ minor-league realm:

 

Best performance by a hitter

Kevin McGonigle, shortstop, Erie. Everyone knew McGonigle, at some point in June/July, was jumping from West Michigan to Double A after he destroyed Midwest League pitching to the tune of .372/.462/.648/1.110. His Erie ticket came July 7 (officially) and, unsurprisingly, was part of a three-player package shipped to Erie alongside two others who in normal years would have wrapped up the Tigers farm’s first-half hitting crown: Max Clark and Josue Briceno. McGonigle might well show at Erie talent as special as has been showcased at those early Tigers farm stops. If so, he will go to spring camp in February with a chance to further dazzle and push his MLB arrival to 2026. A lot left to be displayed and discussed as McGonigle soars.

Best late development by a hitter

Clark’s surge from late spring into July when he added power to an otherwise sturdy profile: In an 11-game stretch from June 22-July 6 he hit three of his eight home runs on the season, and three of his 12 doubles. Important stuff, his power beginning to blossom, when Clark is five months from turning 21 and when his walks on the season are 65 against 58 strikeouts. The Tigers aren’t second-guessing their third overall pick in the 2023 MLB Draft.

Best position debate tied to a terrific hitter

Whether a left-handed dynamite stick on Briceno’s level can remain at catcher or eventually move full-time to first base. The Tigers know catching is gold and there’s no reason to cash in Briceno’s chips even if men 6-foot-4 and 200-plus pounds rarely withstand MLB’s behind-the-plate rigors. For now, the Tigers can happily wait this one out, especially as young men such as Thayron Liranzo, Enrique Jimenez and hotshot teen Steven Madero bid for future jobs at Comerica Park. One thing to keep in mind: Spencer Torkelson is three years from free agency. Briceno looms there as a heavy insurance policy.

Toughest break for a blue-chip hitter

Bryce Rainer dislocating his shoulder during a June 4 game at Lakeland. Rainer was showing magic in that left-handed bat and was playing a superb shortstop, all at age 19. By now, he probably would have been making West Michigan a bit less anguished at losing McGonigle, Clark and Briceno to their Erie upgrades. The word from Detroit’s front office is that surgery was a best option and Rainer should be ready to resume his old, quasi-astounding ways next spring. About the only question is whether his pitching-grade arm will return to its 2025 fury. But what a talent the Tigers snagged here with last July’s 11th-overall pick.

Best performance by a starting pitcher

Troy Melton, Toledo. Candidacies here were on the light side. Melton has come on nicely at Triple A, three years after the Tigers made him a fourth-round grab from San Diego State. His power-pitching quiver is impressive (fastball up to 98-99) with a legit five-pitch mix. He needs yet to finish off hitters (see: Reese Olson) and throw to quadrants that can bedevil big-league batters. Of course, that’s every pitcher’s requirement and perfection is elusive. It’s possible Melton could find his way to Detroit during the summer’s second half. Either way, he’s headed for work in Detroit no later than (early?) next season.

Most disappointing facet of the farm’s first half

That so few starters showed promise when much was expected. Ty Madden (shoulder issues), Jaden Hamm, Rayner Castillo, Gabriel Reyes, Owen Hall, Ethan Schiefelbein, Josh Randall, Joseph Montalvo, and others all expected to be arcing upward. It hasn’t, on balance, happened, although there have been exceptions: Lucas Elissalt and R.J. Sales at Lakeland; Andrew Sears at West Michigan; Jake Miller at Erie, among others. What’s ironic is the Tigers forever were better at finding pitching than hitting. That has reversed the past couple of drafts under new execs. No major alterations from taking hitters quickly, and arms later, is expected during the Tigers’ 2025 draft. What the Tigers hope as pitching forecasts become clearer is better health, principally, and pitchers rebounding — as they so often do within the mercurial realm of arms and baseball. Surprises and expectations on the plus side can always sprout in these closing months of 2025 — and during a critical 2026 season.

Better signs from below (pitching)

That relievers appeared to be gestating at various levels, including a rich group at West Michigan: Marco Jimenez, Micah Ashman, Preston Howey, and others. RJ Petit is evolving at Erie, as is Richard Guasch and a restored Tanner Kohlhepp. Moises Rodriguez looks as if a move to West Michigan from Lakeland will happen as quickly as some of the above shift to Erie. And by all means keep an eye on Thomas Szapucki, a one-time bright-light in the Mets system who signed in February with the Tigers. He was splendid during some tune-ups at Lakeland, and now is stationed at Toledo. Another Mud Hen to eyeball: Drew Sommers, a left-handed option, for sure, if the Tigers need help in Detroit. Sommers was Tampa Bay’s price in a February trade for Mason Englert. Also of interest: Woo-Suk Go, 25, a left-handed South Korea product who has past time in the Marlins and Padres systems. He struck out four in two innings Saturday against Omaha.

Hitter who best rebounded

Max Anderson, Erie. Last season, his first full farm year after the Tigers drafted him 45th overall in 2023, was not uplifting (.266, .702 OPS). This year has been more like a rocket-launch, with any night on which Anderson gets fewer than two hits something of a surprise. He has steadily been well above .300 in 2025 with .900-plus OPS, and only a 14.9% strikeout rate. He walks too few times, but his bat-to-ball skills, and power (.534 slugging, 11 home runs) make him one to consider as the Tigers right-side infield future plays out, or as an enticing trade chip this month or later. Note that he also is getting work at third base, although half the Tigers organization seems to have had at least a turn at third.

Still to be sorted out

What the Tigers do with their infield triumvirate of Anderson, Jace Jung and Hao-Yu Lee. All of them primarily are second basemen working (to different degrees) as third-base converts. Anderson is having by far the better season, offensively. Jung is working on a swing-change that appears to be paying off. Lee is keeping pace with the bat and in sharing time at two positions. The Tigers are likely to lose Gleyber Torres this autumn to free agency. One or two of the above ideally becomes a factor at one or both positions as a team’s big-league infield mysteries evolve.

Hitters who aren’t yet cutting it

The Tigers got Gage Workman back from his Rule 5 hiatus with the Cubs and White Sox and looked to be retrieving a potential roster piece. But, ah, since returning to Toledo it’s an old story through 39 games: .188 batting average and another scary strikeout clip, long Workman’s bogeyman, of 39.5%. Also worrisome: Roberto Campos at Erie. He turned 22 last month, should be showing definitive signs of big-league cachet, and instead in 69 games at Double A is batting .231/.293/.331/.624. He is 6-3, 200, bats right-handed and in 2019 was a then-record Tigers international investment of $2.85 million. There are regular assurances across the Tigers organization that Campos will be fine. It’s time to ask: Will he?

Hitter most closely to follow (second half)

Franyerber Montilla at Lakeland. Montilla plays middle infield, switch hits, and had a chilly spring before things began getting toasty with the Flying Tigers (12-for-25 in his past six games). The thermostat turned up last month and an ongoing second-half surge could put him at West Michigan even this summer. His strikeouts (25.1%) remain a bit heavy but, if amended, would factor in any later-summer notions of moving him to high-A.

Pitcher most closely to follow (second half)

Kenny Serwa at Erie. Those who don’t take this man seriously might wish to take in a Serwa start. His knuckleball is real. He can throw it for strikes. He is tough to hit. He can give you six innings, easily. He is an athlete. He probably should bag his fastball, or at least not throw it on an 0-2 count, as he did Thursday and watched as it banged against the fence for a triple. And he should avoid bad innings that seemingly are within the grasp of a 27-year-old man still fairly new to professional baseball. These are fairly achievable matters for a pitcher who in 17 games (12 starts) at West Michigan and Erie has a 3.36 ERA and 1.09 WHIP, with strikeout/walks rates of 7.0 and 3.0 and who has been nicked for only 55 hits in 72 innings. Serwa, in fact, has two knuckleballs thrown at markedly different speeds. Understand this man’s uniqueness. Appreciate his potential.

Over the horizon

There are signs of life, some of them brilliant, in the deeper regions of Detroit’s rookeries in the Florida Complex League and Dominican Summer League. Kelvis Salcedo, Eddy Felix, Jatnk Diaz – all, by next year, could be part of an organization-wide rebound among Tigers kid starters. Offensively, Javier Osorio, Jose Dickson and Jude Warwick, now joining Enrique Jimenez as the Tigers’ best quartet of FCL hitters, should be digging in as lineup regulars at Lakeland. In the Dominican Summer League, teens soon headed States-side include Madero, a marvelously talented young catcher, as well as Cris Rodriguez, Nestor Miranda, and Cristian Perez – and 18-year-old right-handed gunslinger Jhonan Coba.

An eventful first half, this year’s Tigers farm story and its revelations. Second-half news should also, steadily, make 2025 one of the more remarkable seasons in the past 50 years of Tigers minor-league life.

DETROIT – The genesis of Tarik Skubal being named the American League’s starting pitcher in the All-Star Game Tuesday began with a phone call from Yankees ace Max Fried.

“It was actually a really cool conversation from his perspective, because of his history with Atlanta and all that stuff,” Skubal said.

Fried, of course, spent the first eight years of his career with the Braves. Obviously, him going back to that city to start the All-Star Game against the National League would have been a big deal.

And Fried, at that point, hadn’t pulled himself out of the game.

“He asked me if I wanted to start,” Skubal said. “I told him, ‘Hey, if you want to start, I get it. I’m a fan of the game and I want to watch that, as well. If you want to start, go for it. I’m not going to get offended or anything like that.’

“And he was like, ‘No, I don’t really care about the story. I think you deserve (to start). I just wondered if you want to start.’”

Skubal very much wanted to start. Fried went to manager Aaron Boone and told him he thought Skubal deserved to start the game. On Saturday, Boone notified Skubal and the Tigers that he would be starting on Tuesday.

“It was a cool thing,” Skubal said of Fried’s phone call. “It was a very professional thing to do and you have a ton of respect for guys who do stuff like that, especially with the story of him going back there and obviously he’s been great this year, too.”

Fried, who came out of his start Saturday with a blister on his finger, won’t be participating in the game.

“Anybody in their career would want to start an All-Star Game,” Skubal said. “As a kid, you watch those games and you want to be the first arm out there. I think that’s something I’ll keep pretty special for the rest of my career.

“I’m glad I’m able to check that box at this point in my career. I don’t know how many more of these games I’ll get to play in so I’m really glad I get to start this one.”

Skubal will be starting opposite Pirates phenom Paul Skenes, something that just missed happening when the Pirates were at Comerica Park last month.

“That’ll be fun,” Skubal said. “He’s a helluva talent. We missed each other by a day-night doubleheader earlier this season. It’ll be fun to square off on a big stage like that and it’ll be fun to compete against the game’s best.”

Better with buddies

Last season, the Tigers’ representation in the All-Star Game was Skubal and Riley Greene. This year, the Tigers are sending a six-player entourage.

“I feel like with the whole group coming with me, it’s going to make it more fun,” Greene said. “I’m not saying Skub wasn’t fun. Skub was fun. But having more guys there is going to be great.”

Gleyber Torres, who is returning to the All-Star Game for the first time since 2019, seconded that.

“It’s really special to start the All-Star Game with your buddies,” he said. “These opportunities are really good as a player, but also really special for the entire organization. Detroit is going to be represented by four starters and two guys who will come off the bench in the second part of the game.

“That’s really special and we’re going to try to put on a good show.”

Besides Skubal, Greene and Torres, Javier Baez will be the American League’s starting centerfielder, even though he hasn’t played in center since June 4.

“It’s pretty great,” Baez said when he was announced as a starter. “Right now it feels a little weird; I am playing more short. But this is what you work for, to be an All-Star. … I am grateful to enjoy this with my family now.”

Utility man Zach McKinstry and pitcher Casey Mize will also be part of the Tigers’ contingent in Atlanta.

The Tigers presented all six players with beautiful Shinola watchs before the game Sunday.

‘Just be yourself’

Greene has had a remarkable first half. His 24 homers and 78 RBI after Sunday are franchise records by a left-handed hitter before the break. And, counting right-handed hitters, that pre-break production has been matched by only three other players – Hank Greenberg, Cecil Fielder and Miguel Cabrera.

“Like, yeah, this is my second All-Star Game, but I am going to cherish it like it’s my first,” Greene said. “And if there are any more in the future, I’m going to cherish those the same way. You never know when it’s going to be your last one.”

Greene isn’t competing in the Home Run Derby, but he’s planning on watching at least the first half of it Monday. He’s also looking forward to letting himself relax and take in more of the hoopla that surrounds the game.

“I know what to expect this year,” he said. “It was a little harder to relax the first time because you were always like, ‘What do I do?’ You don’t want to step on anyone’s toes. I know now, whatever you do, you aren’t going to step on anyone’s toes.

“Just be yourself. We’re here to hang out and play a game.”

Around the horn

Hinch shared his tentative pitching plan for after the All-Star break. Reese Olson will start the first game in Texas and Skubal will pitch the ESPN game on Sunday. Mize is penciled in for Saturday, but Hinch said that could change if he ends up pitching in the All-Star Game Tuesday. If he does, Hinch could plug Keider Montero into the Saturday start, or deploy a bullpen game.

… Right-hander Sawyer Gipson-Long (neck) is expected to continue his rehab work in Lakeland during the break.

DETROIT (AP) — Jorge Polanco and Cole Young hit back-to-back home runs in a four-run ninth inning and the Seattle Mariners beat the Detroit Tigers 8-4 on Sunday to complete a three-game sweep.

Julio Rodriguez, Randy Arozarena and Mitch Garver also hit solo home runs for the Mariners, who humbled the major league-leading Tigers with 12-3 and 15-7 wins in the first two games of the series.

Seattle’s 35 runs is the most they have scored in a three-game series since 2002.

The Tigers are taking a season-high four-game losing streak into the All-Star break.

After Polanco broke a 4-all tie in the ninth and Young created a two-run cushion, the Mariners scored two more runs.

Matt Brash (1-0) struck out two in the eighth to earn the win.

Tommy Kahnle (1-2) gave up three runs on two hits and a walk without getting an out in the pivotal ninth.

Detroit scored two unearned runs off Logan Gilbert in the first inning, taking advantage of Luke Raley’s throwing error, and went ahead again in the seventh on Riley Greene’s 24th homer of the season.

Seattle’s Cal Raleigh went 0 for 2 with three walks, leaving him with an AL-record 38 homers before the All-Star Game — one shy of Barry Bonds’ 2001 major league record for homers before the break. Raleigh stole a base, joining Babe Ruth (1921), Reggie Jackson (1969) and Ken Griffey Jr. (1998) as players with at least 38 homers and 10 stolen bases in their team’s first 96 games.

Key moment

Polanco was a pinch-hitter to lead off the ninth and hit a 401-foot homer to right.

Key stat

Raleigh is the first catcher to lead the majors outright in homers at the All-Star break since Hall of Famer Johnny Bench in 1972.

Up next

The Tigers have a franchise-record six All-Stars in Atlanta, including starting pitcher Tarik Skubal. Seattle is sending five All-Stars to the Midsummer Classic for the first time since 2003.

CLEVELAND (AP) — Wenceel Pérez and Zach McKinstry homered as the Detroit Tigers extended the Cleveland Guardians’ losing streak to eight games, 2-1 on Friday night.

José Ramírez went deep for the Guardians, who are on their longest skid since dropping nine straight in 2021.

Tyler Holton (4-3) pitched 2 2/3 innings of one-hit ball to earn the win. Will Vest went 1 1/3 innings for his 14th save in 17 opportunities.

Steven Kwan gave the Guardians some hope in the ninth with a two-out double down the left-field line, but Kyle Manzardo hit a grounder to Vest for the final out.

Detroit’s Reese Olson made his first start since May 17 and allowed only one run on six hits in 4 1/3 innings. The right-hander was out nearly seven weeks due to right ring finger inflammation.

Pérez tied it at 1 in the third inning with a drive to center field off Cleveland starter Slade Cecconi (3-4). McKinstry then led off the fourth by connecting on a curve ball over the wall in right-center for his second go-ahead homer of the season.

Ramírez snapped an 0-for-21 drought when he put a 94.8 mph fastball from Olson into the right field stands for his 14th homer of the season. It was also the first time he had gone deep since June 14 at Seattle.

Cecconi went six innings and threw a career-high 105 pitches. He gave up six hits and struck out five.

Key moment

Cleveland had the bases loaded with two out in the eight inning, but Daniel Schneemann grounded out to second baseman Gleyber Torres on the first pitch of the at-bat to end the frame.

Key stat

The AL Central-leading Tigers are 6-0 this season when McKinstry homers.

Up next

RHP Casey Mize (8-2, 2.86 ERA) takes the hill for Detroit against Cleveland LHP Logan Allen (5-6, 4.27).

— By JOE REEDY, Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Detroit Tigers and Washington Nationals game was postponed Tuesday because of rain and rescheduled as a doubleheader on Wednesday.

The games are scheduled for 1:05 p.m. and previously scheduled 6:45 p.m.

 

DETROIT ― The last time the Tigers played on ESPN’s “Sunday Night Baseball” was Aug. 18, 2024. By that point, they already had been sellers at the trade deadline, and they entered the “Little League Classic” game against the New York Yankees in South Williamsport, Pennsylvania, with a 60-64 record and still buried in the playoff chase.

Before that game, ESPN’s longtime baseball insider, Buster Olney, talked to The Detroit News about the need for the team to build for the future.

Like everyone else, he didn’t expect a bright future to come so quickly.

“You can run back my quotes, and I told you they would go on to to be the best team in baseball. You don’t have those at the ready? I can refresh your memory on how I predicted everything like this,” Olney said with a laugh this week.

“Really, it’s amazing. It’s just astonishing.”

The Tigers won that game last August against the Yankees, 3-2 on a walk-off, and went on to make a stunning trip to the postseason, beating the Houston Astros in the wild-card round before falling to the Cleveland Guardians in five games in the American League Division Series.

Starting with that win, the Tigers a major-league best 78-44 (after Saturday’s 10-5 win over the Minnesota Twins), including 52-32 this season, as they lead the AL Central by a whopping 10.5 games.

Olney spoke to The News again this week, about what’s transpired and about the road ahead for the Tigers, who are among the World Series favorites just past the halfway point of the season. Here are the highlights of our conversation, ahead of the Tigers’ first appearance on “Sunday Night Baseball” since that thriller of a game last August, with some light editing for clarity and brevity:

Question: How did the Tigers get here?

Answer: It’s neat to see, and you start with (Tarik) Skubal, and he’s become this aircraft carrier that every team would love to have at the front of the rotation. The surprising thing is the offense. Earlier in the year, I was texting with AJ (Hinch, Tigers manager) and I just mentioned to him, I kind of wondered if they would have trouble scoring runs, and he said, ‘No, we’re going to hit.’ … (That was even) after they had some injuries in spring training, especially with their outfielders, it’s impressive what they’ve built.

Q: So you didn’t see this coming in 2025, even after how 2024 finished?

A: I think when they we went into spring training and they asked for our picks, I think … I might’ve picked Kansas City to win. (ESPN’s baseball-writing staff went with Kansas City, by a slim margin over Detroit.) I definitely did not think of the Tigers as a juggernaut, especially following those injuries in spring training. … I was wrong about the Tigers last August, and I was wrong about the Tigers before the year started. They just keep on surprising.

Q: What do you make of the Javier Báez resurgence? He could start the All-Star Game?

A: I thought for sure at the time they called up the guys (in August 2024) … I thought for sure he was going to get released. It only made sense at the time that they would just say, ‘You know what, it hasn’t worked out. We’ll eat the money and move on and focus on developing younger players,’ because it was so bad. … It makes me happy that you have stories like this in baseball, because he goes from where he was last August (placed on the injured list shortly after the Yankees series, and done for the year with a hip injury), and now he’s one of the top vote-getters (among AL outfielders). Who would’ve guessed that? Isn’t that crazy? Who knows what Aaron Boone (Yankees manager, and the AL manager) is gonna do … but can you imagine if we get to the All-Star Game and there are four Tigers starters (Skubal, Gleyber Torres, Riley Greene and Báez)? That would be a stunner.

Q: The big talk here is, what do the Tigers do at the trade deadline next month?

A: On the face, because I think they’re sitting in such a great position, there’s nothing that Scott (Harris, Tigers’ president) has to do. They’ll run away with the division. I think if you were to draw up a spectrum of which teams are run through gut feel, Scott probably leans more toward the analytics side, which would suggest that they would be less likely to do something, because they don’t have to. However, in some respects, I think the answer to your question was the winter time, when they pursued Alex Bregman. You do wonder if in some form and fashion, with the Red Sox so absolutely going in the tank (since trading Rafael Devers to the San Francisco Giants), if that all of a sudden it becomes more of a reality (that they’d trade Bregman, too). … And why not go to the team with the best record in the American League and play for your former manager (Hinch, who managed Bregman in Houston).

Q: Bregman signed a three-year contract for $120 million with the Red Sox, and he can opt out after 2025. Hard to believe the Tigers would give up a ton for a guy who can opt-out, unless there are assurances he’ll stay in Detroit beyond the end of 2025.

A: Everyone would have to understand … that he was going to opt out at the end of the year. And that would be tough (to make a trade), but I think the Tigers are so good and it’s been so long since they won a World Series, maybe that’s one of the deals they make. … Remember the Cubs in 2016 when they were run by an analytically driven front office and they’re the team that made the choice, ‘You know what, we need a finishing piece. (Closer) Aroldis Chapman. Let’s go get him.’ They wouldn’t have won the World Series that year without Chapman.

Q: And, interestingly, the Red Sox have Chapman, too, and the Tigers need relief help.

A: Maybe you do a two-for one.

Q: If there’s one team that could run down the Tigers in the AL Central, who is it?

A: It’s funny; I’m ready to put the pin in the division race, because Cleveland has struggled so badly offensively, and Kansas City’s offense is a mess. Kansas City, there’s a chance they follow the model of the Tigers last year and they trade a Seth Lugo, and the way (Jack) Flaherty was moved, and they begin to spin it forward a little bit. And the Twins … they kind of go as those big three go, with (Royce) Lewis, (Carlos) Correa and (Byron) Buxton. … If I’m going to choose one of those three teams, it’s Cleveland, but I don’t think they’re close.

Q: How do the Tigers stack up in the American League?

A: Tampa Bay, they are the freight train that’s coming in the American League. … They looked good against (the Tigers, taking two of three recently). … They look like they’re going to be the toughest out for the Tigers.

Q: Let’s look toward the World Series. The National League seems so much better than the AL this season. Is the champion coming from the NL?

A: It’s significantly better and it has a lot more depth, but I would say if your rotation starts with Skubal and you have Flaherty with his experience in the postseason at No. 2, that’s pretty good. I don’t think there’s any question the (NL) is better, but in an individual series, I can’t rule out either Tampa Bay or the Tigers. … I think the Yankees would have a really tough time in a (seven-game) series. … That’s the advantage (the Tigers have) when you have the best pitcher on the planet.

Q: Skubal (who starts Sunday night, as he did or the Tigers-Yankees Sunday-night game last August), that’s the elephant in the room. He’s under contract through the end of 2026, and nobody believes the Tigers can pay the suggested $400 million it might cost to keep him.

A: I would agree with you. … Enjoy the time you have left together.

DETROIT (AP) — Zach McKinstry had three hits, including one of Detroit’s four home runs, and the Tigers went on to beat the Twins 10-5 on Saturday afternoon.

Riley Greene, Kerry Carpenter and Gleyber Torres also homered for the Tigers.

Casey Mize (8-2) gave up two runs on five hits and one walk in 6 2/3 innings. He struck out five as he improved to 5-0 with a 2.00 ERA in six starts at home this season.

Bailey Ober (4-6) took the loss, allowing seven runs on 11 hits, including all four home runs. He walked one and struck out five.

The Tigers took a 1-0 lead in the second when Spencer Torkelson doubled and scored on a sacrifice fly. After Minnesota went ahead 2-1 on Buxton’s two-run homer in the third, Detroit tied the game in the bottom of the inning on Carpenter’s homer.

Colt Keith made it 3-2 in the fourth with a sacrifice fly and Torres followed with a two-run homer.

Greene led off the fifth with Detroit’s third home run to move the lead to 6-2, and McKinstry’s lead-off homer in the sixth made it a five-run game.

Carlos Correa hit a two-run homer in the eighth, but Wenceel Pérez hit a two-run double in the bottom of the inning.

Key moment

The Twins nearly took the lead in the second inning, but Carpenter leaped to keep a fly ball from Ryan Jeffers from clearing the left field fence.

Key stat

Buxton homered and stole a base in the same game for the 15th time, tying Gary Gaetti for third place on the Twins career list.

Up next

The teams finish the three-game series in the first Sunday night game at Comerica Park since 2017. Twins RHP Chris Paddock (3-6, 4.64) faces Tigers ace LHP Tarik Skubal (9-2, 2.29), who is 9-0 in his last 14 starts.

DETROIT – Sometimes it happens like you dream it. Or pretty darn close to it.

Lefty Dietrich Enns’ last big-league start was Sept. 24, 2021. He’s traveled a long, long road to get back. And he certainly made the most of his return.

The 34-year-old Central Michigan product allowed one hit over five impressive innings Thursday, helping the Tigers beat the Athletics 8-0 and take the three-game series at Comerica Park.

“I’m proud of him for the journey,” manager AJ Hinch said. “He’s been around the world and worked his way back.”

Literally.

Enns, who last pitched in the big leagues with the Rays, spent 2022 and 2023 in Japan and last season pitched in Korea. The Tigers signed him and after he made a strong impression this spring, he was dominant in 14 starts at Triple-A Toledo (2.89 ERA with 71 strikeouts in 62.1 innings).

“Reliable human, reliable pitcher,” Hinch said. “He earned his way back here by how he pitched in Triple-A. I told him he got called up because he can help us win.”

Enns got into the game with an eight-pitch, six-strike first inning and only had to work out of one mess.

In the third inning, Eastern Michigan product Max Schuemann rolled an infield single to the left side of the infield – the only hit Enns allowed – and stole second. He advanced to third on a flyout.

But Enns left him there, getting the dangerous Brent Rooker to bounce into a 5-4-3 double-play.

Smartly mixing changeups, cutters and curveballs off well-located 93-mph four-seam fastballs, Enns struck out four and got six ground-ball outs. The Athletics put 11 balls in play against him with a mild average exit velocity of 81.4 mph.

“He dove right in with our pitching group,” Hinch said. “He’s not just doing the same thing over and over again, hoping for a new opportunity. He refined his changeup. He’s learned count leverage a little better. His arsenal has shifted.

“Adjustments don’t mean a complete overhaul. It just means subtle tweaks and the performance followed.”

It was Enns’ third big-league win. His other two were against the Tigers, Sept. 11 at Comerica and Sept. 16 at Tropicana Field.

Spencer Torkelson got the offense started, lining a changeup from lefty Jeffrey Springs over the wall in left field. It was his 17th homer and his first since June 10. He’d gone 44 plate appearances between homers and was 4 for 37 in that stretch.

They stretched the lead to 3-0 in the third. Jahmai Jones bounced one over the bag at third base that eluded Max Muncy and caromed off the side wall for a double.

Parker Meadows scored easily from second and Gleyber Torres hustled around from first.

Torres padded the Tigers’ lead with an opposite-field, two-run homer to right off reliever J.T. Ginn in the seventh. It was his eighth homer.

The Tigers, specifically Zach McKinstry, ran themselves out of a couple scoring opportunities.

With runners at first and second and one out in the fourth, McKinstry broke for third base on a 2-2 pitch to Jake Rogers. Perhaps he thought the count was full, but he stopped, got in a rundown and was tagged out.

With two outs in the sixth, McKinstry singled and stole second base. He tried to score on an infield ground ball by Javier Baez. Baez was safe on a throwing error by Muncy but McKinstry was thrown out at the plate by first baseman and former Tiger Gio Urshela.

McKinstry more than made up for the outs on the bases. He had three hits and paid full penance in the eighth inning by ripping a two-run triple into the right-field corner off lefty TJ McFarland. He leads the American League with eight triples.

The Tigers (51-31) continue to pile up series wins. They’ve won 18 of 25 series with one tie. They’ve won 10 of 13 series at Comerica Park.

TAMPA, Fla. — You don’t accept excuses, but facts are facts, as they say.

And the fact is, this has been an arduous week for the Tigers.

They played their 12th game in 14 games Sunday, including a long, split doubleheader at Comerica Park on Thursday, a flight that got to Tampa at 3 a.m. Friday, night game Friday, noon games Saturday and Sunday — in dense 90-plus-degree heat and against the hottest team in baseball.

“It’s brutal,” manager AJ Hinch said before the game Sunday. “Guys are banged up and tired and frustrated with a couple of the losses. … It’s part of it. It’s not been great. We’re not playing our best through it.

“But we’re going to keep working, keep trying to deal with the circumstances. But yeah, not good.”

At least the flight home was a happy one.

Wenceel Perez lined an opposite-field, two-run homer, on an 0-2 fastball from lefty reliever Garrett Cleavinger, breaking a 1-1 tie in the seventh inning and helping the Tigers snap a three-game losing streak and salvage the finale with a 9-3 win against the Rays at Steinbrenner Field.

“It’s huge,” said Riley Greene, whose fingerprints, glove prints, were all over this victory. “We lost the first couple of games, had a couple of rough days with delays and a doubleheader. But at the end of the day, we still have to win a baseball game and that was a good one to win.”

The Tigers, at 49-30, still have the best record in baseball and a healthy nine-game lead in the Central Division. Even after a 20-game stretch where they played .500 baseball.

“Our reset button has been pretty good,” Hinch said. “But we’re not trying after win totals in June and we’re not after any recognition. We just reset and play the next series. I love this team for a lot of reasons but one of the main reasons is that we come to play every day.”

The Tigers blew the game open with a six-run ninth against reliever Forrest Whitley, keyed by a three-run blast by Parker Meadows. Spencer Torkelson sliced an RBI double. Perez also singled in a run. And, in keeping with the theme of the week, the game was delayed 18 minutes by a sudden shower before the Tigers even made an out in the top of the ninth.

From the outside looking in, it felt like a badly-needed win, if only to steady a brief wobble. But that’s not the view from the inside.

“We’re not going to take the mentality of every time we win, we’re great, and every time we lose, we suck,” Hinch said. “That’s not how you get through this type of schedule, and it’s not how you get through this type of season.

“We will be fine.”

They expect Casey Mize to be fine, too, though he left the game with the trainer one batter into the sixth inning. The heat index Sunday was over 100 degrees and that absolutely was a factor.

“Just started cramping in my right leg,” said Mize, who pitched a solid five innings, allowing only a solo home run to Junior Caminero, who has hit 19 of them this season. “And it continued when I got (to the clubhouse) in other body parts. It was a really hot day.”

Mize grimaced after throwing a 92-mph fastball to Caminero. Mize had been firing it between 94 and 97 mph before that.

Immediately, Hinch and trainer Kelly Rhoades came to the mound.

“We were worried (about cramping) beforehand because he’s had that before,” Hinch said. “He wanted some more time and was really hoping I would give him some warm-up pitches. But not in this heat, at this time in the season, where he was (80 pitches) and where he was in their lineup (middle).

“He had a short leash in that inning, anyway. I just took him out, very prematurely, because of the cramp.”

Mize the competitor wanted to keep pitching, especially in what was a 1-1 game. But Mize, the teammate, understood it was the right move.

“I felt like I could’ve continued but I think it turned out great,” he said with a smile. “In retrospect, it looks like the right call. I wish I could’ve pitched through the inning but I understand why, it was smart to get me out of there.”

In a lot of ways, this turned into the Riley Greene Show this weekend. He homered twice on Friday, and on Sunday he doubled twice and scored twice.

He also did his level best to keep Mize’s track clean with three outstanding defensive plays in left field in the first four innings.

“He made some great plays out there for me, for sure,” Mize said. “Like he always does for everybody. He can change the game with his bat.”

And his glove.

With a runner on and no outs in the second inning, Greene ran a long way toward the left-field line, laid out and caught a slicing bloop off the bat of Jake Mangum. With a runner on third and two outs in the third, he tracked a slicing foul ball to the side wall, leaped up and nearly went all the way over the wall to make the catch.

In the fourth, he tracked a laser into the left-field gap and took extra bases away from Jonathan Aranda.

“We’ve got to play 27 outs,” Greene said. “You can’t give them anything, especially in this ballpark. Anything can happen. We’ve already seen that here.”

Later, with the Tigers protecting the two-run lead in the eighth, Greene made another sliding catch after a long run, taking a hit from Caminero. Brandon Lowe was on first base with no outs, so it was another critical catch.

“Their offense has been pretty relentless on the other side, especially this last month,” Hinch said. “You have to record as many outs as you can when you can. They put balls in play, they run the bases and this is a big outfield. As small as right field is, left field is big. Riley came up huge.”

The Tigers bullpen, which got a much-needed break Saturday because starter Sawyer Gipson-Long ate 6.1 innings in bulk relief, locked down the final 12 outs, though the last three took a bit.

Tyler Holton and Chase Lee got five outs. Tommy Kahnle got four big outs before the Tigers blew it open. Lefty Brant Hurter, who threw 31 pitches Saturday as the opener, started the ninth, but couldn’t find the plate.

He threw 18 pitches, just seven strikes, loading the bases with a pair of walks and a hit-batsman.

Brenan Hanifee was summoned and got through the ninth, allowing a two-run single by Taylor Walls.

“I know you’re trying to get me to make a bigger deal out of this (win),” Hinch said. “But honestly, we just come to play every day. Obviously it’s an important win before an off day. We want to salvage a game here and it’s been a rough go. But it is what it is.

“It doesn’t help us or hurt us on Tuesday.”

Reset and move forward.

TAMPA, Fla. — The question was put to Tigers’ manager AJ Hinch before the game Sunday: Has your faith in the opener strategy waned?

The last three games in which an opener was used to start the game ended in lopsided losses, including Saturday when opener Brant Hurter was charged with four unearned runs in the first inning.

Even though the strategy hasn’t been the direct cause-and-effect in every loss, it’s been a far less reliable play over the last month since injuries to starting pitchers Reese Olson and Jackson Jobe dinged the rotation.

Seemed like a good time to check on Hinch’s commitment to the strategy. Has it lessened?

“No,” he said. “The strategy is sound. I think the opener part is a little bit misconstrued as, it’s good when it works and bad when it doesn’t. It impacts things you don’t necessarily see all the time.”

It impacts the opponent’s lineup construction, Hinch said. It impacts how they space their hitters (right-handed and left-handed), which can impact decisions later in the game. And most importantly, when it works, it allows Hinch to dictate when to insert the bulk-innings pitcher.

“It’s a good strategy because the top of the lineup, which are generally their best hitters, don’t see the same pitchers all the time,” Hinch said.

Like in Game 3 of the ALDS last October when the Tigers used the strategy and blanked the Guardians, 3-0, and Jose Ramirez went hitless and faced a different pitcher in each of his four plate appearances.

That’s the gold-star example of the benefits of the strategy. It hasn’t worked quite as cleanly this season.

“When it doesn’t work, you feel like the other way would’ve worked out,” Hinch said. “It’s like football when you go for it on fourth down, or basketball when you run a fast-paced offense. When it doesn’t work, it sucks. And when it does work, it’s awesome.

“But that’s a hard way to live when you are trying to strategize against an opponent.”

The Tigers fell into a 4-0, first-inning hole on both Friday and Saturday. They used a traditional starter on Friday (Jack Flaherty) and the opener on Saturday.

“Like, I get the questions and I get the frustration,” Hinch said. “But I get frustrated when our starter gives up runs in the first inning, too. It’s not because of a certain strategy.”

The reason Hinch used the lefty Hurter on Saturday was to combat the lefties at the top of the Rays lineup. Hurter ended up yielding a double to lefty Jonathan Aranda and walking lefty Josh Lowe. He also struck out lefty Brandon Lowe, but Lowe reached on a passed ball by catcher Jake Rogers.

All of which torpedoed the inning, and the strategy.

“After 24 hours, you think about yesterday’s game,” Hinch said. “If we get through that first inning, three up and three down, is a good strategy or a bad strategy? Good strategy. But that’s the best part of sports. We have these reactions and these emotions that the other way would’ve been better.

“We don’t like it when something doesn’t work out. But it doesn’t make the strategy poor.”

It’s not a personnel issue, either. The Tigers’ bullpen, although it’s been heavily taxed over the last three weeks or longer, is still built to handle any type of strategy, be it an opener or even straight bullpen games.

“There are times when maybe the strategy needs to be questioned,” Hinch said. “It’s not a one-size-fits-all approach with us or with any team. But if you ask managers around the league whether they care or not if they have to face an opener strategy, most guys don’t like to compete against it.

“It’s a pretty solid strategy when the opponent doesn’t like it. It’s not an exact science and it’s not perfect. But it’s a strategy and it’s been effective for a while now and there’s no reason to abandon it.”

Around the horn

The Tigers have been charged with 11 unearned runs in the last six games.

… Reliever Alex Lange (lat repair) made his second rehab outing at West Michigan on Saturday. He allowed a run and two hits with two strikeouts, throwing 20 pitches and 15 strikes. “I watched it,” Hinch said. “Looked like he came through it well. But with him right now, we’re in live BP, first day of spring mode.”

… Matt Vierling (shoulder) had been in an 0-for-10 rut in his rehab assignment with Toledo, but he broke out with three hits Saturday. He’s still only being used as the designated hitter. He is expected to start playing the field soon.

… Andy Ibáñez, who was optioned to Toledo on June 6, is 9 for 42 (.214) this month, with a .327 on-base percentage and .565 OPS.

TAMPA — No strategy can survive a lack of execution.

And recently, the Detroit Tigers’ strategy of using an opener ahead of a bulk reliever, such a weapon at the end of last season, has been doomed by shoddy execution, be it by the opener, the bulk operator, the defense or all of the above.

Lefty opener Brant Hurter was charged with four unearned runs in the first inning Saturday and for the third time this season, the Tigers have lost three straight games.

The Tampa Bay Rays, winners in seven of their last nine, coasted to an 8-3 victory over the Tigers at Steinbrenner Field.

It was second straight game the Tigers fell behind by four runs in the first inning.

“That’s what we try to do,” said catcher Jake Rogers. “Punch first. That’s what we’ve done to a lot of teams. But Tampa is hot right now and playing a good brand of baseball.”

Hurter got the first three hitters out in the first inning, striking out two of them. But Brandon Lowe, the No. 2 hitter, reached first base on a third-strike passed ball by Rogers. Lowe whiffed at a 91-mph sinker but the ball seemed to handcuff Rogers. It hit off his glove and went to the backstop.

“I’m not going to make excuses,” Rogers said. “It needs to be caught. It was a sinker away. It kind of caught a seam and cut on him and I botched it and hit it to the backstop. Which is not what you want from me. It was a crucial point in the game and it led a much larger inning.”

The Rays turned that extra out into four, two-out runs. But that’s not all on Rogers. Hurter struck out right-handed hitting Junior Caminero for the second out with Lowe still at second base.

He never got the third out.

“The reality of that first inning is that Hurter couldn’t get the lefties out,” manager AJ Hinch said. “That inning turned into a mess. But in that situation (using Hurter to open), we were hoping to get the lefties.”

Lefty Jonathan Aranda doubled and then Hurter started spraying pitches. He walked righty Christopher Morel and, with the bases loaded, walked lefty Josh Lowe. He then forced in another run by hitting Jose Cabellaro. His day ended after switch-hitter Taylor Walls plated two with a single.

“Giving up the extra base runner is painful,” Hinch said. “Especially when you look back at it. But even in the moment, we were still in a good position to get out of it. I’m not worried about Hurter, at all. It was a bad inning for him.”

Sawyer Gipson-Long finished the first inning but his mission at that point was more of a recovery than a rescue. With the bullpen covering 14 innings over the last three games, including the doubleheader Thursday, it was paramount for Gipson-Long to eat innings.

That he was able to pitch through the seventh inning was the biggest positive of the day for the Tigers. He gave the bullpen a chance to reset for the finale on Sunday.

“That was big,” Hinch said. “Big for him, first off. We want to get him going. The word is out that we pound the zone early. He threw a ton of first-pitch strikes and they were first-pitch swinging from 12:10 p.m. (game time) on.

“It was good that he could get us into seven innings and be able to hold his stuff.”

Gipson-Long went 6.1 innings, his longest outing this season, and was charged with four runs.

“It’s not a traditional start but I know I have to go out there and eat up innings,” he said. “I need to get into the later part of the game for my team and if I can do that, I can put us in a good spot.”

He was dinged by three solo homers, two of them in the fourth inning, by Danny Jansen and Caminero, his 19th homer this season. Morel launched a 434-footer in the seventh.

“I thought I pitched my game pretty well,” said Gipson-Long making his fourth start back after recovering from elbow and hip surgeries. “Solo homers, they’re not something you want, but they’re not going to beat you in the long run. If I keep throwing strikes, everything evens out.

“I feel like staying in the zone, not walking people, throwing to contact, that’s a good approach against any team.”

Gipson-Long’s performance certainly put the Tigers in a good spot for Sunday. So did an incredible, 13-pitch dogfight in the eighth inning by Jahmai Jones.

“You try to put pressure on teams, even in defeat,” Hinch said.

With a couple of pinch-hitting moves in the eighth, Hinch forced the Rays to use two relievers in the eighth inning get a third reliever warm in a blowout game.

Righty-swinging Jones pinch-hit for Zach McKinstry against hard-throwing lefty Mason Montgomery. He fouled off five 3-2 pitches, all of them at 98 and 99 mph. On the 13th pitch, Jones lofted an RBI double to the wall in left center.

“I just went up there battling,” Jones said. “The guy’s got a very good heater, as you could see. The biggest thing was just trying to get a barrel to the ball on a guy that throws 100. All it was was just try to fight and battle.”

The 13-pitch at-bat, plus right-handed hitting Dillon Dingler’s presence on the on-deck circle, forced Rays’ manager Kevin Cash to bring in one of his leverage relievers, Kevin Kelly.

“You’re just trying to create a little bit of an advantage for tomorrow by putting up good at-bats later today,” Hinch said. “Our guys play the whole game.”

It seemed odd, using Dingler to pinch-hit for lefty Parker Meadows against a funky righty like Kelly, but there was a method to the madness. Kelly ended up throwing 21 pitches to get five outs.

“Wanted Kelly in the game,” Hinch said. “We wanted to make them use as much pitching as we could. If I leave (Meadows) in, he’s going to leave his lefty (Montgomery) in. Bringing Dingler in got Kelly in for two ups.”

Just little nips at the Rays’ heels as they’re running away with a convincing win that could trip them up at some point on Sunday.

“We play tomorrow, twelve o’clock,” Hinch said, on any possible overreaction to a three-game losing skid. “Come watch us if you’re here, watch us on TV if you’re not. We have a good team. We’ll be fine.”

TAMPA – Riley Greene gets down to this part of the country, just a couple of hours away from his home and family outside of Orlando, once a year during the baseball season. And usually, Team Greene comes out in hordes for this series against the Rays.

So, does he have a lot of family here for this one?

“No,” he said.

Huh?

“So, it’s my godchild’s first birthday and everyone is going to that instead of watching Riley play,” he said, with a wistful shrug.

More than 100 people were expected to attend young Riker’s first birthday bash in the Orlando area.

“At least my parents are here and my sister,” Greene said.

The rest are missing quite a show.

Greene, in case you’re not paying attention, is on a tear. He hit two home runs and knocked in four Friday night, giving him 17 homers and 59 RBI on the season. He’s got 29 RBI in his last 29 games and he’s making a strong run at player of the month honors for June, slashing .353/.400/.618 with a 1.1018 OPS with four homers and 19 RBI entering play Saturday.

“I really haven’t changed much,” Greene said. “Just trying to get a good pitch to hit, put my body in a good position to hit the ball and see what happens.”

Damage happens. Lots of damage.

He’s slugging .526 on the season. The last Tiger to have 59 RBI on June 21 was Miguel Cabrera, who had 71 in 2013. He is one of three American League players to have at least 17 homers, 59 RBI and 35 extra-base hits, joining Aaron Judge and Cal Raleigh.

Still, he contends that nothing has really changed. He’s not consciously chasing power. Except for significantly more tilt in his swing, his mechanics and approach are mostly the same as last season.

He was asked before the game Saturday if he went into last offseason consciously trying to add more slug to his offensive profile.

“To be honest, no,” he said. “Just kind of did the same stuff over and over again like I’ve done the past offseason. I just think it comes with being on time and getting a good pitch to hit.”

This has always been Greene’s primary focus. It’s what manager AJ Hinch asks him after just about every at-bat – did you get a good pitch to hit. Here’s why that’s so important:

Greene, overall, is slugging .554 against fastballs and .580 against breaking balls. When he’s ahead in the count, he’s slugging .826 on fastballs, .773 on breaking balls and .727 on off-speed pitches.

Impressive.

“I think it speaks to my approach,” Greene said. “It speaks to another year under my belt. More experience is huge. And maybe I’m getting a little stronger. Who knows?”

For all of Greene’s production, the Tigers, still with the best record in baseball, have hit a bit of a plateau. They came in Saturday on a rare losing streak (two games) and had split their last 10.

And Saturday’s 12:10 p.m. start meant they would be playing at least 37 innings of baseball over the last 60 hours with more than three hours of rain delays and a two-hour, late-night, early-morning plane ride mixed in.

“We just flush it,” Greene said. “Yesterday was yesterday. It doesn’t really matter because we can’t change what happened. Just focus on today. This is just part of it. We can’t complain about it and say it’s a tough stretch. At the end of the day, that’s just kind of an excuse.

“People go through it. It is what it is. We just have to figure it out and play through it.”

DETROIT — Tarik Skubal didn’t have his best stuff working on Thursday, but the Tigers’ offense made sure that didn’t matter in a 9-2 bludgeoning of Pittsburgh in Game 1 of a doubleheader at Comerica Park.

With runs coming early and often, the Tigers broke the game open with a crooked second inning, propelled by a three-run Riley Greene double, pulling away from the Pirates and giving Skubal and the bullpen plenty of breathing room.

Greene headlined the offense, finishing with four RBIs on a 2-for-4 performance. Zach McKinstry added two hits, including a solo home run. Javier Báez had two hits and scored once. Gleyber Torres continued to sizzle in the leadoff spot with three hits, two runs scored and two RBIs.

And while it won’t be a memorable performance for Skubal, he was solid. He went 5.2 innings, giving up two runs and striking out six while issuing a rare trio of walks.

It was the offense that shined from the jump, starting with back-to-back hits from Torres and Jahmai Jones, who roped a double down the left-field line to advance Torres to third, setting up Greene for an RBI opportunity before Pittsburgh recorded an out.

Greene obliged, scoring Torres from on a sacrifice fly to deep left field. In total, the Tigers scored four runs on sacrifice flies, one shy of tying the single-game MLB record.

“It’s the situational hitting, when you need something in the outfield with the guy on third,” manager AJ Hinch said. “So it says that we had a lot of traffic and less than two outs and the guy had a pretty good at bat to get the run in. If you can cash in those runs when you get the opportunity, you can separate yourself a little bit and we did that.”

Greene’s big hit of the game came in the second inning. With the bases loaded, he flung a pitch low and out of the zone softly into center field and under the mitt of a diving Billy Cook. Greene coasted into second base as all three runners scored easily, capping a four-run inning that put the Tigers firmly in control.

Adding two more runs in both the fourth and fifth innings proved to be insurance.

“Obviously some big hits along the way, Gleyber down the line, the near catch, diving catch in center from Riley, Riley got a double and a bunch of sac flies and we had a comfortable win,” Hinch said.

And Skubal, despite fighting his way through a subpar start relative to his 2025 performance, still managed to keep the Pirates offense at bay.

Throwing the first pitch after the start of the game was delayed 40 minutes by inclement weather, Skubal wasn’t his sharp self as he settled in. And whether it was a delayed warm-up regimen or issues gripping the ball as rain still fell, he did something he hasn’t done yet this season: Walk back-to-back hitters.

After the game, Hinch gave Skubal a bit of grace relative to the weather, and predicted, correctly, that his ace pitcher wouldn’t be so forgiving to himself.

“It wasn’t a great day for Tarik to pitch,” Hinch said, alluding to the rain and wet field. “And he certainly gets a pass on that. He won’t give it to himself, but I’ll give it to him. It was nasty to start the game. And it’s not an excuse, he’s not going to want me to make it for him, but that had to play part of it. The heavy drizzle that was going on, the late start.”

And Skubal’s take?

“I can sit here and make excuses of the weather or what the mound felt like,” Skubal said. “I can sit there and do that but it doesn’t do me any good, it doesn’t do our team any good.”

After opening with a swinging strikeout of Nick Gonzales, Andrew McCutchen knocked a single into right field off of Skubal after working ahead in the count. Joey Bart and Alexander Canario both worked walks on five and seven pitches, respectively, as Skubal struggled to find the zone consistently. It spurred a mound visit from catcher Dillon Dingler.

Whatever was said seemed to do the trick, as Skubal fanned Ke’Bryan Hayes on three pitches and got an immediate flyout from Isiah Kiner-Falefa to end the self-inflicted bases-loaded jam. After surviving that, Skubal was shown in the dugout, cursing in anger.

While he was even-keeled by the time he spoke about the moment, it was evident that Skubal’s distaste for pitching in the rain hadn’t abated.

“My hat is literally leaking water in front of my face as I’m pitching,” Skubal said. “It’s like, why didn’t we just wait? That’s kind of what I’m thinking and that’s where it’s frustrating to me.”

After his first-inning hiccups, Skubal snapped back to being the pitcher that has dominated opposing hitters.

He faced 10 batters to get the next nine outs. McCutchen managed a double in the third inning, as Skubal mowed through Pittsburgh hitters, striking out three in that span. Though he managed to get through the initial spell of rain, Skubal battled the conditions most of the game and changed his jersey almost every inning just to have a bit of dry fabric to get a better grip. And even when the rain relented, coming downhill on a torn up, rain-softened mound lived in the back of Skubal’s mind.

“It can impact the stuff that comes out of your hand for sure,” Skubal said. “Add it just felt like velocity was down, stuff kind of ticked down. It’s not that I wasn’t feeling good, it’s just, I didn’t feel comfortable to kind of let it go.”

When another hiccup cropped up in the fifth inning, with runners on second and third with one out, Skubal managed the situation deftly. He traded a groundball out for a run and then struck out Bart, ending the threat after surrendering just the lone run.

Skubal faced more traffic in the sixth inning, when he was chased from the game after 103 pitches and traded a sacrifice fly for the second out. He left runners on second and third with two outs for Carlos Hernández, a recently acquired righty reliever. And when Skubal couldn’t bail himself out of the jam, Hernández and the defense stepped up.

On his first pitch, Hernández got a ground out from Cook, as Báez corralled a bouncing ball up the middle and Spencer Torkelson corralled the throw to first base on a hop, ending the sixth and the threat.

It was far from Skubal’s most sterling effort, but he still finished throwing nearly six innings of two-run baseball.

And on a day where the offense scored in bunches all game, Skubal didn’t need to be great, just good enough.

“I just wasn’t very good today, but that’s OK,” Skubal said. “And it’s OK, we won, so who cares how I felt? On to the next day.”

DETROIT — Wenceel Perez’s face lit up when he was asked where his confidence level was right now.

“Oh my gosh,” he said. “It’s so high right now.”

Admittedly, minutes after he produced a homer, triple and knocked in three runs in the Tigers’ 7-3 win Tuesday, that was a leading question. But his answer wasn’t bravado. His confidence has been hard-earned.

“I’ve worked so much during the offseason,” he said. “I’ve worked so much my entire career. That’s why I have that confidence. I work so much, I know what I’m able to do.”

The switch-hitting Perez, still only 25 years old, is off to a sizzling start, with five homers in 62 plate appearances and hitting .316 with a .702 slug and 1.057 OPS.

“He’s a really good hitter,” Javier Báez said. “He takes almost every at-bat deep, like to 3-2. He sees a lot of pitches. And he’s really focused on what we try to work on every day here.”

We are watching a hitter mature right before our eyes and the real growth has come from the right side of the plate. That’s always been his least productive side of the plate. Not so much any more.

“He’s messing up some scouting reports that have him stronger from the left side,” manager AJ Hinch said. “And he has been. But there’s some pop in that bat and he flexed it tonight.”

He flexed it two games in a row. He doubled and homered off Reds’ lefty Wade Miley on Sunday before lining a pull-side homer off Pirates’ lefty Bailey Falter on Tuesday.

Perez went into Wednesday 5 for 12 with two homers and two doubles against left-handed pitching. Last season, albeit in a much larger sample size, he slashed .209/.292/.302 with one home run.

Two things have helped him get to his right-handed A-swing more often. One is a mindset. He’s no longer just trying to put the ball in play from the right side.

“He going to make contact,” Hinch said. “And that’s huge. But now he’s hunting damage, which is encouraging as he’s trying to contribute in different ways. He’s an energy at-bat and in the last couple games, he’s been a difference-maker.”

The second adjustment has been mechanical.

“I’ve turned my front (left) foot in trying to stay more inside to the ball,” Perez said. “I had been opening up a little too quickly.”

If you open your hips too quickly, you pull off the ball and lose the power in your swing. Statcast data shows Perez, batting right-handed, is standing three inches deeper in the box than he was last year and is getting off his fast swing 3% more often.

Additionally, he’s squaring up 66.7% of the balls he’s put in play in the small sample, compared to 28.9% last season.

“Last year was my first year and I was just trying to adjust to everything,” Perez said. “I got through that last year and now I have a better routine and a better idea of what I’m doing now.”

It shows.

Vierling pushing it

Matt Vierling, for the second day in a row, increased the intensity of his throwing program. He was simulating throwing on the run and was throwing nearly full speed.

“Just trying to do my best to stack heavy days,” he said. “So when I come back, I am used to the volume and intensity and be prepared to filter in wherever AJ needs me and not have to hold back.”

Vierling has missed all but four games this season working his way through a rotator cuff injury. He is expected to rejoin the Toledo Mud Hens in St. Paul and resume his rehab assignment.

DETROIT (AP) — The scheduled game between the Detroit Tigers and Pittsburgh Pirates on Wednesday night was postponed due to the forecast for inclement weather.

Heavy rain hit the Detroit area early Wednesday afternoon, and with heavy storms expected during the evening, the game was called off about two hours before the scheduled first pitch.

The game will be played as a part of a split doubleheader on Thursday, with the first game scheduled for 1:10 p.m. and the second at 5:40 p.m.

Two of baseball’s top starting pitchers — Detroit’s Tarik Skubal and Pittsburgh’s Paul Skenes — are scheduled to pitch on Thursday, but will not face each other.

Skubal (7-2, 1.99 ERA) will face Pittsburgh left-hander Andrew Heaney (3-5, 3.33) in the first game. Skenes (4-6, 1.78) will go against a Tigers opener in the nightcap.

— By DAVE HOGG, The Associated Press

DETROIT — The Tigers have reached outside the organization for some bullpen reinforcements. Whether this is a stopgap move or something more remains to be seen.

But on Monday, the Tigers claimed 28-year-old right-hander Carlos Hernandez off waivers from the Phillies and are on the hook for the remainder of his $1.16 million contract.

He pitched parts of five seasons with the Royals (2020-2024) but his high-end velocity (97.8 mph average on his four-seamer) never translated into consistent strikeouts or overall positive results.

He had a 4.95 ERA in 256.1 innings with the Royals. And in 25 games with the Phillies, he posted a 5.26 ERA with 23 strikeouts and 13 walks in 25.2 innings.

The Tigers didn’t immediately announce whether Hernandez would report to Detroit or to Triple-A Toledo. Presumably, that decision will be made once the medical reports on Will Vest are collected and reviewed.

Vest, who has been the Tigers’ de facto closer, left the game in the eighth inning Sunday and uncorking a fastball over catcher Dillon Dingler’s head and reporting “feeling something” in his pinky.

The Tigers’ 40-man roster is now full. Hernandez takes the spot opened when the club designated John Brebbia for assignment.