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The News' Tony Paul gives his quick takes on the Tigers' 3-0 victory over the Rangers on Saturday:
There were no fireworks from Kevin McGonigle on July 4 — at least, not at the plate; he did make a couple more fine defensive plays at shortstop — but we'll forgive him. He's been a one-man show so many times during his first season in the majors, and he should be heading home to Philly for the All-Star Game later this month.
Before every game, the Tigers' media-relations department puts out some game notes, and Saturday's edition had an eye-opening nugget: In 51 games, McGonigle has reached base multiple times. That's third-most in the majors, behind only the Athletics' Nick Kurtz (56) and the Los Angeles Dodgers' Shohei Ohtani (52). Mighty fine company.
And here's some more fine company. Since the All-Star Game began in 1933, long before 'Murica turned 250, only one rookie has reached base safely multiple times in more games before the All-Star Game than McGonigle. That was the New York Yankees' Aaron Judge, who did it 52 times before the All-Star Game in 2017. And the only 21-year-old to do it at least 51 times was future Hall-of-Famer Joe Morgan (51) in 1965.
McGonigle reached just once in Saturday's win, with a walk (he made three very rare first-pitch outs). But he's still got seven more games before the All-Star break, to add to his haul.
You can point to a lot of things that have gone wrong for the Tigers this season, which began with World Series aspirations, and has morphed into a waiting game to see what they'll get in return if (and likely when) they sell ahead of the trade deadline. The injuries. The bullpen. The lack of another impact bat.
It may not seem as impactful on the surface, but the bench has seen a significant dropoff from the previous two years, when mixing and matching often made manager AJ Hinch look like a genius.
The Tigers' pinch-hitting stats are particularly jarring:
The Tigers have five players with at least 10 pinch-hit at-bats this season, and only one has a batting average better than .200 (Hao-Yu Lee, at .300). Jahmai Jones is batting .172 as the Tigers' most-used pinch-hitter, with 13 strikeouts in 29 at-bats. Kerry Carpenter is at .100, Colt Keith .063 and Matt Vierling .000. Vierling, interestingly, doesn't have any strikeouts in 11 pinch-hit at-bats, but he doesn't have any hits, either. In 111 pinch-hit at-bats this season, the Tigers have just 15 hits and 35 strikeouts. They've hit just .135.
If those numbers make you want to drink, well, it's your lucky day!
(Season total in parentheses)
▶ Riley Greene (21) — He hit his 12th home run of the season, and it was his fifth with two strikes (42%). Last season, 11 of his 36 homers came with two strikes (31%).
▶ Keider Montero (5) — Career game No. 57. Career save No. 1.
▶ Ben Malgeri (1)
(Season total in parentheses)
▶ Jack Flaherty (3) — In his last two starts, he's allowed no runs on five hits in 10.2 innings, with 14 strikeouts. The Tigers won just two of his first 12 starts, and now have won three of his last five in improving to 39-50 on the year.
▶ Game 90: Tigers at Rangers, 3:30 Sunday, Peacock, 97.1
ICYMI: Thursday's Tigers recap
[email protected]
@tonypaul1984
This article originally appeared on The Detroit News: Detroit Tigers, Game 89: One thing I loved, one thing I didn't
Continue reading...
One thing I loved
There were no fireworks from Kevin McGonigle on July 4 — at least, not at the plate; he did make a couple more fine defensive plays at shortstop — but we'll forgive him. He's been a one-man show so many times during his first season in the majors, and he should be heading home to Philly for the All-Star Game later this month.
Before every game, the Tigers' media-relations department puts out some game notes, and Saturday's edition had an eye-opening nugget: In 51 games, McGonigle has reached base multiple times. That's third-most in the majors, behind only the Athletics' Nick Kurtz (56) and the Los Angeles Dodgers' Shohei Ohtani (52). Mighty fine company.
And here's some more fine company. Since the All-Star Game began in 1933, long before 'Murica turned 250, only one rookie has reached base safely multiple times in more games before the All-Star Game than McGonigle. That was the New York Yankees' Aaron Judge, who did it 52 times before the All-Star Game in 2017. And the only 21-year-old to do it at least 51 times was future Hall-of-Famer Joe Morgan (51) in 1965.
McGonigle reached just once in Saturday's win, with a walk (he made three very rare first-pitch outs). But he's still got seven more games before the All-Star break, to add to his haul.
One thing I didn't
You can point to a lot of things that have gone wrong for the Tigers this season, which began with World Series aspirations, and has morphed into a waiting game to see what they'll get in return if (and likely when) they sell ahead of the trade deadline. The injuries. The bullpen. The lack of another impact bat.
It may not seem as impactful on the surface, but the bench has seen a significant dropoff from the previous two years, when mixing and matching often made manager AJ Hinch look like a genius.
The Tigers' pinch-hitting stats are particularly jarring:
- 2024: .657 OPS
- 2025: .723 OPS
- 2026: .468 OPS
The Tigers have five players with at least 10 pinch-hit at-bats this season, and only one has a batting average better than .200 (Hao-Yu Lee, at .300). Jahmai Jones is batting .172 as the Tigers' most-used pinch-hitter, with 13 strikeouts in 29 at-bats. Kerry Carpenter is at .100, Colt Keith .063 and Matt Vierling .000. Vierling, interestingly, doesn't have any strikeouts in 11 pinch-hit at-bats, but he doesn't have any hits, either. In 111 pinch-hit at-bats this season, the Tigers have just 15 hits and 35 strikeouts. They've hit just .135.
If those numbers make you want to drink, well, it's your lucky day!
Three stars
(Season total in parentheses)
▶ Riley Greene (21) — He hit his 12th home run of the season, and it was his fifth with two strikes (42%). Last season, 11 of his 36 homers came with two strikes (31%).
▶ Keider Montero (5) — Career game No. 57. Career save No. 1.
▶ Ben Malgeri (1)
Player of the game
(Season total in parentheses)
▶ Jack Flaherty (3) — In his last two starts, he's allowed no runs on five hits in 10.2 innings, with 14 strikeouts. The Tigers won just two of his first 12 starts, and now have won three of his last five in improving to 39-50 on the year.
Jack Flaherty, Dirty 80mph Knuckle Curve...and Sword.pic.twitter.com/7sc0Dphkqv
— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) July 4, 2026
Tigers' ABS tracker
- Hitter challenges: 46-for-87
- Catcher/pitcher challenges: 59-for-86
Next Tigers game
▶ Game 90: Tigers at Rangers, 3:30 Sunday, Peacock, 97.1
ICYMI: Thursday's Tigers recap
[email protected]
@tonypaul1984
This article originally appeared on The Detroit News: Detroit Tigers, Game 89: One thing I loved, one thing I didn't
Continue reading...
