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May 18, 2026; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Detroit Tigers catcher Dillon Dingler (13) slides safely into home plate ahead of the throw to Cleveland Guardians catcher Austin Hedges (27) in the first inning at Comerica Park. Mandatory Credit: Lon Horwedel-Imagn Images | Lon Horwedel-Imagn Images
Happy Monday, everyone. The Tigers lost their weekend series against the Jays, but it’s a new week, so perhaps new opportunities lie ahead. The Tigers will start trying that today as they open their four-game home series against the Cleveland Guardians. The Guardians currently hold a tenuous lead in the AL Central, so these next four games could really shake up the division standings. For game one, the Tigers were leaning on Framber Valdez, while the Guardians had Slade Cecconi on the mound.
After a 45-minute weather delay, the game got underway. The Tigers got the Guardians out in order, which is precisely how you’d like to see the game start. In the home half, Kevin McGonigle got a one-out single. Dillon Dingler then hit into a force out, eliminating McGonigle and finding Dingler safely on first. Riley Greene then doubled, and Dingler was able to get all the way from first to home, putting the Tigers on the board nice and early. They’d have to settle for the one run, but it was a good start for the struggling team.
With two outs in the top of the second, Travis Bazzana singled. Hot on his heels, Steven Kwan walked, to put two runners on. A lineout ended the inning, though, and nipped the threat in the bud. In the home half, the Tigers went 1-2-3.
Bryan Rocchio started the third inning with a leadoff triple. With one out, Angel Martinez walked. Chase DeLauter then hit into a force out, eliminating Martinez, but bringing Rocchio home to tie up the game. Rhys Hoskins then doubled, which scored DeLauter and put the Guardians in the lead. The Tigers made an effort in the bottom of the inning, with a single by Colt Keith, followed by a Kevin McGonigle walk, but a double play swiftly put to bed any hopes of a comeback.
In the top of the fourth, Kwan took a one-out walk, his second free bag of the day. But he was eliminated in a double-play off the bat of Austin Hedges. At least this game had equal opportunity double plays. Heading into the home half, Riley Greene got things going with a leadoff single. With two outs, Riley Greene was snagged before he could get back to first, and while he was initially called safe, Cleveland asked for a review, and the call was overturned.
Rocchio was once again the one to get things going for the Guardians, as he took a leadoff walk in the fifth. Martinez singled, followed by a single from Jose Ramirez to load the bases. DeLauter grounded into a force out that eliminated Ramirez, but scored Rocchio, pretty similar to how they scored the first run of the game, honestly. After a very lengthy at-bat from Rhys Hoskins, a sac fly brought Martinez in. A groundout ended the inning, but the Tigers’ early lead was now starting to look pretty laughable. They did little to help themselves in the home half, going three-up, three-down.
Valdez was done after five innings, with an elevated pitch count and a pretty rough overall outing. His final line for the game was 5.0 IP, 5 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 4 BB, 3 K on 89 pitches. He was replaced by Brant Hurter. Bazzana got a leadoff single, then Kwan walked for the third time in the game. A Hedges sac bunt advanced both of the baserunners into scoring position. Rocchio walked, and that was it for Hurter, who gave way to Connor Seabold. Martinez then singled to bring another run in. Ramirez doubled into deep right and it almost looked like it would clear the bases, but two runs got in before the Guardians held up. Seabold was able to turn it around long enough to get the final outs of the inning, but the score was looking pretty ugly. In the bottom of the inning, the Tigers went 1-2-3.
The Tigers managed to get a rare 1-2-3 inning against the Guardians to start the seventh. They certainly needed it. Riley Greene got a leadoff walk in the home half, but he was swiftly eliminated in a double play, and then a McKinstry flyout ended the inning. Props to Greene, though, for being the one guy on the team with some consistent hustle.
The Guardians once again went down in order in the eighth. In the home half, the Tigers were finally able to get something done, thanks to a leadoff home run from Matt Vierling. With one out in the inning, Cecconi’s night was done. (Just a moment pause here, but Johnny Kane and Jason Benetti had a lengthy conversation about the Tropicana Field rays in this inning and mentioned “the ones that survived” the hurricane. For those who worry about animals and their welfare, please know that all 7 of the rays that lived at Tropicana Field during Hurricane Milton survived the hurricane without issue and were moved to an aquarium while the stadium was rebuilt. The phrasing made it sound like some of them died, and they definitely didn’t. Sincerely, a person who needs to check if animals die before watching a movie.) Matt Festa replaced Cecconi and got the final two outs of the inning.
Enmanuel De Jesus came in for the ninth and promptly gave up a home run to Ramirez. DeLauter then walked. Three outs in a row, including one that looked dangerously close to being a home run but got snagged on the warning track, ended the inning and sent the Tigers to their last chance to make something happen. Peyton Pallette came in from the Guardians’ bullpen and gave up a one-out walk to Dingler. Riley Greene was then hit by a pitch. Torkelson lined out to first but advanced both baserunners into scoring position. A groundout ended the inning and the game, though, and the Tigers would have to hope for better things tomorrow.
Final: Guardians 8, Tigers 2
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