ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — There are two ways of looking at the Detroit Tigers‘ first two games of the 2023 season: 1.) It’s only been two games, so maybe the on-field performance will improve naturally, or, 2.) If nothing changes, the next 160 games will be frustrating for players, coaches and fans alike.
The Tigers lost, 12-2, to the Tampa Bay Rays on Saturday in the second game of the season. After an Opening Day shutout, the Tigers (0-2) snapped a 12-inning 2023 scoreless streak (not counting two scoreless innings to end the 2022 season) when Miguel Cabrera slapped a single into right field with two outs in the fourth inning.
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The Rays scored in the first inning on Randy Arozarena’s double and added seven more runs in the third inning, taking an 8-0 lead. Right-hander Spencer Turnbull, who spent last season rehabbing from Tommy John surgery, started in the big leagues for the first time in 666 days.
Turnbull allowed seven runs on eight hits and three walks with three strikeouts, throwing 38 of 63 pitches for strikes. He escaped a bases-loaded jam in the first inning with a strikeout and an inning-ending double play.
In the third, the Rays sent 13 batters to the plate, doing their damage on mistakes from Tigers pitchers.
The inning started with Turnbull hitting Arozarena and continued with RBIs from Jose Siri (two-run double), Josh Lowe (two-run double), Francisco Mejia (one-run single), Yandy Diaz (one-run double) and Wander Franco (one-run single).
The seventh and final run in the inning was charged to right-handed reliever Trey Wingenter, who recorded one out but couldn’t wrap up the third inning. He gave up two hits and one walk while hitting a batter.
Much-needed relief
Left-handed reliever Tyler Alexander cleaned up Wingenter’s mess with the third out in the third, then pitched the next three frames. He allowed two runs on two hits with zero walks and seven strikeouts across 3⅓ innings.
He threw 42 of 58 pitches for strikes.
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In the fourth, Taylor Walls singled to start the inning.
Alexander retired the next two batters and put Diaz in a two-strike count, but Diaz ripped a fifth-pitch cutter that didn’t cut enough for a two-run home run to left field. The homer put the Rays ahead 10-1.
Right-hander Garrett Hill walked two batters and conceded two runs in the seventh inning on Franco’s two-run double. The Rays finished with 12 runs on 13 hits and six walks.
Righty José Cisnero delivered a scoreless eighth inning.
Bad offense
The Tigers scored their second and final run in the sixth inning on Austin Meadows’ RBI single into center field. Doubles from Kerry Carpenter set up both runs, as he scored on Cabrera’s single and Meadows’ single.
Carpenter finished 2-for-4 with two strikeouts.
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Rays right-hander Zach Eflin, who signed a three-year, $40 million contract in the offseason, allowed one run on three hits and one walk with five strikeouts in five innings. Righty reliever Kevin Kelly pitched two innings out of the bullpen but surrendered the second run.
Zach McKinstry, acquired by the Tigers from the Chicago Cubs in a trade before Opening Day, started for the first time and went 1-for-3 with a single in the ninth inning. The Tigers had six hits, two walks and 10 strikeouts.
Contact Evan Petzold at epetzold@freepress.com or follow him on Twitter @EvanPetzold