The first week of spring training is generally a time of optimism. Players physically feel as good as they will all season long, and best case scenarios briefly all seem possible, if not likely. Still, the next five weeks will put all that to the test and what we see on the field now isn’t
LAKELAND, Fla. — Spencer Torkelson was curious. “Hey, what size bat do you use?” he asked some of the best hitters in baseball. Guys such as Mike Trout. Torkelson started hearing the same thing. Several players used bats that were 33½ inches long and weighed 31½ ounces, a half-inch smaller and a half-ounce lighter than the
LAKELAND, Fla. — Austin and Parker Meadows had never been teammates until Saturday. Four-plus years apart in age, they couldn’t play together growing up. Now, not only are the brothers both Detroit Tigers outfielders this spring, they’re carpool buddies. “Our parents are in town,” Parker said, “so I’m staying at [Austin’s] house for the weekend.”
Spring Training is underway from TigerTown and we might be biased, but there’s nothing better than the sound of baseball. #shorts
LAKELAND, Fla. — Eric Haase, who has never started more than 91 games at catcher in a season, is primed to be the Detroit Tigers’ starter there this season. The 30-year-old notched his career high in 2019 for Triple-A Columbus, the Cleveland Guardians’ affiliate, but hasn’t surpassed the mark since joining the Tigers in 2020. He
LAKELAND, Fla. — One year later. One amazing, magical year. Everything is so different for Kerry Carpenter. On Friday morning, Carpenter walked into the Detroit Tigers facility, using the MLB entrance, not the side one reserved for minor leaguers — OK, that was different for him. Then, he walked into the Tigers clubhouse — “I
Lakeland, Fla. — Tyler Nevin was given a list of jersey numbers to chose from after he was traded to the Tigers from the Baltimore Orioles. He chose, for no real reason, No. 18. On Thursday, he was made aware of the significance of that choice. The last man to wear jersey No. 18 in
The Tigers announced Friday that they’ve claimed lefty Tyler Holton off waivers from the Diamondbacks, who’d designated him for assignment earlier in the week. In order to open a spot on the 40-man roster, Detroit transferred right-hander Casey Mize to the 60-day injured list. Mize underwent Tommy John surgery and back surgery last year and
Lakeland, Fla. — Jonathan Davis looked at his phone and saw a text message from Rajai Davis. Nice. A former Tigers’ speedster named Davis reaching out to a potentially new Tigers’ speedster named Davis. “He texted me the other day and said, ‘Did you see the new rules?’” said Jonathan Davis, the veteran outfielder who
LAKELAND, Fla. — Tyler Nevin attended his first Major League game at Tiger Stadium in 1997. He was a baby at the time. He only knows of it from his parents, including his father, who was on the field that day. Phil Nevin was a former top overall Draft pick fighting for his Major League career
LAKELAND, Fla. — One moment, it was Miguel Cabrera. Next, it was Riley Greene. And then, Spencer Torkelson. All three players engaged in conversations with Detroit Tigers president of baseball operations Scott Harris during the batting practice portion of Friday’s workout on the TigerTown backfields. A cheerful Cabrera, who is a few years older than
DETROIT — As a child, Kamilia Landrum always wondered why several metro Detroit neighborhoods in close proximity to one another had such stark differences. “I never understood how Grosse Point looked so affluent and clean, but when you crossed into the Jefferson side, you immediately saw these dilapidated buildings,” said Landrum, who grew up on Detroit’s
LAKELAND, Fla. — The first pitch was wild. Totally understandable. It’s hard to control lightning. Elvis Alvarado — the Detroit Tigers prospect with a wicked 100 mph fastball — was starting his first bullpen of the season. At TigerTown. In front of all the Tigers coaches. All the big-league coaches. The second one was wild,
LAKELAND, Fla. — At the end of last season, Detroit Tigers infielder Ryan Kreidler shared his main goal for the future. “I want to hit better,” he said. Kreidler returned to the Tigers for spring training 135 days later with a chance to secure a job on the Opening Day roster. The 25-year-old excels defensively at
Pitchers and catchers have reported and if you’re like us, you’re loving all the videos of early batting practice and bullpen sessions. Let the competition commence! While for many, Spring Training is a time to get ramped up and ready for the coming season, Grapefruit and Cactus League action will serve as an audition for
Lakeland, Fla. — When manager AJ Hinch assembled the pitchers and catchers Wednesday morning before the first official workout of spring, he told them very directly there were jobs to be won on this pitching staff and roles to be fought for. “Health is going to play into that and performance definitely is going to
Welcome to episode 1 of Tigers Today, a new Detroit News podcast featuring Tigers beat writer Chris McCosky and reporter/host Tony Paul. Chris and Tony will discuss the new-look Tigers under Scott Harris, the new president of baseball operations. Today, they talk about pitchers and catchers reporting Wednesday for the first practice at spring training
LAKELAND, Fla. — Miguel Cabrera appeared in the Detroit Tigers clubhouse on Thursday afternoon. Before his final spring training. His final season. A reporter requested an interview. “Monday!” he boomed. The reporter asked again. “Monday!” He smiled — that old familiar smile — and hugged Javier Báez. A short time later, he bro-hugged Riley Greene
LAKELAND, Fla. — Riley Greene has a history of putting on a show in Spring Training. On Thursday, he arrived for his first camp as a Tigers regular, ready to rake. While pitchers and catchers had their second official workout of camp, Greene and other early-arriving Tigers hitters took batting practice on a back field in
Lakeland, Fla. — Tigers center fielder Riley Greene had some big moments this offseason. Like catching a 50-inch redfish and massive hammer jack and red snapper some 60 to 70 miles off the Florida coast. Earlier in the week, he and his buddy, Vaughn Grissom, the Atlanta Braves shortstop, were inducted into the Hagerty High