Evan Petzold | Detroit Free Press Show Caption Hide Caption Detroit Tigers’ Spencer Turnbull reacts to first spring training start Detroit Tigers right-hander Spencer Turnbull talks Thursday, March 4, 2021, about his first spring training outing. Evan Petzold, Detroit Free Press LAKELAND, Fla. — There were plenty of options for Nomar Mazara, a 25-year-old outfielder
TAMPA, Fla. — Nomar Mazara felt like he was just getting started when last season ended. He was hitting the ball hard, just not often enough and not where he needed it. After a 7-for-40 slump with 16 strikeouts in 11 games from Sept. 1-16, 2020, he began to dig himself out over the final
One would imagine one of the league’s biggest patches of grass would require a lengthy study guide, and so it is for the Tigers outfielders, who were introduced to the full playbook from new bench coach George Lombard in Spring Training.
Chris McCosky | The Detroit News Lakeland, Fla. — You really need to be careful about making hard and fast judgments about players off a small sample size. Especially in baseball, where the normal measuring base is 162 games. Take new Tigers outfielder Nomar Mazara as a case study. From 2016 through 2019 with the Rangers, he averaged
Evan Petzold | Detroit Free Press LAKELAND, Fla. — Detroit Tigers utility infielder Greg Garcia is feeling déjà vu. He recalls playing for the 2019 San Diego Padres, a team that finished at the bottom of the National League West. One year later, with some noteworthy acquisitions, the Padres surged to the NLDS, snapping a 13-year playoff drought.
We toy with Cleveland Indians fans about their lack of outfield depth and the ownership’s unwillingness to address their needs in the grass. Heck, the fans do it to themselves. But the Detroit Tigers were running into some of the same issues just a short time ago. Names like Jason Krizan, Jacob Robson, and Danny…
A couple years ago, Casey Mize was on Twitter, looking at his former pitching coach’s bio. Between Steve Smith’s job title and a Bible verse lies a quote that struck a cord with Mize. “Always about winning. Never only about winning.” “I think I use that mindset,” the 23-year-old hurler said. “The ultimate goal is
Evan Petzold | Detroit Free Press LAKELAND, Fla. — There are high hopes for Spencer Torkelson, the Detroit Tigers‘ prized prospect and 2020 No. 1 overall draft pick. After watching him crush a barrage of home runs with a smooth swing at Arizona State it makes you wonder what will happen next. Steamrolling through the minor leagues? Reaching
Daniel Norris famously lives out of a 1978 Volkswagen bus, but what many fans do not know about him is he appears to have carved himself a role in the Detroit Tigers’ bullpen. When Norris was traded to the Detroit Tigers as part of the David Price deal, he was projected as a middle-of-the-rotation starting…
Today’s game revolves around power, no question, on the mound and at the plate. Pitchers are throwing faster than ever and hitters are smacking the ball harder than ever. The last full season in 2019 produced a record 6,776 homers and 2020’s shortened schedule featured 1.28 per team game, the second-highest average in history. Baseball
The Tigers picked up an 8-2 win over the Blue Jays to improve their spring training record to 3-2. Miguel Cabrera started at first base for the first time this spring, and went 1-2 at the plate with a double.
Chris McCosky | The Detroit News Lakeland, Fla. — When Tigers manager AJ Hinch talks about a “culture of pressure,” which he has quite a bit early in spring, this is what it can look like: On Tuesday, Spencer Torkelson scored from first on a double by JaCoby Jones. High- risk play, but he scored without
LAKELAND, Fla. — While the Tigers roughed up Blue Jays pitching for an 8-2 win Thursday at Joker Marchant Stadium, another potential key part of their offense was on the back fields working out with other members of the club who weren’t part of the game roster. It was the first formal workout for Nomar
Evan Petzold | Detroit Free Press LAKELAND, Fla. — A new face entered the Detroit Tigers‘ spring training facility as the team prepared for its matchup with the Toronto Blue Jays: Outfielder Nomar Mazara, and it won’t be long before he slides into the lineup. The 25-year-old battled a lengthy delay for travel and work visa issues while attempting
We hear from manager A.J. Hinch after his Tigers beat the Blue Jays 8-2 Thursday afternoon. #TigersST
We hear from Spencer Turnbull after a mixed bag in his first spring outing: 2 innings, 4 hits, 2 runs, 1 walk and 3 strikeouts. #TigersST
Spencer Torkelson, the top overall pick in the 2020 draft, says his experience in Toledo last summer helped with his comfort level in Lakeland. #TigersST
Evan Petzold | Detroit Free Press LAKELAND, Fla. — The Detroit Tigers won, 8-2, against the Toronto Blue Jays on Thursday at Joker Marchant Stadium in Lakeland, Florida. The Tigers improved to 3-2 in Grapefruit League play. What happened The game only lasted seven innings — this is expected to be the final shortened contest for the Tigers
Selected first overall in the 2020 MLB Draft, Spencer Torkelson is seeing one dream come true by appearing in his first major league spring training. The 21-year-old slugger has caught the eye of his new manager. “He’s in the middle of every order he’s ever been in,” says AJ Hinch.
LAKELAND, Fla. — The early scouting reports from Spencer Torkelson’s first Spring Training are in: 70-grade power, 80-grade sense of humor and humility. “I think everyone goes through it every now and then,” the Tigers’ top prospect said of his pratfalls. “But I chose a pretty good time to do it, the first week of