Detroit Free Press

Detroit Tigers manager AJ Hinch finally spoke the magic words Tuesday afternoon. “Gregory Soto is our closer,” Hinch said at the team’s season-ending news conference. The running joke appeared throughout the season, especially when Soto established himself as an All-Star reliever and the best pitcher in the organization’s bullpen. Hinch used Soto in high-leverage save situations all year, but refused

The Detroit Tigers took the next step in their player development plans Tuesday, hiring Gabe Ribas as the organization’s director of pitching. Stealing Ribas away from the Los Angeles Dodgers, with whom he has spent the last four seasons as a pitching coordinator, happened about two weeks after the Tigers hired Ryan Garko as the new vice president of

The Detroit Tigers’ season is over, but it feels like the excitement surrounding the club is just beginning. In AJ Hinch’s first season managing the Tigers, they turned out their best winning percentage in five years and played winning baseball for nearly half the season. The Tigers (77-85) were projected to be among the majors’

The Detroit Tigers’ season is over, but it feels like the excitement surrounding the club is just beginning. In AJ Hinch’s first season managing the Tigers, they turned out their best winning percentage in five years and played winning baseball for nearly half the season. The Tigers (77-85) were projected to be among the majors’

CHICAGO — It feels like forever since AJ Hinch has talked about himself. That’s part of what made him a great manager of the building-it-back-up Detroit Tigers in 2021. But Hinch was the main character of this season’s story: his success in forming a winning culture, his passion for the job and his return from a suspension. He felt under the weather in

And now the real fun starts. Well, not for the Detroit Tigers. Their fun — if you can call a gray, rainy day on the South Side of Chicago fun — ended Sunday with a win over the AL Central champion White Sox. The Sox, of course, then headed to Houston for their ALDS opener

CHICAGO — Detroit Tigers manager AJ Hinch believes October is the best time of the year. The leaves drop from the trees in Michigan, as the days get colder and earthly smells fill the air. From a baseball perspective, October signifies the postseason. It’s the time of year when an exclusive number of teams clash with the same

CHICAGO — The Detroit Tigers completed their 2021 season on a high note. While sitting four regulars — Miguel Cabrera, Jeimer Candelario, Jonathan Schoop and Robbie Grossman — the Tigers received six innings of one-run ball from starter Tyler Alexander. The crafty left-hander didn’t get much run support, but Daz Cameron came to the rescue in the top of

CHICAGO — The Detroit Tigers need Matt Manning. The 23-year-old proved this fact Saturday — the 18th and final outing of his rookie season — by posting a dominant performance against the American League Central-leading Chicago White Sox. Tim Anderson, Luis Robert, Jose Abreu, Yasmani Grandal, Eloy Jimenez and Yoan Moncada have carried Chicago’s offense to an ALDS bid, where they will square off

CHICAGO — The final start of Tarik Skubal‘s season shouldn’t define his rookie campaign, but what happened Thursday against the Minnesota Twins at Target Field exemplified how much better the left-hander could be in the future. Just imagine: What if Skubal didn’t give up so many home runs? The 24-year-old allowed five runs in Minneapolis and

CHICAGO — Detroit Tigers rookie Matt Manning went out with his best performance yet. Making his 18th and final start of his MLB debut season, the 23-year-old posted five scoreless innings and a career-high seven strikeouts against the Chicago White Sox. He gave the Tigers a chance to win, but three relievers — Jose Urena, Alex Lange and

MINNEAPOLIS — Detroit Tigers reliever Jose Cisnero didn’t like what he heard from the trainers and medical staff. He had been placed on the injured list Sept. 14 with a right elbow laceration but was determined to return before the Oct. 3 season finale. The message: You need to rest because you pitched a lot this

CHICAGO — Wily Peralta worked out of jams throughout the early innings of his start, but he was later overwhelmed by aggressive base running, defensive mistakes and a hefty workload, as the Detroit Tigers were throttled by their American League Central rivals. The Chicago White Sox created havoc for three runs in the fourth inning.

CHICAGO — The Detroit Tigers entered Friday with three games remaining in the 2021 season to prepare for one of their upcoming goals: Win the American League Central. At the start of Friday’s series opener with the Chicago White Sox, the Tigers were 76-83 and third in the AL Central. Considering they finished last in the

MINNEAPOLIS — Detroit Tigers manager AJ Hinch granted rookie Casey Mize a fourth inning in Wednesday’s game, allowing him to surpass the 150-inning milestone to conclude his first full season. Fellow rookie Tarik Skubal received the same opportunity. But Skubal couldn’t reach the mark, falling short at 149⅓ innings over 31 games (29 starts) in the completion of his

MINNEAPOLIS — Six months ago, Casey Mize wasn’t sure if he would make the Detroit Tigers‘ 2021 Opening Day roster. He had a 6.99 ERA over 28⅓ innings in seven starts last season, after getting called up in August for his anticipated MLB debut. His command troubles continued in spring training, until a show-stopping performance in late

MINNEAPOLIS — Detroit Tigers manager AJ Hinch granted rookie Casey Mize a fourth inning in Wednesday’s game, allowing him to surpass the 150-inning milestone to conclude his first full season. Fellow rookie Tarik Skubal received the same opportunity. But Skubal couldn’t reach the mark, falling short at 149⅓ innings over 31 games (29 starts) in the completion of his

MINNEAPOLIS — Detroit Tigers rookie reliever Jason Foley stood on the mound with two outs in the eighth inning. He had entered from the bullpen Sept. 19 for the first high-leverage situation, in the eighth appearance, of his MLB career. Foley’s assignment: Tampa Bay Rays slugger Nelson Cruz. The 25-year-old tossed back-to-back wild pitches and walked

In the beginning, there was Matt Manning, Casey Mize and Tarik Skubal. The trio of Detroit Tigers starting pitchers — then prospects — drew early attention for their noticeable “bromance” while they developed in the minors, thanks to an extended stint together in Double-A Erie in 2019. Next up on the “bromance” list were first baseman Spencer Torkelson and

MINNEAPOLIS — Casey Mize didn’t start his season finale the way he would have liked. The rookie gave up three singles and a three-run home run before a mound visit from Detroit Tigers pitching coach Chris Fetter sparked his recovery in a rocky 31-pitch first inning. As Mize found his groove the rest of the way, manager AJ Hinch rewarded