Detroit News

Spencer Torkelson and Riley Greene are not only the Detroit Tigers’ two top prospects, they’re proving to be two of the best in the game. The latest proof: Torkelson and Greene landed spots on the American League team for the Futures Game on July 11, which is part of All-Star festivities at Coors Field in Denver.

Cleveland — It was steamy and humid Monday night and Tigers reliever Buck Farmer, who threw 31 pitches in 1⅔ innings, was struggling to keep the sweat off his right wrist and hand. Conscious of the scrutiny on pitchers and the use of sticky substances, Farmer wasn’t entirely sure how to use the rosin bag. “There’s a

Cleveland — It was Daniel Norris’ season in a nutshell. He entered the game in the seventh inning Monday throwing fire. His four-seam fastball, which has sat at 92-93 mph this season, was hitting 95 and 96 mph on the radar gun. He was throwing 90-mph change-ups. It was like 2016 all over again. Except, when

Cleveland — It was already a rough night for Tigers rookie Matt Manning. Somehow, though, if he could’ve gotten the last out in the fourth inning, he might’ve salvaged something positive. Didn’t happen. The fourth inning devolved quickly, too quickly. He was nearing his pitch ceiling for the night and the only thing standing between him

Cleveland — It was already a rough night for Tigers rookie Matt Manning. Somehow, though, if he could’ve gotten the last out in the fourth inning, he might’ve salvaged something positive. Didn’t happen. The fourth inning devolved quickly, too quick for reliever Miguel Del Pozo to be ready for Indians slugger Jose Ramirez with two on

Cleveland — Is it an important start for right-hander Jose Urena on Tuesday? Of course it is. For the Tigers, for sure. For him, as well, for his own peace of mind. But is it a make-or-break start in terms of keeping his spot in the Tigers’ rotation? It is not. “As far as the

Editor’s note: This is the 18th in a weekly series of stories in which Detroit News freelance writer Lynn Henning will rank the top prospects in July’s MLB Draft. Next week, in Lakeland, Florida, the Tigers front office and scouts will amass at their minor-league headquarters, with all its meeting rooms and video boards designed to

Cleveland —  Could you even imagine Kyle Funkhouser doing this at any point last season? Fourth inning in Game 2 against the Astros on Saturday. Tigers up 1-0. Funkhouser is in the game early because manager AJ Hinch had structured a specifically-modified, match-up based bullpen game. Funkhouser had just induced a double-play ball from slugger

Detroit — There is no such thing as a lame walk-off win. If it comes on a balk or a walk, a passed ball or wild pitch, a hit by pitch, error — or even on a sacrifice bunt, the win is exhilarating. “Our guys have bought in that you’re not always going to win

Detroit — So much of what the Tigers do this year is in the name of development and professional growth and their thrilling 2-1, 10-inning win over the Houston Astros in the series finale Sunday was a testament to that. Robbie Grossman laid down a bunt, a safety squeeze, that scored Akil Baddoo from third

Begin with the fact Ryan Kreidler is 6-foot-4 and plays shortstop. There aren’t a lot of those guys around. Not in the big leagues, and not in the high-rung minors. Shortstop typically demands grace a man with Kreidler’s frame doesn’t easily deliver. But this is not one of those factory-stamped athletes, this 23-year-old, right-handed hitter

Notes, items, thoughts from a week of watching and talking with Tigers farm folks: Joey Wentz has moved from low-A Lakeland to Double-A Erie as his Tommy John-surgery comeback progresses. He might be the most overlooked young arm in the Tigers system, all because out of sight means out of mind, and a year on

Detroit — Once the adrenalin wore off Saturday, the pain in Michael Fulmer’s neck commenced. And as manager AJ Hinch was driving home after a long, long day at the office, he got a call from head athletic trained Doug Teter. “Doug said Fulmer would have to go on the injured list,” Hinch said. “We have

Detroit — It seemed like things were aligning just right for the Tigers on Saturday night. The storms stayed north of the city, for one thing. And after winning the first game 3-1, manager AJ Hinch had a fresh bullpen at his disposal for Game 2. And for five innings, things were running like clockwork. Starter-opener

Detroit – It’s seemed like a random decision – starting Casey Mize in the first game of the scheduled double-header Saturday and Wily Peralta in the second. Except Tigers manager AJ Hinch doesn’t do anything randomly. There was rhyme and reason for it. “You’re kind of trying to hit the forecast,” he said, meaning, if

Detroit — Has a player ever looked prouder or happier to haul the glittering WWE-styled championship belt into the interview room after a victory? “I’ve been dreaming about this,” said shortstop Zack Short, who was bestowed offensive player of the game honors by his teammates after bashing his first career home run, a two-run blast that

Detroit — Just get to the All-Star break. That’s essentially the mission for the Tigers’ bedraggled starting rotation. “We’re just trying to get to the finish line of the All-Star break,” manager AJ Hinch said Friday before Game 2 against the Astros was postponed because of inclement weather. “After that we will be able to get better

Detroit —The rush of emotion was so deep, so intense, so freakin’ fantastic, it literally buckled him “I broke down,” he said. When Mike Hessman walked off the field at old Shea Stadium in New York on Oct. 3, 2010, he figured he’d seen his last day in the major leagues. All told, he spent

High school shortstops will be favorite targets for teams at the top of next month’s MLB Draft, with four potentially poised to be selected in the top 10. The Detroit Tigers, though, could go in a different direction. Baseball America released its fifth mock draft on Friday, and pegged Oklahoma high school right-hander Jackson Jobe

Detroit — Tigers manager AJ Hinch has seen this steamroller in action before. He drove it for five years, all the way to a World Series title in 2017. “They’re a challenge,” Hinch said of the Houston Astros, who rode a 10-game winning streak into Comerica Park Thursday. “Especially when they get as hot as they’ve