Detroit News

Jaws dropped, heads shook, hearts sank, and more than a few tempers flared last week when the Tigers announced that prized pitcher Jackson Jobe, the team’s top draft pick in 2021, would miss 3-6 months with lumbar spinal inflammation. Very much implied was that Jobe’s entire 2023 season could be shelved. Unsaid, but clearly feared

Lakeland, Fla. — Trey Wingenter got a text from pitching coach Chris Fetter Sunday night, asking if he could pitch an inning on Monday against the Blue Jays instead of his scheduled outing Tuesday against the Yankees. “Great,” he said. Then came the second request: “You want to start?” “Why not.” Wingenter continues to make

Lakeland, Fla. — Javier Báez had the weekend to decompress after his Team Puerto Rico got bounced out of the World Baseball Classic by Team Mexico and he looked pretty fresh in the clubhouse Monday. “It had to end at some point,” he said with a shrug. “It was pretty fun, to be honest. Nothing

Lakeland, Fla. — Lefty Tyler Alexander is one of four relievers whose name can probably be written in ink on the Opening Day roster. Still, he’s had a rough spring. In his last outing, his fastball topped out at 88 mph. He’s allowed six runs and 10 hits with three homers in 7.2 innings. “The

Lakeland, Fla. – Right-hander Alex Faedo, who was fighting for a spot as a long reliever in the Tigers’ bullpen, was among seven players optioned or reassigned Monday morning. Faedo and right-handed reliever Edwin Uceta were optioned to Triple-A Toledo. Right-handed relievers Kervin Castro and Miguel Diaz, left-hander Miguel Del Pozo and utility players Brendon

West Palm Beach, Fla. — That blue and gold Venezuela baseball jersey, with all the colorful trim, looked awfully sharp on Eduardo Rodriguez. But no better than he and his Tigers garb looked Sunday in his first start back from this month’s World Baseball Classic drama. Rodriguez, a left-handed artist who pitches with power and

Lakeland, Fla. — All this new Tigers flesh steps to the plate during spring camp at Lakeland and a half-inning later shifts to its infield and outfield posts. The Meadows brothers, Austin and Parker, are either back with the team (Austin) or moving closer (Parker) to the day they’re in manager AJ Hinch’s lineup. Nick

West Palm Beach, Fla. — Hanging among MLB’s tall timber after nearly a month of Grapefruit League duals are Tigers hitters, who have a stunningly un-Tigers-like place among 30 big-league teams. They arrived Sunday for a game against the Nationals at The Ballpark of the Palm Beaches having hit more home runs (39) than any

Jupiter, Fla. — So many at-bats like this one got away from Spencer Torkelson last season. Get into a two-strike count, missing badly on a breaking ball, get fixated on that breaking ball and then either get frozen by a fastball or chase one out of the strike zone. He’s such a different hitter right

Jupiter, Fla. — There have been presumptions made about the construction of this 2023 Tigers’ roster based on how consistently president Scott Harris and manager AJ Hinch have emphasized the importance of creating and exploiting matchup advantages. “I think there’s going to be a little bit of a mentality shift here,” Harris said at the

Lakeland, Fla. — It wasn’t a make-or-break start for Tigers’ right-hander Matt Manning Friday. There’s still too much time before he would be making his first regular-season start to put that much weight on it. But make no mistake, it was time for Manning to step it up after a couple of wobbly starts and

Lakeland, Fla. — Considering it was the morning after a rare night spring training game, the energy level before the game Friday was high. The catchers were throwing the football around in the outfield. There was a lot of hooting and hollering during a three-purpose drill with runners at first and third, working on a

Lakeland, Fla. — Two of the Tigers’ top prospects have been shut down for medical reasons. Right-hand pitcher Jackson Jobe, the Tigers’ first-round pick in 2021 (third overall), could be out for up to six months because of lumbar spine inflammation. Jobe, the club’s top-rated prospect per MLB Pipeline, reported the discomfort while throwing earlier

Lakeland, Fla. – Spencer Turnbull did not even try to sugarcoat it. “I did not have my best stuff today,” he said. He did not. And yet, his sinker still hit 96 mph and it was dancing to the tune of eight called strikes. But Turnbull wasn’t looking for or accepting silver linings after giving

Lakeland, Fla. — As if the jetlag coming back from Taiwan wasn’t bad enough. Jonathan Schoop had to endure the good-natured slings and arrows from teammates, and even the manager. “Miggy called me this morning,” said Schoop, whose Team Netherlands was bounced early from the WBC Pool A in Taiwan, a fact Cabrera knew all

Lakeland, Fla. — It’s not crunch time just yet. But, it’s getting there. There are 11 days and 12 spring games left before the final roster decisions will be made, and fierce position battles are still being waged all around the diamond. “When we get to that final week, that’s when it hits,” manager AJ

Tigers Today host Tony Paul is joined by former Detroit News reporter and freelance writer Lynn Henning, who pinch-hits for Tigers beat reporter Chris McCosky on Episode 4 of The News’ podcast. For Henning, 2023 marks the 50th anniversary of the first time he attended spring training in Lakeland, Florida. “Spring training is about renewal

Lakeland, Fla. — Say the word aloud to anyone from Michigan. “Lakeland.” Notice how faces become thousand-watt bulbs. “Lakeland.” Sunshine. Warm weather. The fading of winter’s wrath in the north. The joy of baseball, back for another long, luxuriant go-around. The Tigers have been setting up spring camp in Lakeland since 1934, the longest such

Lakeland, Fla. — Talk about getting your work in. Tigers right-hander Michael Lorenzen’s day Tuesday started with an eight-pitch at-bat against Raimel Tapia of the Red Sox — which ended in a home run to right field off a 3-2 changeup — and then an 11-pitch at-bat against rookie Triston Casas. “It’s taxing,” said Lorenzen,

Lynn Henning |  Special to The Detroit News Lakeland, Florida — Getting to Lakeland for spring training was particularly important this year. Much has changed with the Tigers. On a big-league baseball level, you might say it’s akin to a new White House administration, the Tigers now being run by Scott Harris and his front-office team.