Lakeland, Fla. — Jonathan Schoop is 31 years old, entering his 11th big-league season and the final year of his contract with the Tigers. But to hear him talk about it Sunday, it’s just the beginning. “Last year was tough,” he said. “I have achieved a lot in my career, but something like that makes
LAKELAND, Fla. — No Spring Training is complete without a player reporting to camp in the supposed best shape of his life. But as Jonathan Schoop walked into the Tigers’ clubhouse at Joker Marchant Stadium on Sunday morning, the difference was impossible to miss. There was less of him walking into camp. “I was working
This story was excerpted from Jason Beck’s Tigers Beat newsletter. To read the full newsletter, click here. And subscribe to get it regularly in your inbox. LAKELAND, Fla. — Matthew Boyd was on vacation with his family this offseason, celebrating a reunion with the Tigers. He had something on his mind. While Boyd was back where he’d spent the
LAKELAND, Fla. — Austin Meadows had a couple steps on his little brother. Parker Meadows, a little less than 4½ years younger, lagged behind. The brothers each carried their own bags — sort of — with black sunglasses covering their eyes as they approached the Detroit Tigers‘ spring training facility. Austin had a lightweight backpack hanging off
LAKELAND, Fla. — All alone. Nowhere to stay. Grieving his father. His entire world falling apart. Sixteen-year-old Donny Sands started living out of a 2006 Toyota Camry. His father, a member of the U.S. Army Special Forces, had died of a heart attack in a hotel; and his mother, Alma, was in Mexico. “It was
Lakeland, Fla. – They both used the same word to describe it. Weird. Just weird. The Meadows brothers have arrived. Together. Austin and Parker Meadows, for the first time in their lives, are teammates and sharing a locker room. They drove to Lakeland together from Austin’s house in Tampa Saturday morning. Austin drove and Parker,
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