Lakeland, Fla. — AJ Hinch gave it the old soft play. He brought lefty Matthew Boyd into his office before his start last Saturday and talked to him in general terms about the pitching schedule, his between-start work and some other general housekeeping items. Then casually said, “We’re lining you up to pitch Opening Day.” Wait.
Tigers right-hander Michael Fulmer sounded like a guy who was breathing a sigh of relief after pitching three shutout innings out of the bullpen in a 5-3 victory over the Phillies on Sunday afternoon. Prior to Sunday, he was having a spring to forget, allowing 10 runs in six innings. Fulmer acknowledged that he was
The Tigers haven’t played a game in front of fans since 2019. On April 1, Opening Day at Comerica Park, they plan to honor the fans they’ve lost in the last year. The Tigers sent a letter to fans Monday asking them to submit pictures of Michigan residents who’ve died during the COVID-19 pandemic. A
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The Detroit Tigers Weekly Draft Report jumps off schedule slightly this week. Instead of releasing every Saturday, we’re bumping to Monday to offer more timely information. As a result, stats for this week will be a bit beefier because they include the past two weeks of action.
Lakeland, Fla. — Don’t mistake Michael Fulmer’s compliance and team-first willingness with acceptance. He is absolutely willing to do whatever manager AJ Hinch thinks is best to facilitate wins this season. But he isn’t ready to be slotted in as a permanent bulk reliever just yet. “I’m OK with going to the bullpen,” said Fulmer,
LAKELAND, Fla. — Detroit Tigers left-hander Matthew Boyd is scheduled to be the Opening Day starter, manager AJ Hinch announced Monday. The Tigers begin the 2021 season April 1 against the Cleveland Indians at Comerica Park. This is the 30-year-old’s second consecutive Opening Day start. “He’s had success,” Hinch said last week. “He’s also had
Editor’s note: This is the fourth in a weekly series of stories in which Detroit News freelance writer Lynn Henning will rank the top prospects in July’s MLB Draft. There have been better years for MLB teams to have a Top 3, Top 5, or even Top 10 draft pick. Coronavirus has left ugly long-term
Who came along in a puff of smoke? That’s a line from a 1955 Broadway musical — “Damn Yankees” — and it introduces “Shoeless Joe Hardy,” a fictional member of the non-fictional Washington Senators who (65-year-old spoiler alert!) makes a deal with the devil to beat the Yankees … which is something we might consider
When Michael Fulmer returned to action in 2020 after a year on the shelf for Tommy John and right meniscus surgeries, it was no surprise that he struggled. The elbow surgery tends to get the attention, but the knee is actually the greater concern. His arm is healthy, but with compromised lower half mechanics and
I was driving around town on Sunday knocking out my errands heading into the workweek. It was calm–the roads were more quiet than usual as were the aisles in the stores. My one-year-old was fast asleep in the backseat as I listened to the Detroit Tigers radio broadcast on my way home.
Welcome to Monday. We get a rare spring training night game Monday night when the team travels to play the Toronto Blue Jays. The field is narrowing for the final roster and chances that players have to prove they should be coming north with the team are getting fewer and fewer. Michael Fulmer certainly did
LAKELAND, Fla. — Welcome to the beginning of spring training’s end. The Detroit Tigers, led by manager AJ Hinch, are bracing for tough decisions about numerous players with only nine days remaining in camp. With Opening Day scheduled for April 1 against the Cleveland Indians in Comerica Park, there isn’t much time left to sort out the 26-man
By Anthony Franco | March 21, 2021 at 10:12pm CDT The latest on COVID-19 situations throughout the league: Tigers starter Spencer Turnbull looks unlikely to return to Spring Training before the end of camp due to health and safety protocols, manager A.J. Hinch told reporters (including Chris McCosky of the Detroit News). Hinch didn’t rule out
The most efficient way to build a winning big league club is by constructing a strong farm system. Since MLB Pipeline began ranking farm systems biannually in 2015, every organization that claimed the top spot has enjoyed plenty of on-field success. The first three teams to sit atop our rankings — the Cubs (pre-2015), Red
Clearwater, Fla. – Let’s not bury Michael Fulmer just yet. After two rough starts, manager AJ Hinch wanted to change the scenery a bit, so he brought the right-handed Fulmer into the middle of the Tigers’ 5-3 spring win over the Phillies on Sunday. Even though Fulmer has never pitched out of the bullpen in
CLEARWATER, Fla. — Detroit Tigers left-hander Tyler Alexander didn’t come to spring training expecting make to the Opening Day roster. The new face of the organization — manager AJ Hinch — has no loyalties. With two years of MLB experience, the 26-year-old is determined to get to Comerica Park. But Alexander understands he must earn his spot with
Jazz Chisholm is certainly making his case to be the Marlins’ starting second baseman. MLB Pipeline’s No. 66 prospect didn’t start Sunday, but made his presence felt late by going 2-for-2 with his third dinger of the spring — a two-run shot in the sixth inning — to help lift Miami over Houston, 4-2, at
Since December, I have discussed some sort of roster construction for the Detroit Tigers, ranging from the 26th man on the roster to the starting rotation. As we are getting closer to Opening Day, I think it’s time to put one final one that focuses not only on the home opener against Cleveland but covers…
The last batter of Michael Fulmer’s outing Sunday pretty much summed up his day. He threw five different pitches in his five-pitch at-bat against Phillies catcher Andrew Knapp, starting with a slider that Knapp chased and ending with a curveball that prompted Knapp to chase again for an inning-ending strikeout. With that, Fulmer finished three