Tigers vs Red Sox; May 4-6

The Den
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Hinch said that McGonigle likely will get a day off Monday against the Red Sox and lefty starter Payton Tolle.

And guessing Keith gets the day off as well with a LH SP, really wish he’d get the opportunities here…

On deck: Boston Red Sox

Series: Three games at Comerica Park, Detroit

First pitch: All three games at 6:40 p.m.

TV/radio: All three games at Detroit Sports Net/97.1, 107.9 FM

Probables: Monday — LHP Payton Tolle (0-1, 3.38) vs. LHP Tarik Skubal (3-2, 2.70); Tuesday — RHP Brayan Bello (1-4, 9.12) vs. LHP Framber Valdez (2-1, 3.35); Wednesday — TBA vs. RHP Jack Flaherty (0-2, 5.90).

Scouting report

Tolle, Red Sox: This will be the third start for the 6-6, 250-pound lefty who started the season in Triple-A. He blew the doors off the Yankees in his season debut April 23, striking out 11 in six innings. He had control issues in his last start in Toronto. But he is a problem for hitters with his size, plus a 7-4 extension on his four-seamer (96 mph) and sinker (95 mph). He also mixes in a cutter and a curveball.

Skubal, Tigers: He gave everyone, himself included, a scare in Atlanta when he stopped the game momentarily to rub out some discomfort on the outside of his left forearm. But, after one practice pitch he proceeded to strike out the side in his seventh and final inning of the night. He’s reported no related issues in his between-starts work over the weekend.

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hallelujah GIF

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Tigers’ Justin Verlander feels ready to take his rehab to next level

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Verlander was very encouraged by the bullpen session he had just thrown, to the point where he thinks he might be ready to take the next step. Which would be facing hitters in a live BP session.

“It was good,” Verlander said. “We’ve decided to not try to put a timeline on it. Just focus on is it getting better every day and it is 100% trending in the right direction. I felt really good today. Hopefully it was good enough to start moving forward.”

Verlander, who has been on the injured list since April 1 with muscle inflammation in his left hip, will still have to check off a few more boxes before taking the next step. The trainers will want to see how well he recovers from what was another full-intensity, two-inning session.

“We were hopeful going into today (that the next step would be facing hitters),” Hinch said. “But I can’t be sure what the next step is until we talk it through.”

Verlander said he was hitting 94 mph with his fastball and he was pleased with how the rest of his arsenal was grading out metrically.

“I need hitters to tell for sure, but the feel, like mentally it feels great,” he said. “The look feels great. The metrics are good. It’s all positive. The only negative is I’m not in a game yet.”

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He said he believes he’s discovered the root cause of the issue and, even better, it’s exposed a mechanical flaw that he’s been working to clean up through the rehab process.

“I did some real work on fixing those and it’s starting to show up in my mechanics,” he said. “The mechanics work that this has pointed me toward is going to make me a better pitcher, again. I believe that.”

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Happy May The 4th

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20260504_0758411458×2048 309 KB

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Tigers’ share of 1st place simply amazing with all their injuries

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Every team goes through injuries.

But the real story of this season, at this point, is how the Tigers have cobbled together a winning record, despite the injuries.

Skeptics could say: This team is barely above .500 in the weak AL Central.

But I prefer to say: It’s amazing this team is in first place with all these injuries.

It’s a testament to their depth and resilience.

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For the sake of comparison, take a glance around the teams leading the American League.

The Guardians have just three guys on the IL, same as the AL West-leading Athletics. And the New York Yankees are first in the AL East and have just six on the IL.

I’m not making excuses for the Tigers. But it’s the truth. They are seriously banged up.

I mean, the Tigers were so desperate for a right-handed hitting infielder that they traded for Zack Short, the former Tiger. Short was playing in the Washington Nationals’ organization – not on their big-league team, though; he was in Triple-A Rochester – and the Tigers grabbed him.

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The Tigers’ rotation is so messed up they had to go back to “pitching chaos” on Sunday. Because Casey Mize is hurt, just like Verlander. But it goes back further than that; they are playing without Beau Brieske, Jackson Jobe and Troy Melton.

Wait.

I have some good news to report about Melton.

He was injured in spring training but he pitched two innings on Sunday for Low-A Lakeland.

The big news? He was sitting at 97 mph and topped out at 99 mph.

I mean, hallelujah, right?

“It’s good to see him pitching competitively,” Hinch said.

Here’s how Hinch is thinking about it: Melton just finished his first “spring training” outing.

Translation: It’s going to take some time for him to return.

But he’s moving in the right direction, which is tremendous for the Tigers.

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The root cause of Verlander’s issues are that he is old. If he can find the answer, I’d love to hear. I have a knee that is interested.

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He looked awful in his one start but it was only one start. He’s never going to be that cy young award winner again but I still think he can be a descent #5.

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Crochet injured, Suarez left yesterday’s game with some new injury. Fired manager. Red Sox in shambles. gotta take advantage

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https://x.com/i/status/2051323104710812129

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Game starting 6:10 not 6:40

https://x.com/i/status/2051346213404819578

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Thanks for the heads up

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https://x.com/i/status/2051362367133356137

I’m actually not surprised considering how much he’s been grabbing his forearm the last couple of starts.

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https://x.com/i/status/2051362999013658707

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Free Press is saying surgery for Skubal to remove loose bodies in his elbow. No timetable for return. The hits just keep on coming.

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So basically, about 1/3 of what Foxy throws…

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https://x.com/i/status/2051368716202352780

We’re doomed.

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This is all @frm710’s fault. I blame him entirely for his comments in the fantasy league thread.

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This day started off so good. I need some ice cream.

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This is worse than 9/11.

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I’m tired of having my championship dreams crushed because of injuries. I honestly don’t know how we can overcome this one.

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