TAMPA BAY, Fla. – It was another rough weekend for the last-place Detroit Tigers, who dropped a three-game series against the Tampa Bay Rays while striking out 49 times.
The Tigers took the first game of the series Friday behind an excellent pitching performance from Daniel Norris, Drew VerHagen and Joe Jimenez.
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On offense, though, the Tigers scored just two runs on six hits and no walks. They struck out 13 times, including three for Nico Goodrum and an 0-4 with four whiffs from Miguel Cabrera.
Saturday was an offensive abomination. The Tigers managed just three hits and no runs in 13 innings. Of the 41 at-bats, 24 ended in strikeouts. Cabrera, Brandon Dixon, John Hicks, Travis Demeritte and Jordy Mercer each had three strikeouts, while Jake Rogers led the team with four.
Ryan Yarbrough, who has a below-average strikeout rate for the season and his career, whiffed 10 batters in 6.1 innings. Rays relievers had 14 strikeouts in 6.2 innings.
After failing to draw a walk in the first two games, the Tigers got three free passes in the rubber match. They also struck out 12 times, however, and lost the game 5-4.
Tampa Bay starter Trevor Richards only lasted 3.1 innings, but six of the 10 outs he recorded were via strikeout.
After this weekend, the Tigers are just 23 strikeouts behind the Seattle Mariners and 16 behind the Texas Rangers for the most offensive strikeouts in the league.