DETROIT – The Detroit Tigers are only two games into their spring training schedule, and it’s fair to say they’re still knocking off some rust.
On Saturday, the Tigers issued 14 walks and hit five batters in a 22-10 loss to the Yankees. On Sunday, the pitching was better but still gave up 12 hits and nine runs in a tie with the Rays.
During spring training, there will always be moments when teams don’t necessarily look as crisp as they will in, say, mid-June. The Tigers definitely fell victim to that on Sunday.
In the bottom of the seventh inning, after all the players who have a chance to make the Opening Day roster had hit the showers, Rays infielder Kameron Misner came to the plate.
He hit a shallow popup behind second base, just to the right field side. Four Tigers players -- center fielder Wenceel Perez, right fielder Brady Allen, shortstop Andrew Navigato, and second baseman Carlos Mendoza -- tried to track it down, but they couldn’t quite get there.
Navigato made a last-second dive for the ball, but he didn’t reach it. The ball bounced, and he accidentally booted it with his left heel, sending it deep into right field.
Misner was running hard out out of the box and never stopped. By the time Mendoza got the ball in to first baseman Keston Hiura, there was no play at the plate.
Cue the Benny Hill music! #RaysUIp pic.twitter.com/u039jaB8aa
— Bally Sports Florida & Bally Sports Sun (@BallySportsFL) February 25, 2024
OK so that probably won’t make the Tigers’ end-of-spring highlight reel, but it’s not even March yet, and it’s not like this was Parker Meadows, Colt Keith, and Javier Baez.
There were positives for the Tigers, too, like Justyn-Henry Malloy crushing a homer and Alex Faedo striking out three batters in two innings. But yeah, the little league homer wasn’t their best look.
