DETROIT TIGERS NOTES:
TIGERS LOSE IN EXTRAS TO BLUE JAYS: The Tigers lost to the Blue Jays, 4-3, in 10 innings last night. Kerry Carpenter hit a go-ahead, two-run homer in the seventh inning, while Nick Maton added a solo shot. Eduardo Rodriguez was excellent in a starting role, allowing one run on seven hits with a walk and three strikeouts in 6.0 innings. Jason Foley and Alex Lange each pitched a scoreless inning in relief.
EXTRA, EXTRA: Miguel Cabrera hit a double in the eighth inning of last night’s game against the Blue Jays. The two-bagger was the 610th of
his career and his 1,134th career extra-base hit, tying him with Tris Speaker for 16th on the MLB all-time list.
MLB All-Time Extra-Base Hits List
Rank Player XBH
- Carl Yastrzemski 1,157
- Adrian Beltre 1,151
- Ty Cobb 1,138
- Miguel Cabrera 1,134
Tris Speaker 1,134
CARPENTER NAILS ONE: After just missing a couple of homers on Tuesday, Kerry Carpenter hit his first round-tripper of the season last night, a go-ahead, two-run shot in the seventh inning. Of his six hits this season, four have gone for extra bases (3 2Bs, 1 HR). Carpenter was a
prolific power hitter in 2022, ranking fourth among all players in professional baseball (min. 120 games) in slugging percentage (.610), ISO
(.310) and HR% (7.0%).
HUNGRY LIKE THE WOLF: Nick Maton homered for the second straight game last night, hitting a solo shot in the fourth inning. It marked the second time in his career that he has homered in consecutive games (other, September 8-10, 2022). Maton has had some of the best performances of his young career against Toronto as four of his nine career homers have come against the Blue Jays, including his only career multi-homer game on May 16, 2021.
TIGERS AND BLUE JAYS: The Tigers and Blue Jays conclude their first series of the season tonight. Following tonight’s game, the two teams will
also face off in a three-game series at Comerica Park from July 7-9. Detroit went 2-5 against the Blue Jays last season, including dropping threeof-four games in Toronto.
ON THE ROAD: The Tigers are 0-2 on their current three-game road trip. Detroit has a 2-6 record on the road so far this season. The Tigers went 30-50 on the road last season, their fifth straight 162-game season with a losing record away from Detroit.
ON DECK: The Tigers return home tomorrow night to begin a six-game homestand, which starts with three games against the Giants. Detroit and San Francisco split their four-game season series in 2022, including a 1-1 record at Comerica Park.
TIGERS ON THE IL:
• RHP Beau Brieske (right upper arm discomfort, 15-day IL on March 30, retroactive to March 27)
• RHP Michael Lorenzen (left groin strain, 15- day IL on March 30, retroactive to March 27)
• RHP Matt Manning (right foot fracture, 15- day IL on April 8, retroactive to April 7)
• OF Austin Meadows (anxiety, 15-day IL on April 12)
• RHP Casey Mize (right elbow sprain, 60-day IL on February 17)
• RHP Freddy Pacheco (right elbow sprain, 60- day IL on March 27)
• LHP Tarik Skubal (left elbow strain, 60-day IL on March 14)
TONIGHT’S TIGERS STARTING PITCHER – Spencer Turnbull • 0-2, 13.50 ERA (8.0IP/12ER)
• Turnbull will make his third start of the season tonight in the series finale at Toronto.
• Last pitched on Thursday in the Tigers home opener against Boston and took the loss after giving up five runs on five hits with two walks and a strikeout in 5.2 innings.
• Has faced the Blue Jays just once in his career, on March 30, 2019 at Rogers Centre, and took the loss, allowing three runs on four hits
with two walks and five strikeouts in 5.0 innings.
• Made nine starts in 2021 and went 4-2 with a 2.88 ERA (50.0IP/16ER) and 44 strikeouts…limited opponents to a 0.98 WHIP and a .203 batting average.
• Threw the eighth no-hitter in Tigers history on May 18, 2021 at Seattle, striking out nine and walking two…was the first no-hitter by a Tigers pitcher since Justin Verlander on May 7, 2011 at Toronto.
TORONTO BLUE JAYS NOTES:
THE LATEST: The Blue Jays used two 9th-inning sac flies to tie last night’s contest with the Tigers and then went on to win, 4-3, in the 10th…Marked their 1st walk-off victory of the season (had six in 2022)…Improved to 2-0 in extra-inning games and 4-0 in one-run contests,
which is the best record in one-run games in the Majors. Toronto has won three straight and seven of its last eight contests…Has now come from behind in six of its eight wins this season…Has a chance to claim its 1st series sweep of 2023.
SPRINGING INTO ACTION: George Springer plated the game-winning run with an RBI single in the bottom of the 10th inning, his 6th career walk-off hit and 1st as a Blue Jay (last: single on July 7, 2019 vs. LAA)…Also singled in the 1st to finish the night 2-for-5, his 3rd multi-hit game of the year…Extended his hitting streak to six games, going 8-for-27 (.296) with two home runs and four RBI.
A CHAPPY FEELING: Matt Chapman doubled in the 1st, singled in the 6th, and then walked and scored the tying run in the 9th as he put together a 2-for-3 night…Marked his AL-leading 8th multi-hit game of the season…Extended his hitting streak to 10 games, the 3rd-longest streak
of his career (16G in 2021; 14G in 2018)…Has gone 20-for-39 (.513) with 11 extra-base hits and 14 RBI over that stretch (1.507 OPS). The reigning AL Player of the Week is now batting .489 (23-for-47) with eight doubles, three home runs, five walks, and 15 RBI for a 1.390 OPS…His .851 SLG, his 1.390 OPS, and his 40 total bases are all the best in the Majors…Is currently tied with Luis Arraez for the MLB lead in hits, is tied with Nick Castellanos for the most doubles, and is tied with Wander Franco for the most extra-base hits (11)…The 23 hits are the most ever by a Blue Jay through 12 team games…Ranks 2nd in MLB in both AVG (.489) and OBP (.538) while tied for 3rd in RBI… Also has an average exit velocity of 98.8 MPH, the highest in MLB (2nd: J.D. Martinez – 97.9)
DOING VLAD THINGS: Vladimir Guerrero Jr. singled twice and walked to finish 2-for-3 with two runs scored…Has reached base safely in all but one game this season, now 20-for-48 with a double, two homers, six RBI, and a 6BB/3K ratio for a .417 AVG (2nd in the AL), a .491 OBP (3rd) and a 1.054 OPS (6th)…The 20 hits are currently tied for 2nd most among AL batters and his 28 times on base are tied with Matt Chapman for the most in the junior circuit. The 24-year-old has now recorded 26 hard-hit balls (95+ MPH) this year, one more than teammate Matt Chapman for the most in MLB…Recorded 265 hard-hit balls over the course of last season, the most in the Majors (2nd: José Abreu – 256).
RECORD-BREAKING ROOF ROLLBACK: The Rogers Centre roof was open for the 1st time of 2023 last night…Was the earliest date to be open in the history of the building (since 1989), surpassing the previous mark of April 16, set in 2002.
HOME SWEET DOME: The Blue Jays are playing their 1st home action of the 2023 campaign…Have the fewest home games played among the 30 MLB clubs…Their .580 win% (47-34) at home last season ranked 4th in the AL… After this three-game set with the Tigers, will face the Rays (12-0) for three more over the weekend. Toronto batters finished 2nd in the AL in 2022 in home AVG (.261), 4th in home OBP (.326), 4th in home SLG
(.434), and 4th in home OPS (.760)…The pitching staff posted a 4.04 ERA during home contests (10th in the AL) with a .248 opponents’ AVG (11th) and a 1.23 WHIP (8th).
KEVIN’S ELEVEN: Kevin Gausman gave up three runs on five hits over a season-high 8.0 innings with no walks and a season-high 11 strikeouts…Punched out at least 11 batters for the 4th time in his career and his 1st time as a Blue Jay…Also tossed a season-high 103 pitches (77 strikes) and induced 20 swing-and-misses… Surrendered a solo home run to Nick Maton with one out in the 4th inning, ending his streak of 15.1 innings without allowing an earned run, the longest stretch to begin a season in franchise history.
HITTING IT: The Blue Jays are leading the Majors with a team batting average of .289 (2nd: TB – .286)… Have notched an MLB-high 125 hits (2nd: CWS)… Currently rank 2nd in the AL in OBP (.349) and OPS (.790) while sitting 4th in SLG (.441)…Are now on a streak of 29 games with 8+ runners on base, the longest of all MLB clubs (courtesy Stats Perform).
THE D-JAYS: According to Sports Info Solutions, Toronto fielders have recorded a total of 14 Defensive Runs Saved to lead all AL teams (2nd in MLB: MIL – 19)…The group is led by three runs saved in center field, three at second base (tied for 1st in MLB), and three more from the pitching staff.
VS. THE TIGERS: All-Time: 243-205
2023: 2-0 Home: 132-96
Home: 2-0 Rogers Centre: 95-56
The Blue Jays went 5-2 vs. the Tigers last season while outscoring them, 33-15…Took three of the four games here at Rogers Centre last July…Are undefeated in season series vs. Detroit since 2019 (now 14-8). Vladimir Guerrero Jr. recorded hits in all seven games vs. the Tigers last season, going 9-for-26 (.346) with three doubles, a home run, and four RBI…In 18 career meetings, is now batting .329 (23-for-70) with four doubles, three home runs, and 11 RBI (.919 OPS). Matt Chapman played in five games against Detroit in 2022 and managed to connect for four home runs and six RBI (1.063 SLG)…Is now a lifetime 25-for-101 (.248) with a three doubles, two triples, 12 homers, and 20 RBI (1.029 OPS) over 27 contests. Whit Merrifield leads all current Blue Jays with 102 games played vs. the Tigers…Has batted .333 (139-
for-417) against his former division rival, including 35 doubles, seven triples, 11 home runs, and 52 RBI (.900 OPS).
STARTING PITCHER – Chris Bassitt, RHP #40
TODAY’S GAME: Making his 3rd start of the season and his 1st at home…Earned his 1st win as a Blue Jay his last time out on 4/7 at LAA, allowing 3R/2ER on 2 hits and 5 walks over 6.0 frames with 5 strikeouts. Signed a three-year, $63 million deal with the Blue Jays on 12/16/22. Has finished seven of his eight career Major League seasons with a sub4.00 ERA, including each of the last five campaigns.
2023 HIGHLIGHTS: Took the loss in his Toronto debut on 4/2 at STL, giving up career highs in runs (9) and homers (4) over 3.1 innings (10H, 0BB, 0K).
2022 HIGHLIGHTS: In his lone season with the Mets, established career highs in wins (15), starts (30), quality starts (19), innings pitched (181.2), and strikeouts (167). Had 23 starts of at least 6.0 innings, his most in a single season in his career. His three starts of 8.0 innings were the most he had thrown in his career… Prior to 2022, had thrown at least 8.0 innings only three times (9.0 IP on 5/27/21 vs. LAA; 8.0 IP on 5/16/19 at DET; 8.0 IP on 8/15/15 at BAL). Made his Mets debut on 4/9 at WAS, tossing 6.0 scoreless frames with three hits, a walk, and eight strikeouts…Became the 2nd Mets pitcher to debut with a line of at least 6.0 scoreless innings with eight or more punchouts, joining Colin McHugh (Aug. 23, 2012 vs. COL). Recorded 19 quality starts, the most in his career and a team-high among Mets starters…From June 14-July 23, recorded six straight quality starts, one shy of a career high seven straight accomplished in 2015. Did not walk a batter from 6/25-7/8 (13.1 innings) which is tied for the longest streak in his career. Tied a career-high with 11 strikeouts on 7/23 vs. SD (also: 9/7/19 vs. DET). Won four straight games for the 1st time in his career from Aug. 3-19, surrendering just two runs over that span. Went 8-3 with a 2.94 ERA (26 ER/79.2 IP) after the All-Star Break…His eight wins were tied for the 3rd-most in the Majors and the most in his career in the back half of a season.
OTHER HIGHLIGHTS: Tossed the 1st complete game and shutout of his career on 5/27/21 vs. LAA (9.0 IP, 2H, BB, 9K). Received two 5th-place votes in AL Cy Young balloting in 2021, finishing 10th in the vote…Earned his 1st All-Star honours. Earned AL Pitcher of the Month for September 2020, his 1st monthly award…Pitched to a 0.34 ERA that month, allowing one run over 26.2 innings in four starts…Was the lowest September ERA in the Majors since Greg Maddux had a 0.29 ERA for Atlanta in 1995. Started and won Game 2 of the AL Wild Card Series vs. CWS on 9/30/20. Selected by the Chicago White Sox in the 16th round of the 2011 First-Year Player Draft.
VS. THE TIGERS: Facing the Tigers for the 8th time in his career…Last met Detroit on 4/18/21 in Oakland, pitching 6.0 frames of two-run ball (5H, 2BB, 8K)…Has tossed at least 6.0 innings in 6 of his 7 career meetings with the Tigers, eclipsing the 100-pitch mark on 5 occasions…Has faced 190 Detroit batters in his career and surrendered just a single home run (Anthony Gose: 2R-HR on 4/28/16 at DET).
