DETROIT TIGERS NOTES:
TIGERS SNAP FOUR-GAME SKID WITH WIN OVER BREWERS: The Tigers opened their series against the Brewers with a 4-2 win last night. Nick Maton had a pair of hits, including a go-ahead, three-run homer, while Javier Báez reached base three times, going 2×3 with a walk. Matthew Boyd started and earned his first win of the season, allowing two runs on five hits with a walk and eight strikeouts in 5.0 innings. Four Tigers relievers combined for 4.0 hitless innings to close out the win.
BIG, BAD WOLF: Nick Maton broke out of his skid last night, recording a pair of hits and driving in three runs. Maton had a bunt single in the first inning to snap an 0x21 stretch before providing the big blow in the game with a three-run homer in the third inning, his team-leading fourth of the season. Maton had an exit velocity of 106.1 MPH on his homer, his hardest-hit ball of the season and the fifth-hardest hit ball of his career.
STREAKING: Javier Báez had a pair of hits in last night’s game to extend his hitting streak to nine games, the longest by a Tigers player this season. After starting the season 4×40 in his first 11 games of the season, Báez has gone 12×32 with three doubles and seven RBI during his current streak, which is the fourth-longest active streak in the big leagues.
WHAT A RELIEF: José Cisnero, Tyler Holton, Jason Foley and Alex Lange each threw a scoreless inning of relief last night against Milwaukee, continuing a solid stretch from Detroit’s bullpen. Over the last eight games, Tigers relievers have combined for a 0.92 ERA (29.1IP/3ER) and a 0.65 WHIP. Since April 15, Detroit’s bullpen leads the Majors in ERA and WHIP.
VIERLING’S ELECTRIC PLAY: Matt Vierling earned MLB’s Electric Play of the Week on Monday for his home run robbing catch last Tuesday in the second game of the doubleheader vs. Cleveland. It marked the first time in his career that Vierling has received the award. Vierling enters tonight’s game with five defensive runs saved this season, which ranks tied for third among Major League outfielders.
TIGERS AND BREWERS: The Tigers and Brewers continue their only series of the season tonight in Milwaukee. The two teams last met in 2021 with
Detroit winning three-of-four games, including splitting a two-game series at American Family Field. The Tigers lead the all-time series against the Brewers 228-205, including a narrow 109- 106 edge in games played in Milwaukee.
ON THE ROAD: The Tigers are 1-3 on their current six-game road trip, which includes three games at Baltimore (0-3) and three games at Milwaukee (1-0). Detroit is 4-9 away from Comerica Park this season. As a team, the Tigers are hitting .191/.267/.296 on the road, while the pitching staff has a 4.70 ERA (113.0IP/59ER).
TIGERS ON THE IL:
• RHP Beau Brieske (right upper arm discomfort, 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, 10-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)
• RHP Trey Wingenter (right shoulder tendinitis, 15-day IL on April 22, retroactive to April 19)
UPCOMING MATCHUPS:
• Wednesday, April 26 at MIL – 1:40 p.m. (BSDET/97.1) RHP Michael Lorenzen (0-0, 6.00) vs.
RHP Freddy Peralta (2-2, 3.97)
TIGERS MILB CATEGORY LEADERS
• Batting AVG: Justyn-Henry Malloy (TOL) – .391
• OBP: Justyn-Henry Malloy (TOL) – .538
• SLG: Andy Ibáñez (TOL) – .643
• OPS: Justyn-Henry Malloy (TOL) – 1.118
• Home Runs: Andy Ibáñez (TOL)/Zack Short (TOL) – 5
• RBI: Andy Ibáñez (TOL) – 16
• Hits: Justyn-Henry Malloy (TOL) – 27
• Walks: Justyn-Henry Malloy (TOL) – 20
• Stolen Bases: Seth Stephenson (LAK) – 8
• ERA: Brant Hurter (ERI) – 0.75
• WHIP: Sawyer Gipson-Long (ERI) – 0.75
• Wins: Tyler Holton (TOL)/Brendon White (TOL) – 3
• Strikeouts: Brenan Hanifee (TOL) – 20
TONIGHT’S TIGERS STARTING PITCHER – #56 Spencer Turnbull • 1-3, 7.85 ERA (18.1IP/16ER)
• Turnbull will make his fifth start of the season tonight at Milwaukee.
• Suffered the loss in his last start on Wednesday vs. Cleveland, allowing three runs on three hits with three walks and three strikeouts in 5.1 innings.
• Has faced the Brewers three times in his career, all as a starter, and has a 1-1 record with a 5.17 ERA (15.2IP/9ER) and 15 strikeouts…in two career starts at American Family Field, Turnbull is 0-1 with an 8.38 ERA (9.2IP/9ER) and 12 strikeouts.
• 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.
MILWAUKEE BREWERS NOTES:
WHAT’S BREWING?
On The Mend
OF Tyrone Taylor will begin a rehab assignment with Triple-A Nashville tonight as they host Omaha (Royals) at 6:35 p.m. CT…..Taylor has been on the 10-day injured list since March 29 with a right elbow sprain.
Best Records – MLB
Team Record
Tampa Bay………………………. 20-3 (.870)
Pittsburgh ………………………….16-7 (.696)
Baltimore……………………………15-7 (.682)
Milwaukee ……………………… 15-8 (.652)
Atlanta………………………………. 15-8 (.652)
Fool Me Once…
The Brewers have lost consecutive games for the first time this season, the last team in the majors to do so….. the Brewers dropped two in a row in games No. 22 and 23, marking the second-longest streak in franchise history to begin a season…..the 1987 team lost consecutive games for the first time in games No. 24 and 25.
All-American
The Brewers are in a 12-game stretch (4-3) during which they are playing teams from the American League….. they are facing Seattle (3-0), Boston (1-2), Detroit (0-1) and Los Angeles (3g) during this stretch.
Let’s Touch Base
Willy Adames has reached base in 22 of his 23 games this season, including 13 consecutive games…..he has a .366 OBP and a team-leading 15 walks….. William Contreras has reached base in 17 of his 18 games this season…..he has a team-leading .397 OBP.
New Home Owner
Brian Anderson, who signed as a free agent on January 23, is batting .344 (11-for-32) with 5 HR and 12 RBI in 10 home games this season.
Body By Jake
Jake Cousins made his season debut last night and tossed 1.2 scoreless innings…..in 43 career appearances in the majors (all in relief), Cousins has posted a 2.60 ERA (45ip, 13er) while collecting 68 strikeouts (13.60 K/9IP).
Everybody’s Got a Bryse
Bryse Wilson has pitched 2.0 or more innings in all but one of his outings this season, including a season-high 3.0 innings twice…..Wilson is tied with Kevin Kelly (Rays), Adrián Martínez (A’s) and Josh Winckowski (Red Sox) for the most relief appearances of 2.0 or more innings (6).
TONIGHT’S GAME: Is game 5 (1-3) of a 9-game, 10-day homestand against Boston (1-2), Detroit (0-1) and Los Angeles-AL (3g)…..following this homestand and an off day next Monday, the team takes a 6-game trip to Colorado (3g) and San Francisco (3g).
IN THE TRAINER’S ROOM: RHP Jason Alexander (right rotator cuff), LHP Aaron Ashby (left labrum), RHP Matt Bush (right rotator cuff), RHP Adrian Houser (right groin), OF Garrett Mitchell (left shoulder), OF Tyrone Taylor (right elbow), INF Luis Urías (left hamstring), RHP Gus Varland (right hand), LHP Justin Wilson (left elbow) and RHP Brandon Woodruff (right shoulder) are on the injured list…..Alexander, Ashby, Urías and Wilson are on the 60-day IL.
IN THE STANDINGS (26 days): The Brewers have spent the following number of days alone or tied at each position in the NL Central standings: FIRST: 22, SECOND: 2, THIRD: 2, FOURTH: 0, FIFTH: 0…..the team is currently in second place, trailing the first-place Pirates by 1.0 game.
SERIES-LY SPEAKING: The Brewers are 5-2-0 in series play. Game 1: 4-4, Game 2: 6-1, Game 3: 4-3, Game 4: 1-0 Sweep Wins (2): vs. NYM (3g, 4/3-4/5), at SEA (3g, 4/17-4/19) Sweep Losses (-): None
AT HOME: The Brewers are 6-4 at home, going 2-1-0 in series play…..the team went 46-35 at home last season, going 15-8-4 in series play.
ON THE ROAD: The Brewers are 9-4 on the road, going 3-1-0 in series play…..the team went 40-41 on the road last season, going 9-12-5 in series play.
LET’S GO TO THE VIDEO TAPE: The Brewers have made three replay challenges this season, going 1-2…..their last challenge (lost) came on 4/12 at Arizona as an out call at first base (Willy Adames) stood.
TONIGHT’S STARTER: #52 – LHP ERIC LAUER (4gs, 3-1, 4.30)
LAUER AT A GLANCE: Eric Lauer, 27, will be making his fifth start…..Lauer last started last Wednesday in a 5-3 win at Seattle (7.2ip, 4h, 2r, 2er, 1bb, 4k, 1hr, 93 pitches)…..his 7.2 innings pitched were a season high…..he has 2 quality starts…..opponents are batting .250 (21-for-84, 5hr)…..he has won his last 2 starts with a 1.98 ERA (13.2ip, 3er)….. Lauer was acquired from San Diego, along with INF Luis Urías and a player to be named or cash, in exchange for RHP Zach Davies and OF Trent Grisham on 11/27/19 (trade completed on 5/27/20 – cash).
LAST SEASON: Lauer went 11-7 with a 3.69 ERA in 29 starts last season…..the team went 17-12 in his starts…..he posted career highs in starts (29-tied), wins (11), innings pitched (158.2), strikeouts (157) and quality starts (13)…..he held opponents to a .228 batting average…..Lauer was on the 15-day injured list from 9/10-9/22 with left elbow inflammation…..he came back to end the season with 12.2 consecutive scoreless innings.
CAREER: Is 35-32 with a 4.12 ERA in 114 games/107 starts (573ip, 262er)…..is in his sixth Major League season with San Diego (2018-19) and Milwaukee (2020-23)…..was the Padres’ Opening Day starter in 2019…..Lauer was selected by San Diego in the first round (25th overall) of the 2016 First-Year Player Draft out of Kent State University.
CAREER AT AMERICAN FAMILY FIELD: Is 11-8 with a 3.73 ERA in 29 games/28 starts (154.1ip, 64er)…..is 0-1 with a 13.50 ERA in 1 start this season (4ip, 6er)…..went 6-2 with a 2.56 ERA in 13 starts last season (77.1ip, 22er)…..CAREER ON THE ROAD: Is 17-16 with a 4.64 ERA in 58 games/53 starts (281ip, 145er)…..is 3-0 with a 2.37 ERA in 3 starts this season (19ip, 5er)…..went 5-5 with a 4.76 ERA in 16 starts last season (81.1ip, 43er).
CAREER vs. TIGERS: Took a 10-7 loss in his only career start vs. Detroit, coming on 6/1/21 at American Family Field (2ip, 7h, 7r, 7er, 2bb, 5k, 3hr).
