Tigers Today: Tigers shake off 3-game losing streak

Yahoo

23-06-2025

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) — The Tigers have bounced back after their first real stretch of adversity for the first time in a while.
Starting with the second half of Thursday's doubleheader with Pittsburgh and the first two games of the series against the Rays, Detroit lost three in a row for just the third time all season.
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Tigers end 3-game slide with rout of the Rays
It sounds kind of bizarre when you think about it. The Tigers (49-30) have only lost three consecutive games three times as we head toward the All-Star break. Even crazier? One of those streaks was the first series of the season when they faced the reigning champion Dodgers on the road. Better yet? They have yet to drop four in a row.
Speaking of bizarre, the team is coming off a bit of a weird stretch and a whirlwind series in Tampa Bay. With Wednesday's rain out, the Tigers and Pirates played a split doubleheader on Thursday — one that featured two rain delays of its own. The final delay came in the ninth inning in a 4-4 tie, which ultimately ended in a flop, an 8-4 loss in extras.
So, what should have been an early getaway day to get into Florida, ended up being a late night. Tigers broadcaster Jason Benetti says the team landed in Tampa around 2:30 on Friday morning.
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Jack Flaherty got roughed up Friday night in a 14-8 loss and Tampa's bats handled Brant Hurter and Sawyer Gipson-Long for an 8-3 loss on Saturday afternoon. The Tigers scored six runs in the ninth inning on Sunday afternoon to put away the Rays and avoid a sweep with a 9-3 win.
But things look a little different with a big-picture view. From the start of the doubleheader to the end of Sunday's game, the Tigers went 2-3 and packed in a late-night flight in less than 75 hours. Not too bad, all things considered.
Detroit Tigers reliever Brant Hurter adds some rosin to his arm during a game against Tampa Bay on June 21, 2025. (Getty Images)
ROUGH WEEK FOR HURTER
It was a week to forget for Brant Hurter. The reliever took two losses and gave up 10 total runs in three appearances.
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It started with the 10th inning in the finale against Pittsburgh. After a brief rain delay, the Tigers couldn't generate the winning run in the bottom of the ninth, so A.J. Hinch sent Hurter out to keep the Pirates at bay. But the Buccos came out swinging, touching up Hurter for four runs, three earned, on four hits and a walk.
Hurter served as the opener for Saturday afternoon's game in Tampa, and once again he got hit around. The 26-year-old lefty gave up four runs, all unearned, on two hits, two walks and a hit batter.
With a 9-1 lead in the ninth on Sunday, Hurter was called on once again. This armchair manager suspects Hinch wanted to give him an opportunity to get his confidence back after two rough outings. It didn't work. He walked two batters and hit another to load the bases before being pulled. Two of those runners came around to score before Brenan Hanifee finished it out.
Prior to this week, Hurter had been a solid option for the Tigers' bullpen. Before Thursday, he had a 1.67 ERA with a 1.01 WHIP (walks and hits per inning) in 37.2 innings.
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The Tigers do have two other lefties in the bullpen: Tyler Holton and Matt Gage.
Detroit Tigers pitcher Casey Mize leaves the field with a trainer in the sixth inning of Sunday's game against the Tampa Bay Rays on June 22, 2025. (Getty Images)
MIZE AVOIDS INJURY
The Tigers have already lost Jackson Jobe for the season and are still waiting for Alex Cobb and Reese Olson to get back, so it was a big relief when the team announced that Casey Mize did not suffer a serious injury during Sunday's game.
Mize was pulled in the sixth inning with an apparent leg injury, but Hinch clarified afterward that it was just a cramp and the team was being cautious.
The former No. 1 pick already missed two weeks last month with a hamstring strain, and spent two months on the injured list last year with a similar injury.
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Sunday was one of Mize's best starts of the season. He gave up six hits but were able to pitch around trouble. He allowed just one run on a solo home run.
INJURY UPDATE
Speaking of Olson and Cobb, the two starters are getting closer to a return.
Hinch told reporters on Friday that Olson will take one more rehab start before being activated from the 15-day injured list. The 25-year-old went down in mid-May after inflammation in the ring finger on his throwing hand.
He has completed some rehab starts in the minors, initially avoiding his changeup, which places the most pressure on the injured finger. He pitched 3.2 scoreless innings on Thursday for Triple-A Toledo on 58 pitches.
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We should also see more action this week from Cobb. The veteran got another pain injection in his left hip on June 13 and was shut down for a week. He has been approved for restarting bullpen sessions.
He has made a handful of rehab appearances for High-A West Michigan and Triple-A Toledo, where he has been effective, but the timeline has yet to shake out.
UP NEXT
The Tigers have another day off on Monday before returning to Detroit for a six-game homestand. Tarik Skubal will take the mound Tuesday against the Athletics (32-48) and likely again on Sunday against the Twins (37-40).
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