Aggressiveness on the bases could become a new dynamic for the Detroit Tigers.
As the Tigers look for a series win in the finale of a three-game home set with the Texas Rangers on Sunday night, Detroit’s sudden penchant for stealing bases could be a key.
The Tigers swiped four bases in a 5-1 win on Saturday to raise their season total to 14. While they haven’t torn it up on the bases this season, the Tigers are expected to turn to a bullpen game on Sunday, and Dillon Dingler said baserunning is a way to manufacture runs.
“It’s fascinating because we aren’t usually a team that runs the bases,” said Dingler, who hit a three-run home run in the first inning on Saturday. “It is something that applies pressure, though.”
Dingler leads the Tigers in RBIs (23) and slugging percentage (.495) and is tied with Kerry Carpenter for the team lead in home runs (six).
An injury to Casey Mize (right adductor strain) sent the right-hander to the 15-day injured list on Friday and has forced Detroit to turn to its bullpen to wrap up the series.
Tyler Holton (0-1, 5.54 ERA) is set to be the first pitcher for the Tigers. In nine career appearances against the Rangers, he is 1-0 with a 4.09 ERA in 11 innings.
On Tuesday, he gave up four hits and two runs while recording one strikeout in one inning as the Tigers lost 5-2 at the Atlanta Braves.
While the Tigers will piece together their pitchers on Sunday, the Rangers are scheduled to start right-hander Jack Leiter (1-2, 5.17 ERA), who made his major league debut, and only career appearance, on the road against the Tigers in 2024. He allowed eight hits, seven runs, walked three and struck out three in 3 2/3 innings.
In his most recent start, Leiter took the loss Monday after he gave up four runs on eight hits over six innings in a 4-2 home defeat to the New York Yankees.
Texas hopes Brandon Nimmo will return to the lineup as the team vies for a series win on Sunday night. He’s pushed through a hamstring strain the last three days but exited the series opener on Friday in the fourth inning after his third at-bat.
The Rangers already are playing without Wyatt Langford, who had a setback in his recovery from a Grade 1 flexor strain in his right forearm. He’s been on the injured list since April 22 and will be re-evaluated in a week.
Because of the chilly temperatures in Detroit on Saturday night, Texas manager Skip Schumaker played it safe with Nimmo. Without the outfielder, the Rangers’ offense managed just one run on seven hits.
“The thought is, if I can give him (Nimmo) maybe 48 hours almost with pulling him (Friday) and hopefully starting him tomorrow,” Schumaker told The Dallas Morning News. “I think that might really settle it down.”
–Field Level Media
