Can Detroit Tigers continue to win games as best American League team?
Detroit Tigers radio analyst Bobby Scales joins Days of Roar to break down the team’s formula for early success, plus Spencer Torkelson’s adjustments.
- The Detroit Tigers lost to the Texas Rangers, 10-3, at Comerica Park on May 10.
- Tigers starter Jack Flaherty allowed four home runs in three innings of work.
- The loss snapped a five-game winning streak for the Tigers.
Detroit Tigers right-hander Jack Flaherty had never allowed four home runs in a game over his nine-year MLB career, but that changed May 10 against the Texas Rangers.
He surrendered four homers … in three innings.
It was the shortest start by a Tigers pitcher this season.
The Tigers (26-14) lost, 10-3, to the Rangers in the second of three games at Comerica Park, snapping a five-game winning streak in what was by far their largest defeat of the season in front of a sellout crowd of 40,844 fans.
Flaherty was tagged for five runs on four hits and two walks with four strikeouts. The 29-year-old threw 73 pitches across three innings — averaging nearly 25 pitches per inning — before the Tigers pulled him.
While Flaherty struggled, Rangers right-hander Jacob deGrom stole the show.
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In 2018-19, deGrom won the National League Cy Young in back-to-back seasons with a combined 2.05 ERA and 524 strikeouts in 421 innings. Since then, he has averaged just nine starts per season while battling injuries.
He flashed reminders of vintage deGrom against the Tigers.
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The 36-year-old allowed two runs on five hits and one walk with 10 strikeouts across five-plus innings, throwing 90 pitches. The two runs were solo home runs from Kerry Carpenter in the first inning and Riley Greene in the fourth inning.
The first six outs from deGrom came from strikeouts.
He collected all 10 strikeouts within the first four innings, using an even mix of fastballs and sliders.
Jack Flaherty struggles
Four home runs off Flaherty.
All by left-handed hitters.
That’s surprising, considering left-handed hitters entered the game hitting .190 with a .572 OPS against Flaherty.
The four homers: Josh Smith hit a solo home run off Flaherty’s slider and Corey Seager hit a solo home run off Flaherty’s fastball in the first inning; Evan Carter hit a solo home run off Flaherty’s fastball in the second inning; Joc Pederson hit a two-run home run off Flaherty’s fastball in the third inning.
It was 5-1 Rangers after the four home runs.
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Flaherty — whom the Tigers signed to a two-year, $35 million contract after other teams passed on him — registered a 2.95 ERA in 18 starts with the Tigers in 2024.
In 2025, Flaherty is responsible for a 4.61 ERA in eight starts. He has allowed at least four earned runs in each of his past three starts, facing the Houston Astros on April 28, Los Angeles Angels on May 3 and Rangers on May 10.
One of the most notable changes in Flaherty from 2024 to 2025?
His four-seam fastball whiff rate has dropped from 23.9% to 11%, including zero whiffs on eight swings against the Rangers. He isn’t missing bats with his fastball anymore — and the increased contact from hitters is leading to more damage.
Tyler Holton pitches
Left-handed reliever Tyler Holton is healthy, but the Tigers just haven’t used him as he allows more hard contact than ever before in his MLB career. He entered in the seventh inning, pitching for the first time since May 2.
Holton gave up a solo home run to Seager on a 91.3 mph fastball in a full count.
The Rangers took an 8-2 lead.
After that, Holton sent down the next three batters to avoid further damage: Pederson grounded out, Marcus Semien flew out, and Adolis García struck out swinging.
Holton owns a 3.12 ERA with five walks and 17 strikeouts across 17⅓ innings in 15 games, which is worse than his 2.11 ERA in 2023 and his 2.19 ERA in 2024.
Contact Evan Petzold at [email protected] or follow him @EvanPetzold.
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