MLB Player News

De Jesus (1-0) worked around a hit to toss a scoreless inning of relief and earn the win in Friday's 5-2 victory over the Padres. He struck out two.

After starter Framber Valdez covered six solid innings, De Jesus got the seventh and kept things rolling for the Detroit pitching staff. The lefty is back in the majors for the first time since a brief appearance in 2023, and his win in relief Friday marked his first ever at the MLB level. De Jesus looked good for Team Venezuela in the World Baseball Classic, and if he can carry over that success into the regular season, he could emerge as a trusted bullpen option for the Tigers in 2026.

Carpenter went 0-for-3 with two walks and a run scored in Friday's 5-2 win over the Padres.

For the second game in a row to start the year, Carpenter found himself in the leadoff spot for Detroit. He's yet to get a hit while striking out five times, but the Tigers clearly have confidence in the 28-year-old as a key offensive catalyst. Carpenter batted leadoff 41 times for Detroit during the 2025 regular season, though he most frequently batted third. A regular switch to the No. 1 spot could allow the outfielder to score more runs but might also reduce his RBI output.

Torres went 1-for-2 with three walks and two runs scored in Friday's 5-2 win over the Padres.

Back in his familiar No. 2 spot in the lineup this season, Torres is displaying the patience at the plate that makes him a good fit for the role. The infielder has already walked four times in two games versus just one strikeout. As someone who sees the ball well and knows how to get on base, Torres could be in line to score a lot of runs this year batting ahead of the likes of Riley Greene, Spencer Torkelson and breakout candidate Kevin McGonigle.

Manzardo started as the designated hitter and went 0-for-4 with four strikeouts in Friday's 5-1 loss to the Mariners.

Manzardo has been stuck at DH the first two games of the season, with both starts coming against right-handed pitchers. The right-handed-hitting Rhys Hoskins started at first in both games. There was some thought that Manzardo would see more time at first base this season with Carlos Santana no longer on the team, but those plans apparently changed when the Guardians signed Hoskins after spring training started.

Kwan started in center field and went 2-for-4 in Friday's 5-1 loss to the Mariners.

Kwan made his first start of the regular season in center field after being exposed to the new position during spring training. His move to center cleared the way for prospect CJ Kayfus to operate in left field.

Williams explained the wildness he experienced in Friday's start when he walked six batters over five innings in a loss to Seattle, Tim Stebbins of MLB.com reports. Williams said he was out of sync with his front foot too quick to the ground before his upper body was ready to deliver the ball.

The mechanical issue caused him to over-rotate and pull some pitches, and his attempts to overcorrect caused more wayward offerings. The right-hander managed to control his walks over the second half of 2025 -- 5.3 BB/9 prior to All-Star break and 3.3 post-break -- and did a fine job this spring (two walks in 17.2 innings). Williams will look to correct the issue leading up to his next schedule start Wednesday against the Dodgers.

Jansen struck out three batters in a perfect inning to earn the save in Friday's 5-2 win over the Padres.

The Tigers earned the lead with an eighth-inning rally, and Jansen did his job in the ninth, throwing 10 of 11 pitches for strikes. Jansen did well on a bad Angels team last year, racking up 29 saves while pitching to a 2.59 ERA, 0.95 WHIP and 57:19 K:BB over 59 innings. Jansen doesn't have the elite strikeout numbers he used to, but he's still capable of closing, and he should get plenty of opportunities with a Detroit team that will challenge for the top spot in the AL Central. Will Vest and Kyle Finnegan are veteran options to step into the ninth inning if necessary, but Jansen figures to get the majority of the save chances as long as his performance is good.

Valdez allowed two runs (one earned) on seven hits and a walk while striking out five over six innings in a no-decision versus the Padres on Friday.

Valdez's first big-league appearance in anything other than an Astros uniform went well, as he delivered a quality start despite giving up plenty of contact. Valdez threw 63 of 83 pitches for strikes in this outing, though he left the game with the Tigers down 2-1 before the offense got him off the hook with an eighth-inning rally. The veteran southpaw pitched to a 3.66 ERA, 1.24 WHIP and 187:68 K:BB over 192 innings across 31 regular-season starts in 2025. He has the potential to be a workhorse for Detroit -- he's covered at least 170 innings in four straight seasons. That volume has value, especially since he tends to post strong ratios as well. He's projected to make his home debut for the Tigers against the Cardinals next week.

DeLauter went 1-for-4 with a solo home run in Friday's 5-1 loss to the Mariners.

DeLauter has gone 4-for-9 with three homers over the first two games of the season. All of the long balls have been solo shots so far, but he's already matched his homer total from 14 spring games. It's a great first impression for the outfielder at the major-league level after three injury-plagued campaigns in the minors, including just 42 contests between rookie ball and Triple-A during the 2025 regular season. DeLauter's bat will help him stay in the lineup a fair amount, especially against right-handers, but his ability to stay healthy is the X-factor as to how his rookie season will unfold.

Williams (0-1) allowed three runs on two hits and six walks while striking out seven over five innings to take the loss Friday versus the Mariners.

Williams threw just 49 of 89 pitches for strikes in a wild performance. The Mariners didn't take full advantage of his free passes, allowing him to escape with a mediocre start instead of a bad one, and the seven strikeouts are a silver lining. Williams had a 4.58 ERA over 17.2 innings in spring training, but he also posted a 19:2 K:BB. Expecting him to rein in the walks might be asking too much -- he had a 4.5 BB/9 in the 2025 regular season, but that didn't stop him from maintaining a 3.06 ERA over 167.2 innings. Williams will look to rebound in a tough matchup on the road versus the Dodgers in his next projected start.