Despite having to overcome the loss of starting pitcher Matthew Boyd and reliever Will Vest in short order, the Detroit Tigers found a way to earn a huge victory in the opener of their four-game set against the Texas Rangers on Monday night at Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas.
The Tigers once again suffered injury trouble
The Tigers have already been banged up this season, especially at the pitching position. And last night, things didn’t get any easier. Matthew Boyd, who got the start against the Rangers, departed after throwing only 15 pitches in the 1st inning thanks to elbow discomfort.
And as if that wasn’t enough insult to injury, his replacement, Will Vest, would be forced from the game just one inning later after he suffered right knee discomfort.
The Tigers were understandably flummoxed
“Not again,” manager A.J. Hinch said of the consecutive injuries. “It’s natural to feel frustrated. A lot of things can start to spiral. But in-game, I go right into manager mode and try to figure out what we need to do next.
“But sitting there in the dugout, I’m asking (pitching coach Chris) Fetter, like, not again.”
The offense once again delivered a key win
It was Andy Ibanez, the former Texas Ranger, who came back to haunt his old club with his three-run home run. And the Tigers were also aided by Jake Rogers, who blasted a two-run home run of his own.
Detroit would emerge victorious with a 7-2 win and improve to 34-43 so far in 2023.
Key Points
- The Tigers have already suffered more than their fair share of injuries
- Detroit lost two more pitchers last night
- Manager A.J. Hinch and the rest of the team is understandably frustrated
- The offense delivered in the face of more injury woes
Wrapping It Up
The Tigers were able to overcome the loss of both Boyd and Vest by earning a 7-2 win over the Rangers on Monday night.
They can make it twice as nice on Tuesday when they re-convene for the second in their four-game series.
