Another game, another listless offensive performance from the Detroit Tigers. Their division rival Chicago White Sox had their way with Detroit this afternoon at Comerica Park, completing a three-game sweep with a 13-0 shutout victory on a 95-degree day – the highest temperature for a game in downtown Detroit in a decade.
Unfortunately, though the weather was sweltering, Detroit’s offense was once again anything but. The Tigers picked up a mere four hits on the afternoon compared to a whopping 22 for the visiting White Sox. It also marked the 30th occasion this year that the Tigers were held to two runs or fewer.
http://gty.im/1241331081
And the team made some history during the course of the afternoon. For the first time in franchise history, the Tigers used three position players to pitch as Kody Clemens, Harold Castro, and Tucker Barnhart all took the mound.
Castro faced the required minimum of three batters and also recorded his first career strikeout.
POSITION PLAYER PITCHING ALERT
h̶i̶t̶t̶i̶n̶ Hurlin' Harold takes the mound!
Gets the double play AND the K!?
MERCY.#DetroitRoots pic.twitter.com/cdw1j1qPou— Bally Sports Detroit (@BallySportsDET) June 15, 2022
Then it was Clemens, the son of Hall of Fame pitcher Roger Clemens:
We've got a pitching change for Detroit here in the 8th….
Taking the mound is Kody…CLEMENS?!*Every cliche "like father like son" phrase wakes up from a long, long slumber*
*opens Twitter*
*starts furiously typing* pic.twitter.com/4HHIaRJr3n— Bally Sports Detroit (@BallySportsDET) June 15, 2022
Finally, it was Barnhart:
https://twitter.com/MrMatthewCFB/status/1537162011896860672?s=20&t=gjTh0msJx4-giG__vojZ4g
The Tigers made franchise history this afternoon
“Once you go to that pen and it’s kind of one man after another, then the dilemma comes,” manager A.J. Hinch said afterward. “Do you want to use [closer Gregory] Soto? Do you want to use [veteran lefty Andrew] Chafin? Do you want to use [Michael] Fulmer? [Wily] Peralta pitched yesterday. [Will] Vest has thrown the last two days. Or do you just kind of take it, bite the bullet and use position players?”
“Kody, I just talked to him and told him to throw as slow as he could,” Hinch said.
Following the game, the team held a players-only meeting and closed the clubhouse to media members for some time.
The Tigers will now look to get back on track when they begin a four-game series with the Texas Rangers on Thursday at 7:10 p.m. at Comerica Park.
