The Detroit Tigers finally get to play their home opener on Thursday afternoon. They’re hoping their pitching staff continues its hot start.
Detroit went 4-3 through its first seven games heading into its home opener at Comerica Park against the Kansas City Royals.
The Tigers have allowed just 17 runs. Their pitchers combined for 18 strikeouts in a 2-1 victory over the New York Yankees on Wednesday. Infielder Gordon Beckham had his first hit in a Tigers uniform, the game-winning homer in the eighth.
“We’re winning a lot of close games and they said last year we had a tough time with those,” Beckham said in a postgame TV interview. “That’s huge. Glad I got a pitch out over the plate and glad I got it out over the park.”
The weather is expected to be cold but dry as the teams begin a three-game series.
“I’ve heard some awesome things, so I’m excited to get out there and see all the fans,” Beckham said.
The pitcher receiving the honor of starting the home opener wasn’t even in the rotation until late in spring training. Michael Fulmer suffered an elbow injury and underwent Tommy John surgery, opening up a spot for Spencer Turnbull.
Turnbull (0-1) gave up three runs in five innings during his season debut on March 30 in Toronto, a 3-0 loss. Turnbull, 26, made his major league debut with Detroit in September and started three games. He’s still seeking his first major league win.
Turnbull has become more reliant on his sinker to get outs at the major league level.
“I’ve honed it in a little bit, trusting it and even if it’s not moving three feet, it’s good enough to miss a barrel and get a ground ball,” he told the Detroit News. “Even on days when it’s not as nasty as it’s ever been, it’s still good. I can still get a lot of groundballs with it. So now I’m not afraid to throw it over the plate.”
Royals starter Jakob Junis (1-0) pitched five scoreless innings before tiring in his season debut on March 30 against the Chicago White Sox. He gave up a three-run homer on a sinker to Jose Abreu but Kansas City Royals held on for an 8-6 victory.
“It didn’t come back over the plate, it just didn’t get in enough on him,” Junis told the Kansas City Star. “We had thrown him a steady diet of those all day, so I think he was just looking for it then. We threw one too many and it cost me a dinger and three runs, but thankfully the offense came through.”
Junis has recorded 19 victories in his young career and nearly one-third have come against the Tigers. He has eight career appearances against them, including seven starts, and has posted a 6-1 record and 3.12 ERA. Last season, he was 4-0 with a 1.95 ERA in five starts against Detroit.
The Royals lost 7-6 to Minnesota at home on Wednesday afternoon as their bullpen squandered a 6-3 lead. They also gave up a ninth-inning lead in their previous game and have dropped three straight.
“You’ve just got to give them time to iron it out,” manager Ned Yost said of his relief corps. “It sure feels like that, that they’re all struggling right now. More than anything, it will help us to get into the swing of the season.”
Infielder Adalberto Mondesi has been their hottest hitter. He’s batting .409 through five games with six extra-base hits.