Sunday, February 28, 2021 • Publix Field at Joker Marchant Stadium, Lakeland, FL • 1:05 p.m. ET
LHP Tyler Alexander (No Record) vs. RHP Iván Nova (No Record)
TV: None • Radio: 97.1 The Ticket
HOPE SPRINGS ETERNAL: Today’s matchup against Philadelphia marks the beginning of the Tigers Grapefruit League Schedule – the first game action of any kind for the club since the season finale on September 27 at Kansas City and the first game in front of fans since Spring Training was suspended on March 12, 2020. The 2021 season brings a number of new faces to the Tigers clubhouse, including manager A.J. Hinch and most of his coaching staff. The staff combines innovation and experience in powerful ways, including instruction and leadership by George Lombard as bench coach (2020 World Series Champion with the Dodgers), Scott Coolbaugh as hitting coach (previously the White Sox assistant hitting coach) and Chris Fetter as pitching coach (previously assistant head coach for pitching at the University of Michigan).
A SPRING LIKE NEVER BEFORE: This spring marks the 85th for the Tigers in Lakeland and 56th at Publix Field at Joker Marchant Stadium, but will be remembered as unique in almost every way as players, coaches, staff and fans adjust to enjoy baseball safely during the COVID-19 pandemic. The relationship between the Tigers and the City of Lakeland is the longest standing of all Major League clubs and their Spring Training homes, and the fan support continues to be tremendous. This was evidenced by all Tigers home Spring Training tickets (~2,000 per game) selling out just three hours after going on sale. The facility has many protocols in place this year to prioritize the health and safety of all, but remains a first-class fan experience. Ballpark Digest named Publix Field at Joker Marchant Stadium the top ballpark in the Grapefruit League in 2019, and best High-A ballpark in 2017.
PODS, PODS EVERYWHERE: An updated Spring Training schedule was recently announced by Major League Baseball, with health and safety considerations in mind. It features 29 games for the Tigers, including 15 contests at Publix Field at Joker Marchant Stadium. MLB divided the 15 Grapefruit League teams into pods based on their geographical location. The Tigers will be in a four-team pod with the New York Yankees, Philadelphia Phillies and Toronto Blue Jays, while also playing a smaller number of games against the Baltimore Orioles, Pittsburgh Pirates and Tampa Bay Rays during Spring Training.
ROSTER BREAKDOWN: The Tigers have 59 players in camp, including 19 non-roster invitees. Of the 59 players, 28 are pitchers, including seven non-roster invitees; six are catchers, including three non-roster invitees; 14 are infielders, including six non-roster invitees; and 11 are outfielders, including three non-roster invitees. This year’s camp has players from nine countries represented, including the United States, Canada, Columbia, Curaçao, Dominican Republic, Mexico, Nicaragua, Puerto Rico and Venezuela.
HINCH IN THEIR STEP: A.J. Hinch has managed five seasons (2015-19) in the Grapefruit League, posting a combined 84-59 record and plus-77 run differential. His clubs were helped to that success by stellar pitching performances, which have been some of the best in the Grapefruit League. Over that span, Hinch’s pitchers were tied for the second-highest strikeout total of any Grapefruit League team (1,351), allowed the second-fewest number of home runs (130) and combined to post the fourth-lowest ERA at 4.10 (1,380.1IP/629ER).
GRAPEFRUIT LEAGUE WARRIORS: Last spring’s season was a productive one for the Tigers before the campaign was suspended due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Though Detroit posted an 8-11 record, the team led the Grapefruit League in home runs (39), while ranking second in slugging percentage (.470) and third in batting average (.254), runs (119), total bases (342) and RBI (112). The 2020 Spring Training schedule began on February 22 and concluded 151 days later with a pair of games in Cincinnati leading up to the rescheduled Opening Day.
HISTORIC PROSPECT RANKING BY MLB PIPELINE: Righthanded pitchers Casey Mize (No. 11 overall/No. 2 RHP) and Matt Manning (25/6), lefthanded pitcher Tarik Skubal (24/2), infielder Spencer Torkelson (3/1 at 3B) and outfielder Riley Greene (21/6) were recently named to MLB Pipeline’s top 100 prospects. This marked the first time in MLB Pipeline history that a club had five of the game’s top 25 prospects.
FIVE MINI-CAMP PLAYERS JOIN TIGERS FOR TODAY’S GAME: Catcher Brady Policelli (#78) and righthanded pitchers Nolan Blackwood (#75), Drew Carlton (#96), Robbie Ross Jr. (#84) and Logan Shore (#91), will join the Tigers for today’s game.
