JORDY MERCER

Christian Vázquez tripled home the tiebreaking run in the ninth inning and the Boston Red Sox moved to the brink of a postseason berth with a 5-3 win over the Washington Nationals.

Jake Cronenworth hit for his first career cycle, Wil Myers had two homers including a grand slam, and the San Diego Padres blew out the Washington Nationals 24-8.

Mookie Betts hit a go-ahead single during a nine-run in the seventh inning after Washington ace Max Scherzer departed, and the Los Angeles Dodgers surged past the Nationals 10-5 for their seventh straight win.

Trea Turner completed his record-tying third career cycle by hitting a sixth-inning triple for the Washington Nationals, accomplishing the feat on his 28th birthday in a 15-6 victory over the Tampa Bay Rays.

In a bizarre scene, stadium workers using tractors scrambled to hoist the protective netting behind home plate after it suddenly collapsed Sunday, interrupting the Philadelphia Phillies’ 12-6 win over the Washington Nationals.

Dansby Swanson continued his power surge by hitting a two-run homer in Atlanta’s four-run sixth inning and the Braves beat Patrick Corbin and the Washington Nationals 5-1.

Those Tigers were 18-22 after losing to the Houston Astros on the evening of May 14, 2019. At the 40-game mark in 2019, Dixon and Rodriguez were in the midst of Akil Baddoo-like stretches. Everyone wants to believe the last four losing seasons have served some higher purpose, that the 2019 season was a rock-bottom from which the Tigers would inevitably rise. What if the real truth is that the Tigers are no closer than they were on this date in 2019? Maybe the Tigers will be so encouraged by their strong summer that they’ll opt to retain their best players rather than trade them.

Gleyber Torres’ tying single in the ninth inning and a winning infield single in the 11th helped the New York Yankees overcame Max Scherzer’s commanding 14-strikeout performance to beat the Washington Nationals 4-3.

Left fielder Kyle Schwarber, first baseman Josh Bell and infielder Josh Harrison have been reinstated from the injured list by the Washington Nationals.

Justin Turner homered in the sixth inning, and the Los Angeles Dodgers celebrated their World Series championship ring ceremony day with a 1-0 victory over the Washington Nationals.

The Washington Nationals finally got their season started five days later than they were supposed to after a delay because of a coronavirus outbreak.

Starting pitchers Jon Lester and Patrick Corbin, closer Brad Hand and four position players expected in the lineup have been put on the 10-day injured list by the Washington Nationals.

PITTSBURGH Niko Goodrum drove in five runs, two on a double in a big 11th inning that sent the Detroit Tigers over the Pittsburgh Pirates 17-13 in a startling slugfest on Friday night. Crazy stuff happened in that game, Tigers manager Ron Gardenhire said. Thats why we love to play it.Erik Gonzalez, batting ninth for the Pirates, drove in six runs. Tigers starter Matthew Boyd was tagged for seven runs and eight hits in 4 2/3 innings. Pirates: LHP Derek Holland (0-0, 4.76) is 1-2 with a 4.26 ERA in seven career starts against Detroit but has not faced the Tigers since 2017.

DETROIT Opening Day usually means crowds fill Comerica Park in Detroit, but the coronavirus (COVID-19) changed that. The Tigers open on Monday night vs. the Royals. The Tigers spoke about Opening Day while in an empty stadium, when usually Comerica Park is full. At the top of their minds is the news that more Miami Marlins have tested positive for COVID-19. READ: More Detroit Tigers coverage

DETROIT The Detroit Tigers revealed their final 30-man Opening Day roster for the 2020 season Thursday, just hours before the noon deadline. The Tigers had most of their roster figured out before the second round of spring training began, but there was still competition for the final bullpen and reserve spots. They had on-and-off moments throughout summer camp, and the Tigers could have gone with higher upside choices such as Shao-Ching Chiang or Nolan Blackwood. MORE: Did we see the Tigers Opening Day lineup on Tuesday? Greiner, Lugo and Mercer earned the final three spots over more exciting options such as Willi Castro and Derek Hill.

DETROIT The Detroit Tigers sent 19 players to their alternate training site in Toledo on Monday, leaving 37 players to battle for 30 Opening Day roster spots. READ: How will the Tigers fill their final rotation spots after the Jordan Zimmermann injury? Haase and Rogers were fighting for what figured to be two or three catcher spots on the roster. That means seven of these 13 players will also be sent to Toledo or the taxi squad, while six make the roster. Lets assume its 11, leaving four bullpen spots and two reserve spots open.

DETROIT It almost doesnt seem real, but one week from Friday is the start of what could be the strangest Detroit Tigers season ever. Roster makeupPredicting the roster for a team like the Tigers -- with so many unproven players fighting for jobs -- is tricky even in a normal year. READ: Here are the players included on the Detroit Tigers spring training rosterMLB expanded rosters by one spot before the pandemic, allowing teams to carry 26 players. He gave up way too many runs, but hes looked better in both spring training segments. Reyes was much better than Stewart during spring training in March, when the latter struggled to make any solid contact.

DETROIT Ace Matt Boyd squared off against elite prospect Casey Mize on Thursday at Comerica Park as the Detroit Tigers held their second intrasquad game. pic.twitter.com/pcwNqRf07L Detroit Tigers (@tigers) July 8, 2020Pitching was the story of the second game, as the teams best MLB arm took the mound against MLBs No. Boyd looked much sharper in his second inning of work, retiring Schwindel and Greiner before a two-out single from Willi Castro. Since he got through six batters on just 16 pitches, the Tigers had Mize face Bonifacio to get some extra work. Mize finished the game with 23 pitches and three strikeouts in two perfect innings, spanning seven outs.

DETROIT The Detroit Tigers have released their initial Club Player Pool, including 58 players who can participate in spring training. Schwindel was one of the nice success stories of spring training in March. Willi Castro could benefit from the extra roster spots, but Lugo feels like someone who could still end up on the outside looking in. ProspectsThese are the players Tigers fans are most anxious to see, and for good reason. Dingler made the cut just weeks after being the teams second-round draft pick, but hell likely just get some work in Toledo.

I have a lot of game-ending hits, but you always dream about hitting a walk-off homer. Boyd entered the game fourth in the American League with 187 strikeouts, but only had one against the Royals. After a single and an error, Harold Castros three-run homer gave the Tigers the lead. Dozier led off the third with his second homer of the game, and after Jorge Soler walked, Cheslor Cuthbert hit his eighth homer over the Royals bullpen in left-center field. Demeritte hit his first major league homer to tie it in the seventh.

DETROIT Father's Day brought an end to another long weekend in a summer of long weekends for Detroit Tigers fans. Matt Moore of the Detroit Tigers walks off the mound after retiring the side against the Toronto Blue Jays at Rogers Centre on March 31, 2019, in Toronto, Canada. Tyson Ross of the Detroit Tigers is pulled from a game against the Kansas City Royals during the second inning at Comerica Park on May 4, 2019, in Detroit. Gordon Beckham of the Detroit Tigers bats against the Baltimore Orioles at Oriole Park at Camden Yards on May 28, 2019, in Baltimore, Maryland. (Will Newton/Getty Images)The best free agent signing for the Tigers this season has turned out to be Gordon Beckham -- let that sink in.