Matthew Boyd pitched two-hit ball into the fifth inning, and the Chicago Cubs shut down the Milwaukee Brewers for a 6-0 victory that pushed their NL Division Series all the way to a decisive Game 5.

The Chicago Cubs’ hitters aren’t putting enough balls in play, and their pitchers aren’t keeping balls in play.

Jackson Chourio went 3 for 3 and drove in three runs in the first two innings before departing with a hamstring injury as the Milwaukee Brewers trounced the Chicago Cubs 9-3 in their NL Division Series opener.

Seiya Suzuki and Carson Kelly hit back-to-back homers, helping the Chicago Cubs beat the San Diego Padres 3-1 in Game 1 of their NL Wild Card Series.

The Chicago Cubs clinch their first postseason berth since 2020 with an 8-4 win over the Pittsburgh Pirates on Wednesday.

Ian Happ homered and drove in three runs, and the Chicago Cubs clinched their first postseason berth since 2020 with an 8-4 win over the Pittsburgh Pirates.

At age 34, Matthew Boyd is going back to what was once familiar territory for the left-hander.

The Chicago Cubs bolstered their pitching staff ahead of Thursday’s trade deadline by adding right-handers Michael Soroka from the Washington Nationals and Andrew Kittredge from the Baltimore Orioles.

Milwaukee Brewers rookie Jacob Misiorowski already has won matchups with Paul Skenes and Clayton Kershaw and has pitched in the All-Star Game since reaching the major leagues six weeks ago.

Hard-throwing rookie Jacob Misiorowski is a National League All-Star replacement.

Dodgers pitcher Clayton Kershaw has been selected for his 11th All-Star Game, joining the roster as a Legend Pick by MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred.

Cal Raleigh broke Hall of Famer Johnny Bench’s 1970 record for home runs by a catcher before the All-Star break, hitting his major league-leading 28th and 29th in the Seattle Mariners’ 9-4 victory over the Chicago Cubs on Friday.

Cal Raleigh broke Johnny Bench’s record for home runs by a catcher before the All-Star break, hitting his major league-leading 28th and 29th in the Seattle Mariners’ 9-4 victory over the Chicago Cubs on Friday.

Otto Kemp went undrafted out of Point Loma Nazarene University in California.

Pete Crow-Armstrong homered and drove in four runs, and the Chicago Cubs topped the Los Angeles Dodgers 7-6 for another wild victory.

Figuring out a cause for the skyrocketing number of arm injuries among pitchers is easy.

The Chicago Cubs and Los Angeles Dodgers can party like it’s 2022 on a baseball field for a few days in Japan, and even like it’s 1982 off of it.

The Chicago Cubs have added Matthew Boyd to their rotation in their first big offseason move, agreeing to a $29 million, two-year contract with the veteran left-hander.

José Ramírez's late home run in Game 2 of the ALCS was a positive sign for the Cleveland Guardians.

The Tigers and Guardians are taking their fight the distance.

Tarik Skubal and Matthew Boyd became close when they played together in Detroit.

A person familiar with the deal tells The Associated Press the Cleveland Guardians have agreed to a major league contract with free agent left-hander Matthew Boyd.

Riley Greene hit a sixth-inning homer and Eduardo Rodriguez pitched eight scoreless innings, helping the Detroit Tigers beat the Cleveland Guardians 1-0 Tuesday night to sweep a doubleheader.

The Detroit Tigers and Cleveland Guardians are playing a straight doubleheader Tuesday because of Monday’s rainout. That means the schedule for both games has changed.

Astros reliever Phil Maton says he broke his right pinkie when he punched a locker in frustration after Houston’s regular-season finale and will miss the postseason.

Baseball is fun again in the Pacific Northwest in a way that it hasn’t been in more than two decades.

This is quite a time to be a season ticket holder for the San Diego Padres.

The Detroit Tigers are suddenly relevant after spending big money in free agency to jolt a franchise that has been focused on a long rebuilding process.

Who are some of the "fun" Detroit Tigers players who have helped us get through the last five years of rebuilding?

The Detroit Tigers certainly appear to be trending in the right direction, and this entire rebuild has centered around starting pitching. But beyond Casey Mize and Tarik Skubal, who will be part of the staff next season?

Cleveland rookie Ernie Clement hit the first two homers of his career while Miguel Cabrera stayed one drive short of No. 500 as the Indians beat the Detroit Tigers 7-4.

Miguel Cabrera hit a run-scoring single in the 11th inning after Eric Haase tied the game with a grand slam in the top of the ninth as the Detroit Tigers beat the Minnesota Twins 6-5.

Cole Hamels, a veteran starting pitcher who has spent 15 season in MLB, is planing to return to the mound this season. I think the Detroit Tigers should give him a call.

We’ve reached the unofficial midway point in the Detroit Tigers’ season, and even though an otherwise promising couple of months were derailed by an ugly weekend in Minnesota, prospects and draft picks are the talk of the town.

Who should represent the Detroit Tigers in this year’s All-Star game? The team will probably only get one representative, but there are a handful of players competing for the spot.

The Detroit Tigers are playing much better baseball over the last couple of months, but that doesn’t mean they should miss an opportunity to actively build for the future at the MLB trade deadline.

The Detroit Tigers are hosting the St. Louis Cardinals for a brief interleague series this week, so we might as well talk about how these two appear to be perfect trade partners ahead of the deadline.

The Detroit Tigers are hosting the St. Louis Cardinals for a brief interleague series this week, so we might as well talk about how these two appear to be perfect trade partners ahead of the deadline.

Shohei Ohtani yielded five hits and a run over six strong innings, and Taylor Ward hit his first career grand slam in the Los Angeles Angels’ 7-5 victory over the Detroit Tigers.

It’s been 10 months since Casey Mize got his first call up to the big leagues. Is he already the best starting pitcher on the Detroit Tigers’ roster?

Detroit starter Matthew Boyd and reliever Alex Lange both exited with injuries and the Tigers still ended a three-game losing streak, beating the Kansas City Royals 10-3.

Tony La Russa moved into second on baseball’s career manager wins list, snapping a tie with John McGraw by directing the Chicago White Sox to a 3-0 victory over the Detroit Tigers.

It’s May 18, and the Detroit Tigers aren’t even in last place in their own division.

Kyle Hendricks took a shutout into the ninth inning and the Chicago Cubs defeated the Detroit Tigers 5-1.

Harold Castro hit an RBI single in the bottom of the 10th inning off Craig Kimbrel to give the Detroit Tigers a 9-8 victory over the Chicago Cubs.

Jameson Taillon earned his first win in exactly two years, Aaron Judge had three hits and three RBIs, and the New York Yankees beat the Detroit Tigers 6-4.

Phillies star Bryce Harper says he’s feeling fine after being hit in the face by a 96.9 mph fastball Wednesday.

Phillies star Bryce Harper says he’s feeling fine after being hit in the face by a 96.9 mph fastball Wednesday.

Brady Singer pitched seven impressive innings, and the Kansas City Royals took advantage of some defensive sloppiness by Detroit in a 2-1 victory over the Tigers.

The Minnesota Twins will see when they can next play after their COVID-19 problems wiped the rest of a series in Anaheim against the Angels.

Matt Olson, Aramís García and Mark Canha each homered and the Oakland Athletics shut out the Detroit Tigers for a second straight game, 7-0 for their seventh win in a row.

The Detroit Tigers sweep of the Houston Astros was full of awesome moments for Tigers fans, especially since it was as dominant as it was unexpected.

The Red Sox and Twins are scheduled to begin their series in Minnesota a day late.

Jorge Polanco hit a two-run double in the sixth inning and the Minnesota Twins held off Akil Baddoo and the Detroit Tigers 3-2.

Both winless teams in the majors are defending division champions.

Now that Fernando Tatis Jr. has been placed on the injured list, the San Diego Padres hope their electrifying shortstop won’t be sidelined too long.

Akil Baddoo added another big hit in this charmed start to his big league career, lining an RBI single in the bottom of the 10th inning to give the Detroit Tigers a 4-3 victory over the Minnesota Twins.

Vote for your favorite in each matchup, and the moments with the most votes will advance to the final four. There will be five rounds, in total.

Miguel Cabrera homered through the snow in his first at-bat of the season, then added a sparkling play at first base to lift the Detroit Tigers to a 3-2 victory over the Cleveland Indians.

Matt Boyd out-dueled one of the best pitchers in the world Thursday to lead the Detroit Tigers in a shutout victory over the Cleveland Indians on Opening Day.

The Detroit Tigers have released their starting lineup for Opening Day against the Cleveland Indians at Comerica Park.

DETROIT – Even though a playoff race isn’t in the cards for the Detroit Tigers this season, there are plenty of reasons to be excited about this team ahead of Opening Day. READ: Meet all 26 members of the Tigers’ rosterWe came up with 22 questions we can’t wait to learn the answers to over the coming months. Nobody knew who he was when the Tigers selected him in the Rule 5 draft, mostly because he missed the entire 2020 season and hasn’t played above High-A ball. An underrated part of the shortened 2020 season was Soto’s hot start. Daniel Norris #44 of the Detroit Tigers delivers a pitch against the Minnesota Twins during the game at Target Field on September 22, 2020 in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

C Wilson RamosConfidence: LockRole: Starting catcherThere’s a legitimate three-way battle to back up Ramos, but everyone knows who the starter will be. AdSS Willi CastroConfidence: LockRole: Starting shortstopThere are going to be some defensive miscues, especially on the throw. As a result, the Tigers will have an extra roster spot to play with -- that’s why there will be 27 names on this list. He bet on himself and won, allowing just three runs while striking out 15 batters in 11 spring innings. If we’re being honest, a conversation about Baddoo as a starter feels more justified than a conversation about earning a roster spot.

Trevor Williams went five innings in his fourth start, allowing a run on three hits. Austin Gomber made his fourth start for Colorado, allowing two runs on three hits, striking out four in 4 1/3 innings. Dylan Cease made his second start, allowing three hits and three walks in 3 2/3 scoreless innings. Matthew Boyd made his fourth start, allowing one run on four hits and a walk in four innings, striking out five. Tyler Anderson went five innings in his fourth start for Pittsburgh, giving up one run on two hits.

The 2018 AL Rookie of the Year is off to a strong start this spring on both sides. PHILLIES 3, PIRATES 0Bryce Harper homered on his first swing of spring training, launching a opposite-field drive to left. Chad Kuhl made his second start for Pittsburgh, allowing two runs on three hits. Brad Keller worked three innings in the start for the Royals and allowed a run on four hits and two walks. BRAVES 4, TWINS 0 (7)Kyle Wright fared much better in his second start for Atlanta, allowing one hit in three shutout innings with two strikeouts.

Detroit Tigers coaches look on and watch as Casey Mize #74 of the Detroit Tigers warms up in the bullpen during the Detroit Tigers Summer Workouts at Comerica Park on July 14, 2020 in Detroit, Michigan. DETROIT – The Detroit Tigers’ pitchers and catchers report to spring training Wednesday (Feb. 17) in Lakeland, Florida, marking the unofficial return of baseball season. READ: Here are the 7 free agents Detroit Tigers have signed this offseason, and what roles they’ll playMost of the pitching staff looks the same, with free agent signee Jose Urena the main exception. AdAll eyes will be on young starters Casey Mize, Tarik Skubal and Matt Manning this spring. The rest of the team will join the pitchers and catchers Monday (Feb. 22), and the first spring training game is scheduled for Feb. 28.

DETROIT – The Detroit Tigers tendered contracts to all nine of their arbitration-eligible players Wednesday, meaning they will all return for the 2021 season. READ: Detroit Tigers hire University of Michigan’s Chris Fetter as new pitching coachBy tendering contracts to these players, the Tigers will now negotiate salaries for the 2021 season. Last season, the Tigers won an arbitration hearing with Fulmer, who filed for $3.4 million but ultimately earned $2.8 million for the season. Detroit Tigers pitcher Michael Fulmer throws during an intrasquad baseball game, Wednesday, July 8, 2020, in Detroit. Jeimer Candelario #46 of the Detroit Tigers bats against the Chicago Cubs at Comerica Park on August 26, 2020 in Detroit, Michigan.

DETROIT – The Detroit Tigers are finally looking to build toward contending this offseason, and there are three players they should consider extending, even though the deals would be controversial. It’s unrealistic to think the Tigers are going to take that salary cap space and spend like crazy this offseason. Cron #26 of the Detroit Tigers bats during game one of a doubleheader against the Cincinnati Reds at Comerica Park on August 2, 2020 in Detroit, Michigan. RP Daniel NorrisDaniel Norris #44 of the Detroit Tigers delivers a pitch against the Minnesota Twins during the game at Target Field on September 22, 2020 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. After dominating in nine three-inning appearances as an opener to finish 2019, Norris' 2020 was delayed by a positive coronavirus (COVID-19) test during summer camp.

DETROIT – The Detroit Tigers lost to the Cleveland Indians at Comerica Park Sunday. The first game -- also against the Indians -- was won by the Tigers Saturday. Carlos Carrasco allowed one hit in seven scoreless innings, and Jose Ramirez homered twice to lift the Cleveland Indians to a 7-4 victory over the Detroit Tigers on Sunday. Matthew Boyd (2-7) was perfect through four innings for the Tigers, but the Indians scored three runs in the fifth. The Indians took the lead on Jordan Luplow’s RBI single, and Delino DeShields added a two-run single that inning.

DETROIT Corbin Burnes allowed one hit in seven innings in another outstanding performance, and the Milwaukee Brewers slugged their way to their highest run total in over a decade, beating the Detroit Tigers 19-0 on Wednesday. Milwaukee hit eight doubles in the game, setting a franchise record with 13 extra-base hits. The Brewers hit four doubles off Boyd in a three-run second inning. The Brewers hit four more doubles in the sixth, scoring five runs in the inning. TIGERS: The Tigers play a doubleheader at St. Louis on Thursday.

DETROIT The Detroit Tigers and Milwaukee Brewers are playing at 1:10 p.m. Wednesday, and the only way to watch the game live is on YouTube. Matt Boyd is scheduled to start for the Tigers against Milwaukees Corbin Burnes. Backup catcher Grayson Greiner is playing for Austin Romine, per usual during a day game after a night game. Detroit begins the day one game behind the New York Yankees for the final AL wild card spot. The Baltimore Orioles, who sit a half-game ahead of the Tigers in the current standings, play the New York Mets at 7:10 p.m. Wednesday.

DETROIT The Detroit Tigers are still very much in the hunt for a playoff spot, and Friday could end up being one of the most important days left in the season. The Minnesota Twins and Houston Astros are both three games ahead of the Tigers. READ: Heres how the Tigers should shuffle their starting lineup following the JaCoby Jones injuryFriday is so important for a number of reasons. First of all, the Tigers, Blue Jays, Yankees and Twins all have doubleheaders, meaning there could be massive swings in the standings by the time the dust settles at the end of the day. Christin Stewart #14 of the Detroit Tigers is congratulated by Willi Castro #49 following a home run against the Milwaukee Brewers during the third inning at Miller Park on September 01, 2020 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

Boyd pitched Detroit to an 8-2 victory in the opener, and Miguel Cabrera hit a two-run homer that put the Tigers ahead to stay in the second game. Nelson Cruz hit a solo homer in each game for the Twins. Jeimer Candelario went deep in the second game for the Tigers. The Twins were going with a bullpen game in the second game after Randy Dobnak (5-2) had a rough go of it in the opener. HOLDING THEIR OWNThe Tigers secured their third straight series victory, and they've been against some well-regarded teams the Indians, Cubs and Twins.

Considering the 2020 season is only 60 games long, rental players wont be worth as much ahead of Mondays deadline. Tigers prospect breakdowns:Its a unique season and we dont really know what the deadline will bring. Heres a look at eight possible trades with eight different teams who could be interested in some of the Tigers assets. Sports world to Detroit fans: No, you have not yet suffered enoughThe catcher spot has been a disaster in 2020. Austin Romine has been solid for the Tigers this season and would cost next to nothing as a 25-game rental.

DETROIT Less than a week ago, the Detroit Tigers were four games above .500, in first place in the AL Central Division and multiple games ahead of the other wildcard contenders. After two disappointing losses to the Chicago White Sox and another sweep at the hands of the Cleveland Indians, the Tigers have a losing record and sit outside the current playoff picture. The slide began with Matt Boyd handing back a hard-earned lead against the White Sox on Wednesday. As it stands, the Tigers have lost 20 straight games to the Indians -- a stunning streak for a Major League Baseball team. But losing five in a row erased that cushion, and now theyre forced to win against legitimate playoff teams.

Cleveland Indians center fielder Delino DeShields greets teammates after their 8-5 over the Detroit Tigers in a baseball game, Sunday, Aug. 16, 2020, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Carlos Osorio)DETROIT The Cleveland Indians beat Detroit for the 20th straight time, nearing the major league record for most wins by a team over a single opponent, as Franmil Reyes hit two home runs to defeat the Tigers 8-5 Sunday. The Indians can match the record when they host Detroit in a three-game series next weekend. An ensuing argument earned Tigers manager Ron Gardenhire an ejection, the first of his season and 85th of his career. TRAINERS ROOMIndians: Reyes was hit by a pitch from Joe Jimenez with one out in the ninth.

(AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast)CHICAGO The Chicago White Sox tied a major league record with four consecutive home runs, all against reliever Roel Ramirez in his major league debut, and went on to beat the St. Louis Cardinals 7-2 on Sunday. The White Sox got another solid start from Dallas Keuchel (3-2) and won for just the third time in 11 home games. St. Louis Dakota Hudson (0-2) held the White Sox to a run and two hits over four innings in his first start since July 26. White Sox: RHP Reynaldo Lpez (shoulder soreness), who threw Friday, is scheduled for another session Monday. White Sox: LHP Gio Gonzlez (0-1, 6.61) gets another shot at the Tigers and his first Chicago win.

DETROIT The first three weeks of this Detroit Tigers season have been unexpectedly fun. No moment has been more exciting than Wednesdays fourth inning against the Chicago White Sox. In the next 10 games, the Tigers will bookend a four-game series against the White Sox with two three-game series against the Cleveland Indians. The feeling in that clubhouse if they would have stolen a game from the White Sox on the backs of Greiner and Castro would be special. Losing eight of the next 10 against the Indians and White Sox would be a crippling blow, especially with 11 games against the Minnesota Twins and Chicago Cubs on the horizon.

DETROIT With more than one-fifth of the full schedule in the books, the Detroit Tigers have one of the best records in the entire American League. In the Tigers defense, they can only play the games on their schedule, and they more or less took advantage of those first 13 games. The way the Tigers have played so far suggests theyre the best of all the really bad teams. Looking forward, this weeks series with the White Sox is extremely important. Not only do the White Sox appear to have the best roster of that middling tier, they also play the Tigers 10 times during this stretch.

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 The Detroit Tigers havent taken the field in five days, but when they return Friday, theyll face what looks like an absolute must-win series for their playoff hopes. Detroit is traveling to Pittsburgh for a three-game series with the Pirates, who, at 3-10, are currently the worst team in baseball. The Tigers need to win two or three of these games to stay in the playoff race. Thats because each of the teams next 35 games after the Pirates series will come against legitimate playoff contenders. PLAYOFF HOPES: Breaking down Tigers playoff chances this season now that 16 teams will get in

On Thursday, the Yankees optioned Miguel Andujar to their alternate training site, where hell join former top prospect Clint Frazier in intrasquad games and workouts. Trade returnJust because Andujar and Frazier cant break the Yankees starting lineup doesnt mean theyre scrubs. In that full season, Andujar hit 27 home runs and 47 doubles in 149 games with a low strikeout rate and a .297/.328/.527 slash line. Andujar has shown what he can do in a full season, and Frazier deserves a chance to validate his prospect pedigree. But with Miguel Cabreras contract the only post-arbitration deal on the books after this season, the Tigers have plenty of money to spend.

DETROIT Jonathan Schoop and Christin Stewart each hit a two-run homer in the third inning to lift the Detroit Tigers to a 4-3 victory over the Kansas City Royals on Tuesday night. Whit Merrifield launched a three-run shot in the top of the third for Kansas City, but the Tigers answered quickly and held on from there. There were a pair of blunders in the ninth on the same play when Detroit first baseman C.J. 'Kansas City starter Kyle Zimmer pitched two scoreless innings, then hit JaCoby Jones with a pitch to start the Detroit third. Kansas City recalled OF Nick Heath and RHP Jake Newberry.

The young team was ready to face off against the Cincinnati Reds at the Great American Ball Park. With no fans in attendance, it seems to be a different atmosphere both players and fans arent used to yet. For the Tigers it was a game of early trouble. Cron would pull a shot for a solo home run, this would be the only run the Tigers would be able to get. From then it became a Reds dominant game with a solo home run from Joey Votto and Mike Moustakas.

CINCINNATI, Ohio The Detroit Tigers have released their starting lineup for their first game of the 2020 season against the Cincinnati Reds. Matt Boyd will make his first Opening Day start after establishing himself as the teams ace in 2019. The starting lineup is the one most expected:Niko Goodrum, SS Jonathan Schoop, 2B Miguel Cabrera, DH C.J. He wasnt a good fit with the New York Yankees but appears to be back to his ace form in Cincinnati. Despite finishing in fourth place last year, the Reds enter 2020 as the favorites in the NL Central.

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.

The Detroit Tigers are the ultimate case study. To have any chance to compete, the Tigers would need to do something like this:15-8 against the Royals, Pirates and White Sox. White Sox have to bustThe Tigers need the White Sox -- this years darling sleeper in the American League -- to be a disappointment. (Getty Images)The White Sox are so intriguing because they have a wider range of possible outcomes than any team in baseball. Cron #26 (L) of the Detroit Tigers is greeted at home plate by teammate Jonathan Schoop #8 after he hit a home run during the Detroit Tigers Summer Workouts at Comerica Park on July 11, 2020 in Detroit, Michigan.

DETROIT When spring training resumed at the start of July, the Detroit Tigers had their starting rotation set in stone. Nobody wanted to see Zimmermann suffer another injury, but his time in Detroit has been a disaster any way you slice it. Split Fulmer and AlexanderProposed rotation: Boyd, Turnbull, Fulmer, Alexander, NovaThe option that seems most likely is the Tigers simply split up Fulmer and Alexander. Beau Burrows #37 of the Detroit Tigers pitches during the Detroit Tigers Summer Workouts at Comerica Park on July 6, 2020 in Detroit, Michigan. Casey Mize #74 of the Detroit Tigers pitches during the Detroit Tigers Summer Workouts at Comerica Park on July 6, 2020 in Detroit, Michigan.

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.

The defending World Series champion Washington Nationals are happy to have their starting center fielder finally in camp and the Detroit Tigers have named their opening day starter. Teams around the league were beginning to make their final preparations Sunday for the start of the abbreviated baseball season. It was definitely very difficult, the fact that I really wasnt able to work much on my swing, Robles said through an interpreter. Pitcher Anthony Bass said Sunday the players have told general manager Ross Atkins theyd prefer to play in a big league stadium if possible. So have Milwaukee first baseman Logan Morrison, Cincinnati pitcher Nate Jones, Tampa Bay pitcher Aaron Loup and New York Yankees pitcher Luis Aviln.

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 The Detroit Tigers have offered live streams of their intrasquad games for about a week now, and while the rules are loose and the results come with an asterisk, its blatantly obvious this team is much better than a year ago. READ: Predicting the full Tigers 30-man roster one week before the season beginsBack in February, I predicted that the Tigers could be 15-20 games better than their 47-114 record this season. After watching the Tigers intrasquad games from Saturday through Thursday (five games total), here are five positive observations. Cron of a home run during the Detroit Tigers' intrasquad game July 13, 2020, at Comerica Park. Cron #26 (L) of the Detroit Tigers is greeted at home plate by teammate Jonathan Schoop #8 after he hit a home run during the Detroit Tigers Summer Workouts at Comerica Park on July 11, 2020 in Detroit, Michigan.

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.

As baseball scrambles to start an abbreviated season, the prevailing mood is one of nervous excitement. All of these issues could become moot if there's a major outbreak of the virus within baseball. "Ive seen the reports in Houston how COVIDs going up so Im going to have to really be careful. It will be unusual following new safety protocols that are at times incompatible with human nature on the baseball field. Theyre very focused on that and the staff thats going to be associated with the games once we fire up, Crane said.

Last season, the starting rotation was a mess because of injuries, inconsistency and a handful of flat-out terrible performances. Here’s a look at the impending battle for the starting rotation. Detroit Tigers starting pitcher Matt Boyd (Duane Burleson/Getty Images)Behind Boyd, Spencer Turnbull and Daniel Norris showed some positive signs in 2019. There weren’t many positives during the 114-loss 2019 season, so two pitchers who combined for 5.2 WAR stood out. There’s no way Nova is a member of the Tigers’ starting rotation by the time they’re ready to contend for the postseason.

Perhaps the most valuable trade chip the Tigers have this season is starting pitcher Matt Boyd. Last week, there were reports that the Tigers were discussing a Boyd trade with the New York Yankees. There's no way the Yankees will part with Torres, but that should be the type of return Avila looks for in a potential Boyd trade. Another trade partner that's surfaced this week is the Houston Astros, who fleeced the Tigers in a Justin Verlander trade two seasons ago. Boyd is one of the most valuable starting pitchers on the market this year, so the price should only go up as July 31 approaches.