The Detroit Tigers dropped a 20-3 decision to the New York Yankees at George M. Steinbrenner Field on Saturday in spring training play. Despite Corey Julks's 1-for-2 with a home run and an RBI effort at the plate, the Tigers could not overcome a sizable deficit. Keider Montero worked 2.0 innings on the mound, allowing 3 earned runs on 3 hits. The Yankees out-hit the Tigers 18-5 on the day. Despite the result, the coaching staff gathered useful data on the current state of the roster. Spring training losses sting, but the information gained will inform decisions as Opening Day approaches.
Key Performers
Corey Julks was the key contributor at the plate, going 1-for-2 with a home run and an RBI. His ability to drive the ball out of the park was the highlight of the afternoon. Performances like this give the Tigers confidence that the lineup is rounding into form.
Kevin McGonigle chipped in, going 1-for-2, Max Clark added to the attack, going 1-for-3, and Gleyber Torres provided support, going 1-for-3. While there were individual bright spots, the lineup could not string hits together consistently.
On the other side of the diamond, Aaron Judge led the Yankees offense with a 2-for-3 with two home runs and four RBI day. Roderick Arias also contributed, going 2-for-3 with a home run and four RBI. Jackson Castillo added a 1-for-2 with a home run and three RBI effort as well. The Yankees offense proved to be too much for the Tigers pitching staff to contain on this particular day.
On the Mound
Keider Montero took the loss after struggling with his command, working 2.0 innings while allowing 3 earned runs on 3 hits with two strikeouts. He threw 29 pitches in the outing. It was a useful learning experience as the Tigers evaluate their pitching depth heading into the regular season.
The bullpen combined for 4.6 innings of work, allowing 15 earned runs while striking out seven. Spring training gives the coaching staff a chance to evaluate bullpen depth, and today provided useful information about the current state of the bullpen. Each reliever is auditioning for a roster spot, and innings like these factor into those decisions.
How It Happened
The Tigers struck first, tallying a run in the first inning. Yankees answered with two runs in the first. Yankees tacked on a run in the second. The Tigers countered with a run in the third. Yankees struck back with two runs in the third. Yankees added three runs in the fourth. Yankees tacked on two runs in the sixth. The Tigers countered with a run in the seventh. Yankees struck back with a run in the seventh. Yankees added nine runs in the eighth. The Yankees were able to score in seven separate innings, keeping the pressure on throughout the contest. Yankees out-hit the Tigers 18-5, with 3 errors committed between the two clubs. A crowd of 9,778 was on hand to take in the action.
Looking Ahead
It was not the outcome the Tigers were looking for, but spring training provides a forgiving environment to work through the rough patches. The focus remains on preparation and development, and the coaching staff will use today as a teaching opportunity. The regular season is right around the corner, and every game is a chance to improve.
