Detroit Tigers vs. LA Angels: Game Review – August 8, 2025

The Detroit Tigers rallied late to defeat the Los Angeles Angels 6-5 in a thrilling contest at Comerica Park on Friday night, August 8, 2025. A crowd of 35,290 fans witnessed an action-packed game that featured multiple lead changes and dramatic home runs.

Starting Pitchers

• Angels: Kyle Hendricks, who struck out Kerry Carpenter to end the first inning
• Tigers: Tarik Skubal, who experienced a rare moment when he allowed back-to-back home runs

Game Highlights

The Angels struck first when Logan O’Hoppe delivered an RBI double in the second inning to give Los Angeles a 1-0 lead. However, the Tigers responded immediately in the bottom half of the inning. Spencer Torkelson led off with his 25th home run of the season to tie the game, and Javier Báez followed with a two-run bloop single to left that put Detroit ahead 3-1.

The game’s momentum shifted dramatically in the fifth inning when Gustavo Campero hit a two-run homer to left field, immediately followed by Zach Neto’s solo shot, giving the Angels a 4-3 lead. This marked the first time since July 2021 that Skubal had allowed back-to-back home runs.

Standout Performances

Riley Greene made several outstanding defensive plays for Detroit, including an amazing diving catch in the seventh inning on a 106.7-mph line drive from Neto that helped keep the Tigers within striking distance. Greene followed that with another sliding catch in the eighth to rob Mike Trout.

Despite this defensive effort, Jo Adell extended the Angels’ lead to 5-3 with his 24th home run of the season in the eighth inning.

Key Moment

The defining moment came in the bottom of the eighth when Matt Vierling, pinch-hitting for Kerry Carpenter, crushed a three-run homer over the Detroit bullpen in left field. Angels reliever Reid Detmers (3-3) had walked Jahmai Jones and Gleyber Torres to start the inning, setting the stage for Vierling’s heroics. It was Vierling’s first home run of the season and proved to be the game-winner.

After the game, Vierling expressed the significance of his clutch hit: “It felt like we needed it really, really bad, just the whole vibe and everything.”

Game Atmosphere

The atmosphere at Comerica Park was electric, especially during the late-inning drama. The home crowd erupted when Vierling’s home run cleared the fence, and the excitement continued as new Tigers closer Kyle Finnegan secured his 23rd save of the season by striking out two batters in the ninth inning. The win improved Detroit’s home record to an impressive 38-23 on the season.

A brief delay occurred in the third inning when Angels centerfielder Bryce Teodosio stumbled while catching a fly ball and hit his head on the fence. Though he remained in the game initially, he was replaced by Campero in the fourth inning.

Troy Melton (2-1) earned the win with 2⅓ effective innings of relief for Detroit, helping the Tigers avoid what would have been their third consecutive loss.

The victory boosted the Tigers’ record to 67-50, maintaining their lead in the American League Central, while the Angels fell to 55-61, 10 games behind Houston in the American League West.

Photos: Glenn Gervais – In Play! magazine

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DETROIT TIGERS ACQUIRE RHP CHARLIE MORTON FROM ORIOLES

The Detroit Tigers have acquired right-handed pitcher Charlie Morton from the Baltimore Orioles for minor league left-handed pitcher Micah Ashman.

Morton is a veteran of 18 major league seasons, which has included participation in seven postseasons with the Pittsburgh Pirates in 2013, the Houston Astros in 2017 (World Series champion) and 2018, the Tampa Bay Rays in 2019 and 2020 (World Series appearance), and Atlanta Braves in 2021 (World Series champion) and 2022. During those postseasons, he has combined to go 7-5 with a 3.60 ERA (32 ER/80.0 IP) in 18 playoff appearances, 17 coming as a starter.

A two-time All-Star, one with Houston (in 2018) and the other with Tampa Bay (in 2019), Morton has posted a career 145-131 record and 4.08 ERA (1,009 ER/2,227.0 IP) across 406 major league outings, 399 as a starter, with six major league clubs starting with his big league debut with the Braves in 2008.  He joined the Pirates in 2009 and, after seven years, moved to Philadelphia for one season in 2016 before joining Houston for two years from 2017-18. In 2019, his first of two seasons in Tampa Bay, he finished third in A.L. Cy Young Award voting when he went 16-6 with a 3.05 ERA (66 ER/194.2 IP) in 33 starts, averaging a career-best 11.1 strikeouts per nine innings. Morton returned to Atlanta for four seasons from 2021-24 before spending the 2025 campaign with Baltimore until his trade today.

Morton has shown great durability throughout his career, reaching 30 starts and exceeding 160.0 innings in each of his last six seasons (not including 2020).  He ranks fourth among active pitchers with 2,227.0 innings, fourth with 399 games started, sixth with 2,148 strikeouts and is ninth-lowest with an average of only 0.88 homers allowed per nine innings.

Morton, 41, has gone 7-1 with a 3.88 ERA (26 ER/60.1 IP) in his last 11 starts beginning May 26, striking out an average of 9.1 batters per nine innings pitched, and allowed three runs or less in nine of his 11 outings. Overall this season, he has gone 7-8 with a 5.42 ERA (61 ER/101.1 IP) in 23 appearances (17 starts) this year.

Ashman, who turns 23 next month, has combined to go 4-3 with four saves and a 2.55 ERA in 30 appearances between Single-A West Michigan and Double-A Erie this season.  He was originally selected by the Tigers in the 11th round of the 2024 Draft.

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TIGERS ACQUIRE RHP KYLE FINNEGAN FROM NATIONALS

The Detroit Tigers have acquired right-handed pitcher Kyle Finnegan from the Washington Nationals for minor league right-handed pitchers Josh Randall and R.J. Sales.

Finnegan joins the Tigers with 108 career saves in his six seasons with the Washington Nationals (2020-25). He was named to the National League All-Star team last year, a season in which he collected a career-high 38 saves, second-most in the N.L., with a 3.68 ERA (26 ER/36.2 IP) in 65 relief appearances. The 2024 campaign marked his fourth in a row with 65 or more relief outings. In his career, Finnegan has averaged close to a strikeout per inning (320 strikeouts in 329.1 innings pitched) and has been especially effective against left-handed hitters, limiting them to a .660 OPS and a .209 batting average.

The righthander has earned 20 saves with the Nationals this season, sixth-most in the N.L, while going 1-4 with a 4.38 ERA (19 ER/39.0 IP) in 40 relief outings, including 34 games finished. Finnegan has pitched equally effectively against both righties (.253 average against/.697 OPS against) and lefties (.243/.703). He’s held opponents scoreless in 31 of his 40 appearances this season, and through the end of June sported a 2.61 ERA before allowing a combined 10 runs in three of his 10 outings in July.

Finnegan, 33, broke into the big leagues with Washington in 2020 and started earning saves a year later, successfully closing 11 games in both 2021 and 2022 before tallying 28 saves in 2023, seventh-most in the N.L. He has 86 saves since the start of the 2023 season, third-most in all of baseball over that span. Overall, he has gone 23-30 with 108 saves and a 3.66 ERA (134 ER/329.1 IP) in his 331 career relief appearances.

Born in Detroit, Finnegan graduated from Kingwood (TX) High School and attended Texas State University, from where he was originally selected by the Athletics in the sixth round of the 2013 Draft.

Randall, 22, was recently promoted to Single-A West Michigan from Single-A Lakeland and has combined to go 5-5 with a 3.92 ERA in 17 starts between the stops this season. He was originally selected by the Tigers in the third round of the 2024 Draft.

Sales, 22, is currently pitching for Single-A Lakeland, where he went 4-3 with a 2.71 ERA in 16 appearances (15 starts) this season. He was originally selected by the Tigers in the 10th round of the 2024 Draft.

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TIGERS ACQUIRE RHP PAUL SEWALD FROM GUARDIANS

The Detroit Tigers have acquired right-handed pitcher Paul Sewald from the Cleveland Guardians, in exchange for a player to be named later or cash considerations.

Sewald has pitched in nine major league seasons with four different teams, including with the Mets (2017-20), Mariners (2021-23), Diamondbacks (2023-24) and Guardians (2025). He has pitched in two postseasons, including with Seattle in 2022 and Arizona in 2023.

Dating back to the start of 2023, Sewald has been one of the best swing-and-miss relievers in baseball. Among relievers with at least 125 appearances over that span, he ranks tied for 21st with a 29.6% strikeout rate and 5th with a 56.3% in-zone rate. None of the other 110 relievers in that qualifying group rank better in both categories, highlighting Sewald’s ability to strike out hitters while throwing a high volume of his pitches in the zone.

Sewald also has an extended track record of success in terms of results. Among relievers with at least 250 appearances since the start of 2021, he ranks 4th in on-base percentage (.262), 5th in WHIP (1.02), 6th in batting average against (.191) and 7th in strikeout percentage (32.3%). Over that span, his fastball/sweeper combination has proven effective against both handed hitters: .570 OPS, 31.1 K%, 4.8 BB% vs right-handed hitters, and .679 OPS, 33.7 K%, 12 BB% vs left-handed hitters.

In 18 games with the Guardians this season, Sewald has posted a 4.70 ERA (8 ER/15.1 IP) and averaged over one strikeout per inning (10.6 K/9). Though he’s spent several months on the injured list in 2025, including currently for a right shoulder strain, he’s had success when on the mound. Through his four outings in July, he held opponents to a .091 batting average, allowing one unearned run. In a limited sample size, he’s had some of the most effective stuff among relievers with at least 18 appearances, ranking in the 97th percentile for called strike rate, 95th percentile for in-zone rate and 79th percentile for swing-and-miss rate.

The 35-year-old has gone 21-26 with 86 saves and a 4.11 ERA (179 ER/391.2 IP) in his 377 career big league appearances. From 2021-23, he made 60+ appearances each season, combining to go 18-9 with a 2.95 ERA (62 ER/189.1 IP) and 12.2 K/9 in 192 games, accumulating 4.3 bWAR.

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Detroit Tigers vs. Arizona Diamondbacks: Game Review July 30, 2025

Final Score: Detroit Tigers 7, Arizona Diamondbacks 2

The Detroit Tigers continued their impressive run at Comerica Park on Wednesday, July 30, 2025, with a convincing 7-2 victory over the Arizona Diamondbacks. This win marked the fourth consecutive victory for the AL Central-leading Tigers, who have bounced back strongly from a 1-12 slump that spanned before and after the All-Star break.

Starting Pitchers

The spotlight was on Chris Paddack, making his Detroit Tigers debut after being acquired from the Minnesota Twins just two days prior. Paddack delivered an impressive performance, throwing six solid innings while allowing just one run on three hits. He struck out five batters without issuing a walk, showcasing excellent command throughout his 84 pitches. His efficient outing set the tone for the Tigers’ victory.

For the Diamondbacks, Ryne Nelson took the mound and struggled, allowing four runs (though only one earned) on six hits before being relieved. Kyle Backhus followed and had an even rougher outing, surrendering three runs while recording just two outs.

Game Highlights

The game remained scoreless until the third inning when Kerry Carpenter broke the deadlock with a clutch two-out triple, driving in Colt Keith who had singled earlier in the inning.

The pivotal moment came in the fifth inning when Carpenter, who was the standout performer of the game, launched a two-run homer to extend Detroit’s lead to 4-1. This home run seemed to energize both the team and the Comerica Park crowd.

The Tigers effectively put the game out of reach in the sixth inning with three additional runs, highlighted by Jake Rogers’ two-run blast. This six-run cushion proved more than enough against the struggling Diamondbacks offense.

Arizona’s lone offensive bright spot was shortstop Geraldo Perdomo, who went 3-for-4 with a home run, accounting for most of the Diamondbacks’ offensive production.

The game concluded with reliever Tommy Kahnle sealing the victory by forcing Lourdes Gurriel Jr. into a groundout in the ninth inning.

Standout Performances

• Kerry Carpenter: The Tigers left fielder had a spectacular day at the plate, going 2-for-3 with a triple, a home run, three RBIs, and a walk.
• Chris Paddack: His impressive Tigers debut highlighted his potential value to the team’s rotation moving forward.
• Colt Keith: The young third baseman continued his solid season, going 3-for-3 with two runs scored and an RBI.

Atmosphere at Comerica Park

The atmosphere at Comerica Park was electric, with fans energized by the Tigers’ recent winning streak and their strong position atop the AL Central division with a 64-46 record. The crowd was particularly responsive during Carpenter’s home run and the team’s big sixth inning, which effectively secured the victory. The excitement was further amplified by the trade deadline approaching the following day, with speculation that the Tigers might make additional moves to bolster their chances of winning their first World Series since 1984.

The acquisition and successful debut of Paddack had clearly boosted fan optimism, as the Tigers appeared to be taking concrete steps toward becoming serious contenders as the season entered its final two months.

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