Is Alex Bregman an option for Detroit Tigers at trade deadline?
Mike Ferrin, co-host of Power Alley on MLB Network Radio, explores the possibility of the Tigers trading for Alex Bregman this season.
- The Detroit Tigers beat the Tampa Bay Rays, 5-1, on Monday, July 7.
- Javier Báez, Colt Keith and Zach McKinstry all homered for the Tigers.
- Keith also had two doubles, for a total of eight bases.
Diving catches and long, accurate throws aren’t as exciting as home runs, but they’re key to consistent winning baseball.
The Detroit Tigers proved as much on Monday as they defeated the Tampa Bay Rays, 5-1, on Monday, July 7. And though their runs on the scoreboard were sufficient, it was the runs that they prevented that were more prominent.
Offense was not the theme of the day, though the Tigers had enough of it, powered by three home runs. A two-run homer to left-center from Javier Báez in the second inning put the Tigers on the scoreboard, and the Tigers added more runs on a single from All-Star Riley Greene in the fifth (scored by Colt Keith after a daring stretch for a leadoff double) and home runs from Keith and Zach McKinstry in the seventh.
But the offense was not the star of the game. What shone most was Detroit’s defense, starting with starting pitcher Keider Montero, who was recalled from Triple-A Toledo earlier Monday. Although his first play was a bit rough, as he deflected a ground ball from Yandy Díaz rather than fielding it cleanly, he got back on track quickly, fueled by some early called strike threes. Montero finished with one run allowed on four hits and one walk, with four strikeouts over six innings.
The right-hander didn’t achieve all that by himself, though. Detroit’s defense was exemplary, keeping the Rays from adding onto their early run. Jonathan Aranda singled to right field to bring Taylor Walls; McKinstry collected the ball in right and fired toward third to Báez, who was standing a few feet off the base. Báez caught the throw and dived to the bag, getting Rays catcher Danny Jensen on the foot before he could read the base for the final out of the inning.
In the fourth, Montero got a defensive gem from Greene, who made a diving catch on a lineout from Rays right fielder Josh Lowe.
Then, to secure the final out of the fourth, Montero induced a grounder to Trey Sweeney at shortstop; he fired to Spencer Torkelson at first to get Jake Magnum out.
After Montero’s six innings, Tigers manager A.J. Hinch turned to the bullpen, with Tyler Holton, Brenan Hanifee and Will Vest each throwing a scoreless inning to secure the Tigers’ fourth straight win.
