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Detroit Tigers, Game 62: One thing I loved, one thing I didn't

The News' Andrew Graham gives his quick takes on the Tigers' 8-0 victory over the Rays on Tuesday:

One thing I loved

Gleyber Torres, welcome back. Offense, welcome back? Either way, I love the way the offense has exploded in its first two outings in June after a miserable May. Sustainable? To be determined, but fun and needed for now.

Yesterday's 10-9 win almost got squandered but 10 runs is 10 runs, and that back-to-back-to-back homer sequence is the sort of thing that felt utterly foreign after the lack of offense in May. Then Torres came back into the lineup after a long layoff, got in the leadoff spot, and mashed a home run to open the game.

The Tigers went on to pour on five runs in the first two innings on Tuesday night. That’s 15 runs in 11 innings after scoring 16 runs across the previous two series. In total, 18 in the first two games of this month and series.

And all the more befuddling is that Detroit is doing this against a Tampa Bay pitching staff that’s been pretty solid this season.

But who cares! The Tigers have opened June raking and so long as they keep this up, it could be smooth sailing for a while.

Plus a bonus thing I love, or have loved of late, is Jack Flaherty seemingly turning the corner from his early season struggles. He entered Tuesday with one walk in his last three starts, which covered 15 innings after struggling mightily at limiting them early. He gave up a walk in the bottom of the third on Tuesday and another later on, but otherwise cruised to a shutout performance as the offense backed him up.

One thing I didn't

Javy Báez, one of the Tigers’ most expensive players, being on ice for so long is not something I’m a big fan of, albeit it’s just a stroke of bad luck. Either way, it’s a ding for Detroit’s defensive versatility as Báez can play all over the infield and in centerfield.

It’s also probably not been a help to the offense. Despite Báez having his fair share of ups and many downs during his early tenure in Detroit, he found his offense again last season. And while he didn’t appear to be on an electric pace in the batters box in 2026, he started out solid and his replacements have been less-than-productive, generally, with a bat in their hands.

And then the news came down on Tuesday that Báez wasn’t progressing in his rehab from a sprained ankle and the new advice from doctors was to rest and let things settle down for a bit. That’s not a good sign, both in terms of how Báez's body is responding to physical activity meant to get it better, and the murkiness of a timeline on his potential return.

This absence won’t be make or break for Detroit like that of Tarik Skubal, but it’s hard to imagine Detroit wouldn’t be better off in trying to solve its various problems offensively and with lackluster defense by having Báez available.

And he might still come back this year, but it’s just a brutal turn for someone who the Tigers would like to be a big piece of this lineup.

I mean, less than a year ago this guy was coming up with clutch playoff RBI hits. (Sorry for the painful flashbacks.)