The Detroit Tigers won their home opener Friday afternoon against the Chicago White Sox at a slightly new-look Opening Day at Comerica Park.
Kerry Carpenter mashed two home runs and Riley Greene crushed a home run deep to right in the Tigers’ 7-4 win.
Jack Flaherty, making his second start of the season, pitched 5⅔ innings, allowing three hits and one run with seven strikeouts to earn the victory. Kenta Maeda gave up three runs in the ninth before Will Vest got the final three outs.
The teams meet again Saturday at 1:10 p.m.
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The Tigers (3-4) began the season on the West Coast, losing a three-game sweep against the defending champion Los Angeles Dodgers before winning two of three at the Seattle Mariners.
Find the game recap and highlights from Tigers-White Sox below.
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Tigers Opening Day score updates vs White Sox, highlights
Top 9, Tigers 7-4 White Sox (FINAL)
After an effective start from Flaherty, the Tigers bullpen took over. The first effort came from lefty Tyler Holton, who finished off the sixth inning before pitching a clean seventh inning, striking out two batters over his 1 1/3 innings.
Veteran righty Kenta Maeda came next for the Tigers, allowing four hits and three runs through a nervy appearance. Righty Will Vest came in after an RBI double from pinch hitter Korey Lee, getting the first out of the inning on a groundout which gave the White Sox their third run of the afternoon.
A ground ball to shortstop from Vargas threatened to create the game-ending double play, but Vargas reached first safely to bring in the White Sox’s fourth run. Vest then struck out Robert to end the game, giving the Tigers their third win of the year and a place atop the AL Central standings.
Bottom 6, Tigers 7-1 White Sox
Detroit’s hitters keep wearing out the White Sox bullpen. Greene got on the board with his third home run of the year, a solo shot to right field that was gone as soon as it was hit.
In the previous inning, Flaherty exited after coming one out short of recording a quality start. He finished with three hits allowed and one earned run, striking out seven batters and walking two over 5 2/3 innings.
The Tigers also announced an attendance of 44,735, the highest regular-season total since 2017 and the 11th-highest total in Comerica Park history.
Bottom 5, Tigers 6-1 White Sox
McKinstry showed off his speed beating out an infield single to lead off the bottom of the fifth, advancing to second on a throwing error that went into the camera well. He scored two batters later on a Sweeney triple that landed just short of the right-center field wall in the deepest part of the ballpark, making the score 6-1.
Sweeney’s triple travelled 411 feet according to Statcast, which was at least 50 feet farther than both of Carpenter’s home runs earlier in the game.
Bottom 4, Tigers 5-1 White Sox
The White Sox took out their starter Canon in favor of the lefty Brandon Eisert to face Tigers lefties Carpenter and Greene. It didn’t go so well for the White Sox.
Carpenter blasted a 1-0 slider over the left field fence for his second solo home run of the game, this one traveling much farther than his first. One pitch later, Greene legged out a double and Torkelson drove him in on an RBI single on the next at-bat to bring the score to 5-1.
It was Carpenter’s third multi-home run game of his career, his most recent one coming against the Seattle Mariners on Aug 13.
Bottom 3, Tigers 3-1 White Sox
After Torkelson was hit by a pitch and Keith walked, McKinstry sent a one-out single into right field, scoring Torkelson and placing Keith on third (as McKinstry advanced to second base on the throw). Keith then scored on a ground out by Dingler, giving the Tigers a 3-1 lead.
The Tigers offense has been staying patient with Cannon, who at one point threw six straight balls in the inning before a mound visit. Earlier in the inning, Greene launched a towering fly ball to the right-center field warning track for a loud first out.
Top 2, Tigers 1-1 White Sox
A double from shortstop Brooks Baldwin sent he and catcher Matt Thaiss around the bases, with the White Sox sending Thaiss around third base in an attempt to score. A relay throw from Carpenter to shortstop Trey Sweeney seemed to give the Tigers defense plenty of time to throw Thaiss out at the plate, but Sweeney’s errant throw forced Tigers catcher Dillon Dingler to reposition himself.
Still, there seemed to have been time to tag out Thaiss, but he slid in safely after Dingler dropped the ball on the tag. No error was called on the play, so the tying run was charged to Flaherty.
Bottom 1, Tigers 1-0 White Sox
With one out and no one on base, left fielder Kerry Carpenter sent a 0-0 sweeper down the right field line and just over the wall to open the scoring for the Tigers. The hit was initially called foul by the first base umpire, but after a quick conference the umpires reversed the call and sent Carpenter around the bases.
It was Carpenter’s first home run of the season, traveling just 345 feet before scraping the foul pole. It’s the second-shortest home run of Carpenter’s career according to Statcast.
Center fielder Riley Greene hit a single up the middle two pitches later, while first baseman Spencer Torkelson followed with a walk. Consecutive flyouts from second baseman Colt Keith and right fielder Zach McKinstry finished the inning, however.
Top 1
It probably wasn’t the start Tigers starter Jack Flaherty envisioned, but he escaped the inning scoreless, nonetheless.
White Sox third baseman Miguel Vargas led off with a double to left field off Flaherty. Center fielder Luis Robert Jr. then struck out on a Flaherty curveball, while a dribbler down the first base line from left fielder Andrew Benintendi forced the second out but advanced Vargas to third. Flaherty got out of the inning unscathed, however, with a weak fly out to center field from first baseman Andrew Vaughn.
Tigers roster introduced
Tigers staff, coaches, pitchers and bench players were announced over the loudspeaker 15 minutes before first pitch, with the reigning AL Cy Young Award winner Tarik Skubal getting the loudest ovation of any player (followed closely by catcher Jake Rogers).
The game’s starters (minus starting pitcher Jack Flaherty in the bullpen) then emerged from the dugout through a smoke effect, with each player signing the camera lens with an orange sharpie.
Pregame festivities loading
The Tigers grounds crew is putting the finishing touches on the field before the game begins.
One notable change to the field: The dirt strip between the pitcher’s mound and home plate – also known as the “keyhole” – has been removed for the 2025 season. The strip has been a feature of the Tigers’ home field since Comerica Park opened in 2000, and it was the last stadium in the majors to feature a keyhole.
Another big change to the stadium: The left field scoreboard, which used to have a big “Tigers” sign at the top, now features a “Comerica Park” sign. The Tiger statues on both sides of the sign remain, however.
Comerica Park buzzing
The Tigers home opener is also the first game of the Friday MLB slate, but Tigers fans have still shown out in droves despite the early start time. From the live music in the concourse to the tailgates outside the stadium, it’s a big party at Comerica Park today.
Fans are still filing into their seats, but the standing room sections beyond the outfield stands are already full with spectators. Players have retreated back into their respective clubhouses as the pregame festivities are being prepared.
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Pregame weather forecast
The rain and clouds from this week’s storms has given way to sunny and clear skies.
It’s around 45 degrees with a bit of wind blowing to the west, and while clouds are expected to arrive midgame, no rain is expected until much later in the evening.
Tigers injury updates
Injured Tigers Matt Vierling, Parker Meadows, Alex Cobb and Alex Lange were back at Comerica Park on Friday. Vierling says he is progressing through his rehab assignments, while Meadows hasn’t been cleared to resume throwing.
The 37-year-old Cobb is scheduled to throw a bullpen session on Saturday after missing all of Spring Training.
Second baseman Gleyber Torres, who was put on the 10-day injured list on Monday, will go through conditioning and defensive drills on Saturday in his ramp-up to return.
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Tigers Opening Day lineup vs White Sox
- 1. Justyn-Henry Malloy, DH
- 2. Kerry Carpenter, LF
- 3. Riley Greene, CF
- 4. Spencer Torkelson, 1B
- 5. Colt Keith, 2B
- 6. Zach McKinstry, RF
- 7. Dillon Dingler, C
- 8. Trey Sweeney, SS
- 9. Javier Báez, 3B
NEXT: Tigers’ Riley Greene poised to become MLB’s next superstar
White Sox lineup
- 1. Miguel Vargas, 3B
- 2. Luis Robert Jr., CF
- 3. Andrew Benintendi, LF
- 4. Andrew Vaughn, 1B
- 5. Nick Maton, DH
- 6. Lenyn Sosa, 2B
- 7. Matt Thaiss, C
- 8. Brooks Baldwin, SS
- 9. Travis Jankowski, RF
Tigers Opening Day vs White Sox: What to know
The Tigers are without second baseman Gleyber Torres, who suffered a left oblique strain on a home run swing during last Friday’s 8-5 loss to the Dodgers. He was placed on the 10-day injured list on Monday.
The team will also be without outfielders Parker Meadows, Wenceel Pérez and Matt Vierling.
Meadows is on the 60-day IL with a nerve issue and isn’t eligible to return to the roster until May 26.
Pérez is out until at least late April
with a back injury suffered during Grapefruit League play.
Vierling remains on the 10-day IL with a strained right rotator cuff.
In their places (along with All-Star Riley Greene) have been utility player Ryan Kreidler and outfielder Manuel Margot, with Margot signing with the Tigers on March 23 to replace Meadows on the roster. The Dominican outfielder has been one of the team’s top performers this season with a .385 batting average (5-for-13).
The Tigers and White Sox are currently deadlocked each with a 2-4 record in the American League Central division.
You can reach Christian at[email protected].
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