Tigers Rookie Dylan Smith Reaches Milestone in First Game Back From Triple-A originally appeared on Athlon Sports.
The Detroit Tigers stared down the prospect of a daunting challenge on Thursday with a double header scheduled against Don Kelly’s Pittsburgh Pirates and a pitching staff depleted by injuries in recent weeks.
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The Tigers organization decided to call up right-handed reliever Dylan Smith before the day’s action, a calculated risk based on his recent successes with the Toledo Mud Hens.
On Thursday, Smith got into the game one and made his time on the mound count as he performed admirably in two innings of work, notching a career milestone in the process.
Dylan Smith (R) and Dillon Dingler celebrate a big win over the Pirates Thursday afternoon. © Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images
“Congratulations to Dylan Smith on his first Major League Career Strikeout,” the page Detroit Tigers Authentics wrote on X with a pair of emojis.
“The strikeout baseball was collected, authenticated and presented to @darealdealsmith,” it added.
Smith struck out one batter and walked one batter in his two-inning performance.
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He combined with Tarik Skubal and Carlos Hernandez to help the Tigers to a 9-2 win, the club’s 48th on the season.
Smith was all smiles after the game as he received his souvenir.
The Tigers later found themselves tied with the Pirates at four runs apiece in the top of the ninth inning at Comerica Park as they went for a three game sweep against former Tigers utility man Don Kelly’s team.
Detroit got a two-run home run from third baseman Colt Keith that tied the game up in the seventh inning, giving fans hope for a comeback win as the weather continued to remain a potential concern in the skies above the stadium.
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Related: Tigers Share Injury News on Starting Pitcher Reese Olson Tuesday
This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 20, 2025, where it first appeared.