LAKELAND, FL – The Detroit Tigers tied, 4-4, against the Tampa Bay Rays on Monday, March 9, at Publix Field at Joker Marchant Stadium in spring training.
Detroit is 3-8-4 in Grapefruit League play.
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What happened
Top prospect Kevin McGonigle continues to shine.
In the seventh inning, McGonigle pulled a middle-middle 90.2 mph fastball from right-handed reliever Jake Woodford for a solo home run to right-center field, producing a 107.5 mph exit velocity.
It was the type of meatball a big leaguer is supposed to crush.
McGonigle didn’t miss.
ROSTER PREDICTION 2.0: Is Kevin McGonigle ready for 2026 Opening Day?
Detroit Tigers shortstop Kevin McGonigle (85) prepares to take batting practice before the game against the Atlanta Braves during spring training at CoolToday Park in North Port, Florida, on Tuesday, Feb. 24, 2026.
McGonigle, a 21-year-old shortstop who ranks as the consensus No. 2 prospect in baseball, remains in the mix to make the Opening Day roster, even though he hasn’t played above Double-A Erie.
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He finished 1-for-3 with one strikeout in Monday’s game.
McGonigle is hitting .350 (7-for-20) with one home run, three walks and five strikeouts in 10 games during spring training, not counting two exhibition games against Team Dominican Republic. In those two games, he hit .600 (3-for-5) with one homer, two walks and two strikeouts.
Starting off
Left-hander Framber Valdez made his second start this spring.
The 32-year-old allowed two runs (one earned run) on four hits and zero walks with six strikeouts, throwing 53 pitches. The Rays scored their two runs against him in the fourth inning, though a throwing error by catcher Dillon Dingler was responsible for one of those runs.
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It was Dingler’s first spring game as a catcher, following his full recovery from arthroscopic surgery on his right elbow.
Here’s how Valdez racked up six strikeouts: Logan Davidson (swinging, 89.6 mph changeup), Raynel Delgado (swinging, 79.2 mph curveball), Brayden Taylor (swinging, 79.8 mph curveball), Jacob Melton (swinging, 79.6 mph curveball), Justyn-Henry Malloy (swinging, 79.8 mph curveball) and Davidson (looking, 79.1 mph curveball).
He generated four whiffs on eight swings with his curveball, along with two whiffs on four swings with his changeup. He threw his changeup exclusively to right-handed hitters, while using his curveball to both righties and lefties.
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His sinker averaged 93.9 mph.
Valdez owns a 1.29 ERA across seven innings in two starts.
At the plate
The Tigers faced left-hander Shane McClanahan.
McClanahan – a two-time All-Star in his three-year MLB career who hasn’t pitched in the big leagues since 2023 due to injuries – allowed three runs on three hits and one walk with three strikeouts, throwing 41 pitches.
When healthy, McClanahan has been one of the best pitchers in baseball.
Riley Greene provided a 1-0 lead for the Tigers with an RBI single in the first inning. In the second inning, John Peck blasted an elevated 95.1 mph fastball for a two-run home run, making it a 3-0 lead.
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Before Peck’s homer, Austin Slater put himself into scoring position by pulling McClanahan’s inside 96 mph fastball for a double.
Slater has a track record for hitting left-handed pitchers – and he’s making a strong push for the Opening Day roster, especially if the Tigers decide to move on from Jahmai Jones.
The Tigers didn’t score again until McGonigle’s homer in the seventh inning.
On the mound
After Valdez, the Tigers rolled out three relievers projected for the Opening Day roster: left-hander Brant Hurter, right-hander Kyle Finnegan and right-hander Will Vest.
Finnegan surrendered two runs in the sixth inning.
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The inning began with a leadoff walk from Malloy, whom the Tigers designated for assignment in December to create space on the 40-man roster for re-signing Finnegan. Will Simpson followed by destroying a splitter that hung at the top of the strike zone for a two-run home run to left-center field.
The homer put the Rays ahead, 4-3.
Although Finnegan sent down the next two batters, he wasn’t allowed to complete the inning because he had thrown 20 pitches. Left-handed reliever Carlos Peña – a call-up from minor-league camp – replaced him to get the final out in the sixth.
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Three stars
1. Framber Valdez, 2. Riley Greene, 3. John Peck.
Next up
Tuesday (1:05 p.m.) vs. Boston Red Sox in Fort Myers.
Contact Evan Petzold at epetzold@freepress.com or follow him @EvanPetzold.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Kevin McGonigle continues spring heater in Tigers’ 4-4 tie vs Rays