Should Detroit Tigers let Tarik Skubal pitch deeper into games?
The Days of Roar podcast breaks down the caution around Tarik Skubal’s pitch count, plus thoughts from Justin Verlander on pitching deep into games.
The Detroit Tigers lost to the Chicago White Sox, 8-1, on Tuesday, June 3.The loss was the Tigers’ first to the White Sox in Chicago since June 4, 2023.Catcher Dillon Dingler drove in the Tigers’ only run on a single in the seventh inning.
CHICAGO — The Detroit Tigers have made a habit of late-game comebacks for the past two seasons. So often, just when they seem out of it, they find a way to claw back.
It felt like that might happen again — especially with runners on base in seven of the first eight innings — but this time, there wasn’t a comeback to celebrate.
The Tigers lost, 8-1, to the Chicago White Sox on Tuesday, June 3, in the second of four games at Rate Field, as the White Sox — not the Tigers — delivered the big inning to shift the momentum, scoring three runs in the sixth on a home run.
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That’s how the Tigers (40-22) lost to the White Sox in Chicago for the first time since June 4, 2023, snapping a winning streak of 11 games over 730 days.
In the sixth, Michael A. Taylor — a 12-year MLB veteran who signed with the White Sox for $1.95 million — hit a three-run home run off left-handed reliever Tyler Holton’s changeup. Before the homer, Holton allowed singles to Austin Slater and Edgar Quero.
The Taylor homer put the White Sox ahead, 4-0.
Holton — one of MLB’s best relievers in the past two years — has an uncharacteristic 4.39 ERA in 25 games this season, a regression from his 2.11 ERA across 59 games in 2023 and his 2.19 ERA across 66 games in 2024.
Taylor is hitting .206 with three homers in 52 games.
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Bullpen-only game
The Tigers deployed a bullpen-only game for Tuesday’s matchup, using six of their nine relievers.
Right-hander Brenan Hanifee inherited a runner on first base with one out in the fourth inning, replacing lefty Brant Hurter. He immediately put himself in a jam when he fielded a comebacker and threw the ball wide of second while trying to start a double play, putting runners at first and second base.
With two outs, Hanifee crumbed when he issued back-to-back walks. He missed the strike zone of four of five pitches to Taylor with the bases loaded, walking in a run to give White Sox a 1-0 lead.
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In the seventh, the White Sox extended their lead to 6-1 with two runs off right-hander Dylan Smith. The two runs were driven in by Slater, who doubled off Smith’s fastball. It was the second MLB appearance of Smith’s career, occurring in back-to-back games against the White Sox.
The White Sox made it 8-1 with RBI singles from Mike Tauchman and Chase Meidroth in the eighth inning.
Missed opportunities
The Tigers scored one run in the seventh inning.
They were facing right-handed reliever Jordan Leasure.
Wenceel Pérez reached safely with a leadoff single, then scored on Dillon Dingler’s double to the left-field corner. The Dingler double trimmed the Tigers’ deficit to 4-1.
The Tigers had at least one runner on base in all but the fifth and ninth innings, finishing with seven hits and five walks. They loaded the bases with one out in the eighth inning, but Pérez’s strikeout and Dingler’s lineout stranded everyone.
For the White Sox, right-hander Shane Smith tossed 5⅓ scoreless innings on three hits and two walks with six strikeouts, throwing 85 pitches.
Smith has a 2.45 ERA in 12 starts.
Contact Evan Petzold at epetzold@freepress.com or follow him @EvanPetzold.
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