Worth noting: Tigers’ Grapefruit League opener Saturday will be available to stream in-market thru MLB TV/MLB.com. It’ll be a simulcast of the Yankees broadcast.

Will Kerry Carpenter’s ALDS HR off Gabe Speier lead to more opportunities against lefties? It depends not only on Carpenter, but the strength of the hitters off the bench. “I’ve shown that I can do it. I understand why they want [to pinch-hit].” www.mlb.com/tigers/news/...

Kevin McGonigle will start at shortstop in Tigers' Grapefruit League opener on Saturday vs. Yankees in Tampa, per manager A.J. Hinch. Eduardo Valencia will start at catcher.

Tigers unveil two new alternate jerseys: www.mlb.com/news/detroit...

A nearly half-hour bullpen session on the back fields at Tigertown? That’s Vintage Verlander. www.mlb.com/news/justin-...

Justin Verlander’s mound session today lasted just under a half hour. He threw around 70 pitches by his count, not counting warmups. He and Dillon Dingler worked on pitches, targets, framing. Pitchers stopped by to watch at multiple points. Classic JV, who turns 43 on Friday.

Javier Báez took responsibility for the odd suspension that will keep him out of the WBC. But he hopes to find a silver lining in a full spring training to help build off last year. “Honestly, I don’t want to point fingers at anybody, because this is all my fault. I’m the one that failed the test.”

Took me a week to write about Kevin McGonigle in spring training, which says a lot about how comfortably (and quietly) he has fit into Tigers camp. www.mlb.com/news/tigers-...

So, about that speculation Mourinho will come back to manage Real Madrid …

Food trucks at Joker Marchant Stadium today. Minor leaguers eat first, then big leaguers once their workout is done.

How Tigers pitching coach and biomechanics expert Robin Lund helped get Matt Vierling back on the field and in throwing shape for spring training: www.mlb.com/news/matt-vi...

A year ago, Hao-Yu Lee was asking Riley Greene and Kerry Carpenter how they cope with strikeouts. “Last year I was more tense, a lot more nervous. Turns out I couldn't really be myself and do a lot of stuff that's normal for me. This year, I just feel more relaxed. I can actually be myself more.”

He's there, he's there, he's every ... where, Zak Kent.

Hao-Yu Lee apologized this morning for how his World Baseball Classic trash talk with Jahmai Jones might have been perceived by Koreans. “It’s a playful joke with Jahmai,” translator Peter Lin said.

Why representing Korea at the World Baseball Classic means so much to Jahmai Jones and his family: “It's probably one of the single most important things I've done in baseball, truthfully.“ www.mlb.com/news/jahmai-...

Tarik Skubal: Back-to-back AL Cy Young winner, aspiring barista. “There's a lot of trial and error right now, but we're locking it in. Yesterday we probably brewed more shitty ones than good ones, but we're getting there. We're getting there.” www.mlb.com/news/tarik-s...

Tarik Skubal: Back-to-back AL Cy Young winner, aspiring barista. “There's a lot of trial and error right now, but we're locking it in. Yesterday we probably brewed more shitty ones than good ones, but we're getting there. We're getting there.” www.mlb.com/news/tarik-s...

Official: Cubs have signed RHP Shelby Miller to a 2-year deal with a club option for 2028. Miller is expected to miss most (or possibly all) of this season while rehabbing from TJ surgery. INF Ben Cowles DFA’d to clear a 40-man spot for Miller.

Want to see more swing and miss from Troy Melton this year? Here’s a start.

Happy Birthday to our manager, Don Kelly!

Riley Greene felt like he could hit any pitch for a home run last year … and he tried. His answer to cutting down on strikeouts this year: Change the mentality. “Hey, if you have two strikes with a runner on second, maybe try not to hit a homer 5,000 feet.” www.mlb.com/news/riley-g...

Ty Madden threw live BP today. First time on a mound in uniform facing hitters for him since last April. He missed all of last season with a shoulder sprain, but was able to avoid surgery. Said he felt great.

Riley Greene said there was no talk with Team USA about the World Baseball Classic, and that he focused his offseason work on ramping up through spring training and being healthy for the season rather than being ready for WBC in March.

Justin Verlander will be away from Tigers camp for a couple days for a family commitment. It was arranged ahead of time.

Twins have agreed to terms with LHRP Andrew Chafin on a minor league deal with an NRI.

Riley Greene indicated to @cmccosky.bsky.social this morning that he was not a candidate for Team USA at this time.

Tigers pitching prospect Jake Miller has been in camp since January rehabbing from double hip surgery. He arrived Wednesday morning to find his locker had been moved between Framber Valdez, Justin Verlander, Tarik Skubal, Casey Mize and Jack Flaherty. “I thought I was getting pranked at first.”

Tarik Skubal facing hitters on Day 3 of spring training went pretty much how you’d expect.

Tarik Skubal started kidding with Justin Verlander when he showed up at the Tigers facility on Tuesday. “I go, ‘Hey, you need a tour of this place?’ I’m just messing around. And he goes, ‘No, like serious, I do.’ … It was just a joke. I’m going to make the same joke when we go to Comerica.”

Skubal: “I was giddy as a kid. Like, this is a childhood idol that I get to be locker mates with. … If you would’ve told me 10 years ago that I’m gonna be locker mates with Justin Verlander and we’re gonna be in the same rotation, I would’ve called you fucking crazy. I’m getting goosebumps.”

Tarik Skubal saw Justin Verlander in Tigers clubhouse on Tuesday and jokingly asked if he needed a tour of the Tigers facility. Verlander said yes. Seriously. “Skub is showing me around the locker room, and all of a sudden he’s like, ‘Hey, there you are on the wall.’” www.mlb.com/news/justin-...

Justin Verlander puts the Tigers jersey on … again. Wojo: “Is it the same size as you wore 9 years ago?” Verlander: “I think it is.”

Detroit native and Wayne State's Hunter Brown said he texted Justin Verlander congratulations yesterday after learning he was headed back to the Tigers "I'm happy for him. I'm sure the whole city of Detroit and, honestly, baseball is excited to see him back in the old English D"

Dillon Dingler‘s on a throwing progression, but he can still catch bullpen sessions. And he can do it with his new Gold Glove mitt.

Jackson Jobe playing catch out to 90 feet this week in his rehab from Tommy John surgery last summer.

First day as a Tiger for Framber Valdez.

Justin Verlander and Jack Flaherty, two guys who returned to Tigers this offseason.

Scott Harris said Tigers went into offseason prepared for possibility Olson would need surgery and miss the season. “We were searching for innings all offseason,” Harris said. “We feel a whole lot better about the innings that we have right now.”

Tarik Skubal will be Tigers’ Opening Day starter on March 26 in San Diego, A.J. Hinch confirmed.

Reese Olson said that he re-injured his shoulder last October. After visiting with doctors, they decided to try rehabbing, knowing surgery in October or February wouldn’t make much difference in timetable. He got out to 120 feet throwing before shutting it down. www.mlb.com/news/reese-o...

Tigers catcher Dillon Dingler underwent arthroscopic surgery to clean up his right elbow a couple weeks ago. He’s on a throwing progression but is completing all other baseball activities, and he’s expected to be fully ready for opening day.

Framber Valdez contract: $17.5m in 2026 $37.5m in 2027 $35m in 2028 or player opt-out $40m mutual option for 2029 or $5m buyout $20m signing bonus in deferred payments starting in 2030 $2m escalator for Cy Young ($1m for 2nd place, $500k for 3rd) $2m for World Series MVP $1m for ALCS MVP

Feels familiar, doesn't it? #Tigers

LHP Framber Valdez will wear number 59. Last worn by INF Zack Short in 2023. #Tigers

Good news: Framber Valdez deal is official, along with Verlander. Bad news: Reese Olson placed on 60-day IL following labral repair surgery on his right shoulder. He's out for the season, per Tigers.

Tarik Skubal & Justin Verlander for DET will be the 11th duo of *multi-time* Cy Young winners to pitch for the same team in the same year   **having already won 2+ CYA entering that season**   they’ll join ⬇️

Tigers have also signed righty-hitting OF Austin Slater to a minor-league deal with a non-roster invite to spring training, per source. @jonheyman.bsky.social had first report.

JV is back.

More on Tigers/Wings broadcast partnership with MLB: www.mlb.com/news/tigers-...