The News’ Tony Paul gives his quick takes on the Tigers’ 5-2 victory over the Brewers on Wednesday:
One thing I loved
After there was barely anything to love in the series-opening debacle, there were lots of candidates for the bounce-back win Wednesday as the Tigers again clawed back over .500 (13-12).
Spencer Torkelson’s first homer of 2026 (and nearly free pizza!). Another gem from Casey Mize.
But let’s go with another good game for the kid who looks less like a kid with each passing day, Kevin McGonigle, who started the game with a walk (lefty-on-lefty, vs. DL Hall) to extend his streak of 20 consecutive starts reaching base — the longest active streak in the American League, and trailing only Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani (22) and Brewers second baseman Brice Turang (21) in MLB among active streaks this season.
McGonigle then later added an RBI double in the fifth inning to spark a Tigers’ rally. And that was an absolutely epic at-bat, a 10-pitch battle with Brewers right-hander Chad Patrick, won in the end by McGonigle, when he sent a 94-mph fastball screaming toward the fence in right field. That made it 3-1, scoring Javier Báez from first base — albeit barely, and hilariously. Báez was absolutely gassed, having been off on the pitch for several pitches, only to have to retreat to first base when McGonigle fouled off five in a row.
McGonigle finally got one in play for the double, and Báez huffed and puffed his way around the bases before, ever the showman, giving himself a second to catch his breath after sliding into home. Teammate Jake Rogers greeted him in the dugout with a towel wave, before Báez splashed himself in the face with a glass of water.
Even AJ Hinch cracked a smile.
One thing I didn’t
Hard to believe this year marks 30 years of interleague play in Major League Baseball. It was very cool at first, a few series sprinkled in throughout the season. It’s really nothing all that special anymore, with everybody playing everybody every year. Still, I could do without feeling like the Tigers — a charter member of the American League — actually play in the National League. Of Detroit’s first 32 scheduled games this year, 21 are interleague games:
I mean, spread it out a little. At least we don’t have to watch pitchers (try to) hit anymore. (Though, occasionally, we still get to see hitters try to pitch.) After April is finished, the Tigers will get back to normal business hours, with 59 of their 62 games against the AL from May 1 through July 9, including 50 straight from May 15 through July 9.
Three stars
(Season total in parentheses)
Spencer Torkelson (2) — His first home run of the year, and his two hardest-hit balls of 2026 (106.4, 106.2).
Kevin McGonigle (8)
Colt Keith (5)
Player of the game
(Season total in parentheses)
Casey Mize (3) — Seven more strikeouts; he’s now averaging more than 10.0 per nine innings in 2026.
Next Tigers game
Game 26: Brewers at Tigers, 1:10 Thursday, Detroit SportsNet, 97.1
ICYMI: Yesterday’s Tigers recap
tpaul@detroitnews.com
@tonypaul1984
This article originally appeared on The Detroit News: Detroit Tigers, Game 25: One thing I loved, one thing I didn’t
Reporting by Tony Paul, The Detroit News / The Detroit News
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
