Tigers waste strong pitching night, fall in rough first game after Skubal injury

The Detroit Tigers took a tough loss, and it hit a little harder given everything that came with it.

Earlier in the day, the news surrounding Tarik Skubal cast a shadow over the game. It’s the kind of blow that changes the outlook, not just for a night, but potentially for weeks. And while the Tigers still have a long season ahead, this one felt like a missed opportunity.

Pitching stepped up in Skubal’s absence

For much of the night, Detroit got exactly what it needed on the mound.

Matt Manning delivered a strong performance, giving the Tigers the type of outing you would expect from Skubal. He was sharp, controlled the game, and kept Boston off the board. Tyler Holton also did his part early, helping piece together a clean start in a game where the margin for error was already thin.

It was the kind of effort that should have been enough to win.

Missed chance late

Detroit scratched across two runs against Boston starter Payton Tolle, a pitcher who looks like he’s going to be a problem moving forward. But after that, the offense couldn’t find the extra push needed to put the game away.

With nine outs to go, the Tigers were in position. In a healthier bullpen situation, the path to the finish line likely looks different. Instead, injuries forced Detroit into uncomfortable spots, relying on arms that haven’t proven they can handle high-leverage situations.

That’s where things unraveled.

Bullpen can’t hold

The Tigers couldn’t execute late, and once the door cracked open, it didn’t take long for things to spiral. Command issues and missed pitches turned into runs, and the game slipped away.