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The Detroit Tigers were one of the hottest teams at the end of last season, and they are one of the hottest to begin this year as well. A big reason why the Tigers have had so much success is their pitching staff. Detroit’s starting rotation is as lethal as it gets, and Reese Olson gave the Tigers one of the team’s most impressive performances on Wednesday as Detroit beat the San Diego Padres 6-0 on Wednesday.
Reese Olson lasted 7.1 innings and he gave up zero runs on two hits. Olson struck out seven batters and he walked just one. It was a dominant performance, and after the game, Olson made a bold claim about the Tigers’ pitching staff.
“Our staff is probably the nastiest in the league,” Olson said, according to a post from Will Burchfield.
Statistically speaking, Olson has a point. Here are the numbers behind Detroit’s dominant start on the mound:
ERA for Tigers starters through 25 games
Tarik Skubal: 2.83
Jack Flaherty: 2.63
Reese Olson: 3.29
Casey Mize: 2.22
Jackson Jobe: 2.70
Team ERA: 2.94, tops in AL.
Olson has the worst ERA on the team, and he just shut out one of the best teams in baseball. The Padres have been as good as anybody to start the season, and they had no answer for Olson.
Reese Olson himself is off to an impressive start this season, and statistically speaking, he has been the worst starting pitcher for the Tigers. He also has the highest WHIP at 1.24. When that’s the highest WHIP for a team’s entire starting rotation, you know they are a dominant group.
The Tigers are looking good to start the year, and the pitching staff is a big reason why. However, the offense has been carrying its weight more this season. That was the big issue for the Tigers last year as the starting rotation was also very good, but they didn’t get a lot of run support. That hasn’t been the case so far this year, and it’s a welcome sight for Detroit fans.
Wednesday’s win against the Padres was especially big for the Tigers as it clinched the series victory. The Padres came into the series with a 16-6 record, and even after losing two out of three against Detroit, they are still in first place in the loaded NL West, which has four teams with 14 or more wins.
The Padres are good, but they couldn’t handle Reese Olson on Wednesday. Olson and the rest of this Tigers squad are playing some good baseball right now, and they have their sights set on a big season.
More must-reads:
- MLB sends message by suspending Victor Robles for bat-throwing incident
- Aaron Judge seemed annoyed with Aaron Boone over troubling health update
- The 'Most multi-HR games by MLB team' quiz
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Tigers' age-defying Charlie Morton takes aim at Astros
The Detroit Tigers completed a deal for the second-oldest player in the majors just before the trade deadline. Thus far, Charlie Morton has given the rotation a boost. Morton, who will start the finale of a three-game series against the visiting Houston Astros on Wednesday afternoon, has delivered two quality starts in three outings for his new team. On paper, Morton produced his best start of the season on Friday. The 41-year-old right-hander tossed six scoreless innings while allowing just two hits against the Minnesota Twins. However, Morton had to deal with a rain delay and an extended first inning as his teammates staked him to a 5-0 lead. The Tigers won the game 7-0. "We were talking through the first three innings, like, we really weren't on the same page," catcher Dillon Dingler said. "He was trying to find a feel for his curveball but we were able to mix in the other pitches. He's got so many great pitches that move so much." Once Morton was able to control his celebrated curveball, Minnesota batters had no chance. "I need my breaking ball," Morton said. "So whatever we've got to do, whatever we've got to do to get it going. I know we had a lead, but you still have to get through some innings. My glove-side breaking ball, even when I hit guys or if I'm yanking a couple, it's not the end of the world. But (Friday) early, it was trying to get it going for strikes." He will face a Houston offense mired in a deep slump. The Astros were shut out four of the past five games. They haven't scored in 28 innings, including 10 empty frames on Tuesday as the Tigers pulled out a 1-0 win. Morton (8-10, 5.20 ERA) has a 4-6 record and 5.97 ERA in 12 career starts against the Astros. He was also a key member of the Astros during their 2017 championship run, including his four-inning relief stint for the win in Game 7 of the World Series against the Los Angeles Dodgers. Framber Valdez (11-6, 3.01 ERA), Morton's mound opponent on Wednesday, cruised through the first four months of the season. It's been a different story in August, during which he is 0-2 with a 5.89 ERA in three starts. Valdez lasted 6 2/3 innings in his most recent outing against the Baltimore Orioles on Friday. The 31-year-old left-hander gave up four runs (three earned) and nine hits while recording six strikeouts and walking one. His pitching opponent that night, Brandon Young, had a perfect game going until there were two outs in the eighth. "I would say 100 percent it affected me," Valdez said. "I felt like I couldn't even sit down and I was already walking up to get out there. Sometimes that's just the game of baseball. Sometimes a pitcher is going to have a better game. Sometimes they're going to throw a perfect game. ... I felt like I couldn't get a drink of water in and I was already out there." Valdez is 2-2 with a 2.49 ERA in eight career outings against the Tigers, including seven starts.
Shaquille O'Neal makes peace with longtime enemy — mostly
Shaquille O'Neal and Dwight Howard patched things up Sunday after years of feuding. But even while describing their rapprochement, O'Neal couldn't keep from teasing his longtime nemesis. The "Big Aristotle" was at the BIG3 playoffs Sunday to watch Howard's L.A. Riot play the Chicago Triplets. In the middle of describing to Rachel Nichols how he and Howard had made peace, O'Neal broke off his explanation to make fun of Howard for missing a dunk. The two Hall of Fame centers had sparred for years, despite their common ground as former members of the Orlando Magic and Los Angeles Lakers. Some of the tension seemed to be due to Howard adopting O'Neal's "Superman" nickname, though O'Neal claimed to Nichols that he was simply being tough on Howard to motivate him. That explanation doesn't account for the time O'Neal mocked Howard for playing basketball in the Taiwanese league or the decade-plus he's spent roasting Howard on his podcast, in public appearances and on "Inside the NBA." Still, it appears that the two have made peace. Despite O'Neal being left off the original list of presenters, he insisted that he'll be among a group of Hall of Famers inducting Howard Sept. 6, including Dominique Wilkins, Robert Parish, Dennis Rodman and Patrick Ewing. It means that two of the most dominant big men of their eras have finally buried the hatchet. It's added a new level of interest to the Hall of Fame ceremonies, and it should be a sweet moment between O'Neal and Howard. As long as Howard doesn't mention Superman.
Browns officially make decision on starting quarterback
Cleveland Browns insider Tony Grossi of ESPN Cleveland/The Land on Demand noted late Sunday night that head coach Kevin Stefanski was "undoubtedly" going to name veteran Joe Flacco the team's Week 1 starting quarterback as soon as Tuesday. It turns out Stefanski didn't need to wait that long. Kelsey Russo of the Browns' website confirmed on Monday afternoon that Flacco will serve as Cleveland's QB1 for its regular-season opener against the Cincinnati Bengals on Sept. 7. That post officially ended what truly became a quarterback competition in name only after presumed backup Kenny Pickett suffered a hamstring injury on July 26 that kept him out of the club's first two preseason games. Even before Pickett experienced that setback, there was no indication that Stefanski wanted to start either 2025 third-round draft pick Dillon Gabriel or 2025 fifth-rounder Shedeur Sanders against the Bengals. Gabriel missed Cleveland's 30-10 win over the Carolina Panthers on Aug. 8 because of a hamstring issue but then had a solid outing in the Browns' 22-13 win over the Philadelphia Eagles this past Saturday. Sanders played well against Carolina but sat out the Eagles contest because of an oblique injury. As for Flacco, the perception exists that the 40-year-old didn't need preseason reps to be ready to go for the Cincinnati game. During the 2023 season, the one-time Super Bowl MVP won four of five starts to guide the 2023 Browns to a playoff berth. For a piece published shortly before the Browns shared their expected announcement, Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated mentioned that other players in the Cleveland locker room "know Flacco is their best option" regarding Week 1. Breer added that "the Browns are comfortable keeping four quarterbacks" on their active roster through at least the early parts of the upcoming season. As of Monday, it was unclear if Pickett will be able to play in Cleveland's preseason finale versus the Los Angeles Rams this coming Saturday. One wonders if Pickett will push to take the field on Aug. 23 so that he can audition for a team that may feel its long-term answer at the position isn't on the roster today. Then again, Browns general manager Andrew Berry may elect to hold onto Pickett until Stefanski decides that either Gabriel or Sanders is ready to face a live defense in a meaningful game. For now, the Cleveland starting job is officially Flacco's to lose for the first time since January 2024.
Packers' blockbuster trade pitch adds Micah Parsons for huge price
Speculation linking Dallas Cowboys All-Pro edge-rusher Micah Parsons to the Green Bay Packers continues to gain momentum as the star’s holdout amid stalled contract negotiations seems as far apart as ever. Parsons, two weeks ago, publicly requested a trade and continues to hold-in during Cowboys training camp, while there is a belief that Green Bay is attempting to pull off a blockbuster trade. Potential Packers-Micah Parsons Blockbuster Trade Package Parsons, 26, has posted 52.5 sacks through his first four seasons and is one of the most dominant players at his position. He is the kind of difference-maker who could cement Green Bay as a legitimate Super Bowl contender for years to come. But prying Parsons away from the Cowboys wouldn’t come cheap. "You’d want to hope to trade no more than three good young players for one elite player," an NFL executive and former general manager said to me recently of what a Parsons trade package might look like. Given that strategy, it isn’t difficult to envision Packers general manager Brian Gutekunst offering a package of players and picks that looks something like: Packers Trade: 2026 first-round NFL Draft choice, 2027 first-round draft choice, WR Romeo Doubs, EDGE Lukas Van Ness Cowboys Trade: Micah Parsons Trading two first-round picks is likely the starting point for Jerry Jones and the Cowboys in any Parsons negotiations. For the Packers, trading Van Ness would be offering a change of scenery for a former first-round draft choice who has yet to live up to expectations, and upgrading the position with a Defensive Player of the Year-caliber player. Meanwhile, shipping Doubs to Dallas clears a logjam at wide receiver, while helping the Cowboys round out a balanced receiving corps that would include CeeDee Lamb, George Pickens and Doubs as perhaps the most prolific collection of talent Dak Prescott has had in his career. Whether Parsons’ trade request is anything more than posturing remains to be seen, but if the Cowboys open up trade talks, this package could be the kind of trade that nets Green Bay a difference-maker.
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