The Detroit Tigers put on a show under the Sunday night lights, cruising to a commanding 7-1 victory over the Texas Rangers in Game 35 of the season. Here's what stood out—for better and worse—in this primetime clash.
One thing I loved: A national broadcast that got it right
When the Tigers made their second "Sunday Night Baseball" appearance of the year, the booth brought something special. This time, it was Detroit SportsNet's Dan Petry taking his turn alongside play-by-play man Jason Benetti—a welcome change from the usual national crew that can sometimes feel disconnected from local fans.
The magic moment came in the bottom of the fifth inning. Benetti brought up Tigers legend Lou Whitaker, the last Detroit position player to win Rookie of the Year back in 1978—a fact that hits differently when you consider current phenom Kevin McGonigle is already making waves in this year's AL Rookie of the Year race.
"Lou Whitaker was blank … fill in the blank," Benetti asked Petry.
You could almost hear Tigers fans from Grand Rapids to Grayling, Detroit to Dowagiac, Metamora to Marquette, yelling at their screens: "Preach!"
It's a refreshing change of pace. Too often, fans feel their team gets the short end of the stick from national broadcasters. That's exactly why NBC—now in charge of "Sunday Night Baseball" after taking over from ESPN—decided to rotate local analysts alongside Benetti. The result? A broadcast that actually feels like it understands the team and its history.
Good news: the Tigers are back on "Sunday Night Baseball" next week for their series finale in Kansas City. More of this, please.
One thing I didn't love: A tough roster decision that stings
I understand the logic. With Javier Báez on the IL, the Tigers needed another shortstop—Kevin McGonigle was the only true shortstop on the active roster. They also needed another right-handed bat to counter a string of left-handed pitchers on the horizon. That's why journeyman Zack Short got the call-up before Sunday's game.
But it's hard to swallow that it came at the expense of Jace Jung.
The former first-round draft pick's latest stint in The Show was painfully brief—just six plate appearances. He managed one hit, but more telling was his plate discipline, including a grinding 12-pitch walk in Saturday's win. It was only a quick glimpse, but Jung's swing looks like it belongs.
For a team in the middle of a rebuild, sending down a promising young bat for a 30-year-old journeyman feels like a missed opportunity to let the kids play. Here's hoping Jung gets another shot soon—and that when he does, he gets more than a cameo.