Detroit Tigers: Struggles against the Reds continue

Here at The Corner, we round up Detroit Tigers news and rumors around the Tigers blogosphere so that you don’t spend hours surfing the web searching.

The Detroit Tigers have dropped their first two games against the Cincinnati Reds.  Yesterday saw a 9-5 loss. In that loss Tigers right-hander Drew VerHagen broke his nose and is likely headed for a stint on the disabled list. A result of the broken nose is the Tigers calling up RHP Johnny Barbato from Triple-A Toledo. According to Chris McCoskey, both Barbato and the Detroit Tigers are hoping thirds times a charm for the right-handed pitcher.

A lot of people were waiting for the other shoe to drop on Matthew Boyd. It happened last night and Max Bultman, of the Athletic, writes that it was bound to happen sooner or later.

Today’s game saw the Tigers dropping their second straight to the Reds 5-3. Michael Fulmer had a shutout into the sixth inning and the Detroit Tigers had a lead. Fulmer needed one pitch to get out of the sixth, but it was all downhill from there. He surrendered back-to-back home runs to Scooter Gennett and Eugenio Suarez.

With the trade deadline looming ever closer, people keep asking the beat writers if the Tigers are going to buy or sell this year. With the Tigers hovering around .500 and somehow sitting in second place, some people think the Tigers should try and buy. Beat writer Anthony Fenech took this week’s Tigers mailbag to squash any idea that the Tigers are buying this year.

Next: Exploring a trade with the Angels

In all likelihood Shane Greene, Francisco Liriano and Jose Iglesias could all be playing for different teams in the coming weeks.

And in the prospects mailbag, beat writer George Sipple took time to discuss the latest prospect sensation, Brock Deatherage. Deatherage hit three home runs in his professional debut, adding a grand slam the following day. I still read it as Death-Rage and some other people on Twitter think its way cooler (I agree).