Detroit Tigers Weekly Minor League Recap: Dominant Dingler

For the first month of the Detroit Tigers season it seemed like minor-league action would help distract from the brutal MLB product. But the Tigers have been decent in May! They’re 7-7 on the month and their run differential is just -8, a far cry from the ugly -58 we saw in April.

Sadly, those offensive struggles seem to have trickled down to the minors. Perhaps the Detroit Tigers and their affiliates all just need a month to get on track.

But there were still plenty of noteworthy performances down on the farm last week. Check them out below, and if want more detail then be sure to read our daily recaps of the minor league action.

Detroit Tigers Minor League Recap – Week 2

Toledo Mud Hens, 3-8, t6th (4.5 GB) in the Triple-A East, Midwest Division

Injuries to the Detroit Tigers meant the Mud Hens were hit with their first wave of roster moves last week, and the club went just 1-5 against the Indianapolis Indians, though four of the games were one-run affairs. In Tuesday’s opener the Hens outhit Indianapolis 8-4, and Matt Manning (6IP, 3H, 3ER, 0BB, 7K) was solid, but unfortunately all four Indians hits were solo home runs, and Toledo lost 4-3. A 9th-inning homer from Christin Stewart made things interesting on Wednesday, but Toledo fell 5-3. The Mud Hens pulled out their lone win of the week on Thursday, battling back from a 5-0 deficit thanks to a big game from Victor Reyes (2-for-5, 2B, HR, 4 RBI, SB).

Unfortunately that was the highlight of the week, with Toledo’s bullpen collapsing in a 6-2 loss on Friday, and Renato Núñez and Aderlin Rodriguez both striking out with the bases loaded in the 9th inning during Saturday’s 5-4 loss. On Sunday the Mud Hens leapt out to a 5-0 lead, with Derek Hill homering on the first pitch of the game. But Manning had a disastrous outing (1.2IP, 5H, 4ER, 3BB, K) and Indianapolis tied the game in the 8th on a home run off Jason Foley, before eventually walking it off against Buck Farmer in the 9th.

• Reyes had the best week of any Mud Hens hitter, going 9-for-26 with three doubles and a homer. Isaac Paredes also had nine hits on the week, but they were all singles.
• Matt Manning is getting an awfully rude awakening in Triple-A. He had allowed just 16 home runs in more than 330 professional innings heading into this season, but he has already given up 8 homers in 12.2 innings this year. That’s the highest total in all of minor-league baseball.
• The Mud Hens return home this week to face off against the Columbus Clippers, who are 6-5 on the season and feature former Tigers players Kyle Dowdy and Anthony Gose.