Tigers News: Tarik Skubal spring debut, 2025 broadcast changes, Dillon Dingler impact

At long last, reigning American League Cy Young Award winner Tarik Skubal took the mound Wednesday for his first start of spring training.

The Detroit Tigers ace threw just 19 pitches vs the Minnesota Twins in his spring debut, including a 100.1 mph fastball to Jair Camargo in the first inning. Skubal looked sharp as ever in his first taste of 2025 Grapefruit League action, giving up just one hit and recording one punchout over two scoreless innings against the Tigers' AL Central rivals.

Once Skubal's day was done, Tigers manager A.J. Hinch joined the FanDuel Sports Network live broadcast in the bottom of the second inning to make the least surprising announcement of all time.

"Let me break news on the broadcast today – I think we should name him the Opening Day starter," Hinch said. "I think that might be the easiest decision a manager has to make when it comes to Tarik Skubal."

Skubal will have his work cut out for him in Detroit's nationally televised Opening Day matchup against the reigning World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers on March 27. It will be his second consecutive Opening Day start, making him the fifth consecutive Tigers pitcher to start back-to-back season openers.

Tigers, FanDuel Sports Network Detroit announce 2025 broadcast changes

The Tigers also announced some changes to their TV and radio broadcast teams for the upcoming season. Jason Benetti will return as the team's primary TV play-by-play voice on FanDuel Sports Network Detroit, and he will now be joined by former Tigers outfielder Andy Dirks as one of two primary color analysts, along with former Tigers pitcher Dan Petry.

Daniella Bruce is the TV sideline reporter, but the Tigers announced that they are seeking to hire an additional sideline personality "in the near future." Johnny Kane and Trevor Thompson, longtime sideline reporters for the club, were conspicuously excluded from the announcement; it is unclear at this time whether either will reprise the role in 2025.

On the radio side, Dan Dickerson returns to handle play-by-play duties. He will be joined by Bobby Scales as one of the main color analysts, along with Petry, who has primarily done TV in the past.

Tigers catcher Dillon Dingler impresses on offense and defense during spring training

Dillon Dingler, the Tigers' young catcher who is expected to back up Jake Rogers in 2025, has been making some noise both at the plate and behind it during the first week of Grapefruit League competition.

The 26-year-old popped the Tigers' first home run of the spring in the fourth inning of Saturday's spring opener against the Philadelphia Phillies, crushing the ball 398 feet to left field with a 111.6 mph exit velocity.

Dingler also made an impressive defensive play in the fourth inning of Wednesday's loss to the Minnesota Twins, throwing a laser to second baseman Gleyber Torres to catch Brooks Lee stealing for the second out of the inning. If Dingler continues to have a strong spring, he could be competing with Rogers for more starts behind the plate in 2025.

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