The Detroit Tigers and San Diego Padres kicked off their 2026 seasons this afternoon at Petco Park in San Diego, CA. Garrett Crochet got the ball for the Red Sox, while Andrew Abbott got the ball for the Reds.
Detroit Tigers Starting Lineup
RF – Kerry Carpenter
2B – Gleybar Torres
DH – Colt Keith
LF – Riley Greene
1B – Spencer Torkelson
3B – Kevin McGonigle
C – Dillon Dingler
CF – Parker Meadows
SS – Javier Baez
LHP – Tarik Skubal
San Diego Padres Starting Lineup
RF – Fernando Tatis Jr.
SS – Xander Bogaerts
3B – Manny Machado
CF – Jackson Merrill
DH – Miguel Andujar
1B – Gavin Sheets
LF – Ramon Laureano
C – Freddy Fermin
2B – Jake Cronenworth
RHP – Nick Pivetta
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Tigers vs. Padres
Scoring
Detroit started the scoring early. After a strikeout to lead off the game, Gleybar Torres walked Colt Keith singled. Riley Greene would walk to load the bases. Spencer Torkelson then drew a walk to bring home the first run of the season for Detroit. Rookie Kevin McGonigle then doubled on the first pitch he saw in his big league career, scoring Greene and Keith to make it 3-0. Single would then single home Torkelson to make it 4-0.
The Tigers added more in the third inning as Torkelson started the inning off with a single, then McGonigle doubled again. He just missed his first career home run by inches. A few batters later, Parker Meadows singled home Torkelson and McGonigle to make it 6-0. In the fifth, Detroit was back at it as McGonigle hit a one-out single and Dillon Dingler hit a two-run home run to make it 8-0, Tigers.
The Padres got on the board in the sixth inning as Fernando Tatis reached on an error and then scored on an Xander Bogaerts double. The Padres added another run in the seventh as Ramon Laureano hit a solo home run.
Pitching
Detroit
Tarik Skubal made another Opening Day start for the Tigers. he went six innings, allowing an unearned run on three hits. He didn’t issue a walk and struck out six. Drew Anderson relieved Skubal in the seventh, and he got the eighth. Anderson also started the ninth, giving up a run on two hits. He walked two and didn’t record a strikeout. Tyler Holton finished off the eighth, allowing just a walk. Will Vest got the ninth, and he didn’t allow a base runner and struck out one.
San Diego
Nick Pivetta took the ball for the Padres. He lasted three innings, giving up six runs on seven hits. He walked three and struck out four. Ron Marinaccio was the first arm out of the bullpen for San Diego. He went two innings, allowing two runs on three hits. He didn’t issue a walk and struck out two. Bradgley Rodriguez was the next arm for San Diego. He went two hitless innings and struck out three. David Morgan had the eighth, allowing a hit, a walk, and striking out one. Wandy Peralta got the ninth. He allowed just a hit.
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Player of the Game:
Kevin McGonigle, in his debut, went 4-5 with two doubles, two RBI, and two runs scored. The player who was a question mark to make the roster out of spring training made his presence felt in his big league debut.
Next Up:
These two teams will meet again tomorrow, with the first pitch set for 9:40 PM EST. Framber Valdez will take the ball for the Tigers, while Michael King takes the ball for the Padres.
