The News’ Tony Paul gives his quick takes on the Tigers’ 7-1 victory over the Rangers on Sunday:
One thing I loved
The first time the Tigers were on “Sunday Night Baseball” this year, Andy Dirks was one of the color analysts. This time, Dirks’ Detroit SportsNet teammate Dan Petry got his turn in the national chair.
And there was a cool exchange with play-by-play announcer Jason Benetti in the bottom of the fifth inning, when Benetti brought up Petry’s 1980s teammate Lou Whitaker. Current Tiger Kevin McGonigle is off to a good start in the American League rookie-of-the-year race. Whitaker was the last Tigers position player to win the award, in 1978.
Benetti to Petry: “Lou Whitaker was blank … fill in the blank.”
Petry: “Lou Whiter is a Hall-of-Famer.”
You could almost hear Tigers fans from Grand Rapids to Grayling, Detroit to Dowagiac, Metamora to Marquette, yelling at their screens, “Preach!”
Too often, fans feel (fairly or not) that their team draws the short straw from the booth when their team plays on national TV. This is why NBC, in taking over “Sunday Night Baseball” from ESPN this year, decided to use a rotation of local analysts to work alongside Benetti, to infuse more local flavor on the national broadcast. Like that.
The Tigers are back on “Sunday Night Baseball” in a week, for their series finale in Kansas City.
TORK BOMB 💣 pic.twitter.com/csZid24k1x
— Detroit Tigers (@tigers) May 4, 2026
One thing I didn’t
I get that the Tigers needed another shortstop — with Javier Báez on the IL, McGonigle was the only true shortstop on the active roster — and they needed another right-handed bat as they get set to face some more left-handed pitchers. All that’s why journeyman Zack Short got called up before Sunday’s game.
But it’s disappointing that came at the expense of Jace Jung, whose latest stint in The Show was a short one.
Jung, a former first-round draft pick who’s had his ups and downs (literally and figuratively), got only six plate appearances in this latest cameo with the Tigers. He had one hit, but more impressively, a couple walks — including a grinding 12-pitch walk in Saturday’s win.
It was only a quick glimpse, but Jung’s swing looks shorter, the eye looks as good as ever, and the body language looks much more calm. Don’t be surprised if Jung, 25, is back in Detroit soon (Gleyber Torres is day-to-day, by the way), and sticks around a little bit longer next time.
rook does it again 😮💨 pic.twitter.com/igfS2vWnVC
— Detroit Tigers (@tigers) May 4, 2026
Three stars
(Season total in parentheses)
▶ Brant Hurter (3) — The Tigers turned back the clock to 2024 with some pitching chaos. Hurter was one of six pitchers used by manager AJ Hinch.
▶ Kevin McGonigle (11)
▶ Jake Rogers (2)
Player of the game
(Season total in parentheses)
▶ Spencer Torkelson (2) — No homers through 23 games, and six homers in his last 11 games, as the Tigers again clawed their way back over .500.
Tigers’ ABS tracker
- Hitter challenges: 17-for-38
- Catcher/pitcher challenges: 20-for-23
Tigers’ uniform tracker
- Traditional home whites: 11-2
- Alternate home oranges: 1-1
- Traditional road grays: 4-10
- Alternate road blues: 2-4
The Tigers mascot Paws is celebrating his birthday on PRIMETIME. 🥳
📺 Peacock + NBCSN pic.twitter.com/xaPGhTpuCe
— NBC Sports (@NBCSports) May 3, 2026
Tigers on national TV
The Tigers are 2-3 on national TV:
- Sunday, April 5: Lost to Cardinals, 5-3 (Peacock)
- Friday, April 17: Lost to Red Sox, 1-0 in 10 innings (Apple TV)
- Saturday, April 26: Lost to Reds, 9-2 (Fox)
- Saturday, May 2:Defeated Rangers, 5-1 (Fox)
- Sunday, May 3: Defeated Rangers, 7-1 (Peacock)
Next Tigers game
▶ Game 36: Red Sox at Tigers, 6:40 Monday, Detroit SportsNet, 97.1
ICYMI: Yesterday’s Tigers recap
tpaul@detroitnews.com
@tonypaul1984
This article originally appeared on The Detroit News: Detroit Tigers recap, Game 35: One thing I loved, one thing I didn’t