The Tigers’ Young Core Took Over the Late Innings in Toronto

The Tigers were six outs away from being no-hit Monday night in Toronto. By the time the game ended, several of the players Detroit hopes will make up the next competitive Tigers roster had their fingerprints all over a 6-5 win.

That is probably the more interesting takeaway than the comeback itself.

José Soriano held Detroit without a hit through six innings before Gleyber Torres opened the seventh with a single. Riley Greene followed with another, Dillon Dingler drove in Detroit’s first run and then Max Clark delivered the biggest swing of the inning, lining a two-run double to left to turn a 2-1 deficit into a 3-2 Tigers lead. Spencer Torkelson followed with an RBI double as Detroit went from being no-hit to scoring four runs in a matter of minutes.

Toronto answered with Kazuma Okamoto’s three-run homer off Kyle Finnegan in the bottom half, but Detroit’s younger hitters were involved again when the Tigers had to respond. Kevin McGonigle singled to begin the eighth, Greene moved him to third and Brett Callahan delivered a two-out single to tie the game at five. For Callahan, who did not make his major league debut until Aug. 16, it was another opportunity for the Tigers to see how one of their less-heralded prospects handles major league pitching in meaningful situations.

Detroit eventually took the lead in the ninth when Zach McKinstry stole second and scored after Hao-Yu Lee put the ball in play and Toronto pitcher Louis Varland committed an error. McGonigle followed with another single, giving him hits in consecutive late-inning plate appearances.

Even the final three outs had a developmental feel to them. With Kevin McGonigle moving from shortstop to third base, John Peck entered at short and Lee shifted to second. After Kenley Jansen walked George Springer and struck out Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Alejandro Kirk hit a ground ball to Peck, who started a 6-4-3 double play with Lee and Torkelson to end the game.

Clark continues to be the most prominent name in that group. He entered Monday hitting .273/.351/.447 in the majors, and his combination of contact, speed and defense has translated quickly since his promotion. But Monday offered something broader than another encouraging Clark performance.

For a Tigers team playing out the final weeks of a disappointing season, these games are increasingly about evaluation. Detroit got a chance Monday to watch several players who could matter in 2027 handle late-inning situations against a Toronto team still fighting for a postseason spot.