The Detroit Tigers didn’t cruise to a win Friday, but they executed when it mattered most.
After carrying over early struggles from their road trip, Detroit flipped the game in a key stretch behind Dillon Dingler and Framber Valdez. The result was a 4-0 victory over the St. Louis Cardinals at Comerica Park, snapping a four-game skid in a game that remained tight throughout.
“We played out of a lot of big situations,” Dingler said postgame, per Jason Beck of MLB.com. “Game felt close pretty much the entire way through. That’s our brand of ball. Obviously the bats, we could’ve had better situational hitting, mostly from me. But overall, I thought that was exactly who we are.”
That approach reflects both the team’s identity and Dingler’s growing role within it.
The catcher continues to validate the patience Detroit has shown since selecting him in the 2020 MLB Draft. Known for his work behind the plate, Dingler is now becoming a legitimate contributor offensively as well. Through the early part of the season, the Tigers have just two home runs—and both are his.
“It’s more his quality of at-bat,” manager A.J. Hinch said. “He swings at the right pitches. He hits the ball hard. He is a presence, and he’s becoming more and more confident versus different styles of pitchers. It’s not just lefties. It’s not just four-seamers. It’s not just guys with spin. He’s an overall really good hitter, and as the confidence grows and he moves up in the order a little bit, you can see him impact the game.”
Dingler’s recent move from seventh to fifth in the lineup reflects that growing trust. Still, before his bat could take over, Detroit needed to execute defensively in a critical moment.
Valdez delivered.
After working out of trouble in the third inning, the left-hander faced a bases-loaded situation in the fourth. What initially appeared to be the third out turned into a brief injury concern when Spencer Torkelson’s throw struck Valdez in the fingers.
“It was light contact. It wasn’t that bad,” Valdez said through translation from Tigers manager of Spanish communications and broadcasting Carlos Guillen.
Valdez remained in the game, but the situation tightened after a walk kept the bases loaded. That prompted a mound visit from Dingler and pitching coach Chris Fetter, aimed at resetting the moment.
“Right after he had that play at first base, might have made his finger a little numb,” Dingler said, “not trying to make excuses for him or anything. [The mound visit] is a slow-down thing, try to slow momentum from their side and then go right after them.”
The adjustment worked immediately.
Valdez attacked with conviction, pairing a mid-90s sinker with a sharp curveball that generated multiple called strikes. With the count in his favor, he returned to the breaking ball to induce a flyout and escape the inning.
“Obviously, there’s a saying: Pull the string. It’s usually with changeups, but his curveball is one of those,” Dingler said. “He’s a ton of fun to catch. All his pitches move so much. He makes my life easy.”
From there, Detroit leaned into its strengths—pitching, defense, and timely execution—to close out the shutout.
It wasn’t a dominant offensive showing, but it was a clean, controlled performance. More importantly, it gave the Tigers a needed response and a reminder of the style of baseball they aim to play.