Trending Now - Skubal Set for Exciting Petco Park Debut in Pitching Showdown

WHO:

Tarik Skubal, pitcher for the Detroit Tigers

Nick Pivetta, pitcher for the San Diego Padres

Jake Rogers, catcher for the Detroit Tigers

Kevin McGonigle, ranked as MLB Pipeline's No. 2 overall prospect

Tarik Skubal, pitcher for the Detroit Tigers

Nick Pivetta, pitcher for the San Diego Padres

Jake Rogers, catcher for the Detroit Tigers

Scott Harris, president of baseball operations for the Detroit Tigers

Eduardo Valencia, ranked as Detroit's No. 25 prospect

Tarik Skubal, pitcher for the Detroit Tigers

Nick Pivetta, pitcher for the San Diego Padres

Jake Rogers, catcher for the Detroit Tigers

Scott Harris, president of baseball operations for the Detroit Tigers

Kevin McGonigle, top prospect for the Detroit Tigers

A.J. Hinch, manager of the Detroit Tigers

Craig Stammen, manager of the San Diego Padres

Manny Machado, player for the San Diego Padres

Jake Cronenworth, player for the San Diego Padres

Jason Beck, senior reporter for MLB.com

AJ Cassavell, reporter for MLB.com

Tarik Skubal, pitcher for the Detroit Tigers

Nick Pivetta, pitcher for the San Diego Padres

Jake Rogers, catcher for the Detroit Tigers

Scott Harris, president of baseball operations for the Detroit Tigers

Kevin McGonigle, top prospect for the Detroit Tigers

A.J. Hinch, manager of the Detroit Tigers

Craig Stammen, manager of the San Diego Padres

Manny Machado, player for the San Diego Padres

Jake Cronenworth, player for the San Diego Padres

Jason Beck, senior reporter for MLB.com

AJ Cassavell, reporter for MLB.com

WHAT:

Skubal earned the win over San Diego on March 26th, 2026, allowing one unearned run on three hits and no walks while striking out six batters over six innings.

McGonigle hit a two-run double on the first pitch of his MLB career during the game on March 26th, 2026.

The Tigers scored four runs in the first inning against Nick Pivetta.

Rogers cleared MLB’s concussion protocol and returned to action for the Tigers' final tuneup games against the Rockies.

Skubal described his upcoming start as "exciting" and emphasized that "everybody's 0-0" for the new season.

Jake Rogers stated, “It was a crazy, freak accident,” regarding his concussion injury.

Scott Harris mentioned, “I think Dylan has the talent to be an effective reliever in this game,” about Dylan Smith.

Tarik Skubal will make his first start at Petco Park on March 26th, 2026.

The Detroit Tigers will face the San Diego Padres in a three-game series starting on March 26th, 2026.

Skubal had a record of 13 wins and 6 losses with a 2.21 ERA in the previous season.

Nick Pivetta had a record of 13 wins and 5 losses with a 2.87 ERA in the previous season.

Jake Rogers suffered a concussion from a batting cage accident that required a dozen stitches.

Dylan Smith, ranked as the Tigers’ No. 21 prospect, was designated for assignment.

The Tigers hold a 15-12 edge over the Padres in their all-time regular-season series.

Kevin McGonigle will be the youngest player to start for the Tigers on Opening Day since Omar Infante in 2003.

WHERE:

Petco Park, San Diego, California

Comerica Park, Detroit, Michigan

Coronado, California

WHEN:

The game was played on March 26th, 2026.

The game is scheduled for March 26th, 2026, at 4:10 p.m. ET / 1:10 p.m. PT.

Rogers' batting cage accident occurred on March 19th, 2026.

The game is scheduled for March 26th, 2026, at 4:10 p.m. ET / 1:10 p.m. PT.

Skubal's previous appearance against the Padres was on July 27th, 2022.

Rogers' batting cage accident occurred on March 19th, 2026.

WHY:

The promotion of Kevin McGonigle to the Opening Day roster necessitated the designation of Dylan Smith for assignment.

The Tigers needed to make a roster move to accommodate the promotion of Kevin McGonigle to the Opening Day roster.

HOW:

Rogers' batting cage accident involved a resistance band that caused his bat to bounce back and hit him in the face, resulting in a concussion.

Rogers' concussion was caused by a batting drill involving a resistance band that resulted in his bat bouncing back and hitting him in the face.

Skubal's fastball reached 99 mph during Spring Training, and he is working on using his curveball effectively.

(UPDATED March 27, 2026 05:33 UTC)

In a standout performance on March 26, 2026, Tarik Skubal led the Detroit Tigers to victory over the San Diego Padres, allowing just one unearned run while striking out six batters across six innings. During the same game, Kevin McGonigle made an impressive debut by hitting a two-run double on the very first pitch of his MLB career. Meanwhile, Jake Rogers suffered a concussion from a batting cage accident involving a resistance band that caused his bat to rebound and hit him in the face.

(UPDATED March 26, 2026 23:10 UTC)

In a thrilling start to his MLB career, Kevin McGonigle, ranked as MLB Pipeline's No. 2 overall prospect, hit a two-run double on the first pitch he faced during the game on March 26, 2026. The Detroit Tigers made a strong showing, scoring four runs in the first inning against pitcher Nick Pivetta, while catcher Jake Rogers, who recently cleared MLB’s concussion protocol after a batting cage accident, returned to action for the team's final tuneup games against the Rockies. The promotion of McGonigle to the Opening Day roster led to the designation of Dylan Smith for assignment, marking a significant shift for the Tigers as they prepare for the season ahead.

(UPDATED March 26, 2026 15:22 UTC)

In a press conference, Tarik Skubal expressed his excitement for the upcoming game, highlighting that "everybody's 0-0" as the new season begins, while Jake Rogers shared details about his recent concussion, calling it "a crazy, freak accident" that happened during a batting drill. The game is set to take place on March 26 at 4:10 p.m. ET, and the promotion of top prospect Kevin McGonigle to the Opening Day roster has led to Dylan Smith being designated for assignment. Scott Harris spoke positively about Smith's potential as a reliever, indicating the team's confidence in their young talent.

(UPDATED March 26, 2026 13:24 UTC)

Tarik Skubal is set to make his first start at Petco Park as the Detroit Tigers face off against the San Diego Padres in a three-game series beginning on March 26, 2026. Skubal, who had an impressive record of 13 wins and 6 losses with a 2.21 ERA last season, will be joined by the youngest player to start for the Tigers on Opening Day since 2003, Kevin McGonigle, while Jake Rogers recovers from a concussion sustained during a batting drill. The game is scheduled for 4:10 p.m. ET, and the Tigers currently hold a 15-12 advantage in their all-time regular-season series against the Padres.