The Detroit Tigers really wanted that sweep against the Pittsburgh Pirates, especially after Saturday’s wild game, but it just wasn’t in the cards today. They ultimately dropped the season finale 4-2 in Detroit, with Pittsburgh spoiling any hopes of a clean sweep right from the jump.
Pitching Drama and Ryan’s Rough Comeback
Man, what a tough break for the Tigers’ pitching plans. Everyone was expecting to see Jack Flaherty make his return from the Injured List, but instead, it was River Ryan on the mound, making his comeback from Tommy John surgery in late 2024. Ryan came over in the Tarik Skubal trade, and he actually looked sharp in his only previous start for Detroit, throwing three run-free innings against Washington. You’d think he’d build on that, right? But today? Different story.
Things went south fast. On just the second pitch of the game, Konnor Griffin crushed his sixth homer of the year, putting the Pirates up 1-0. The second inning got even messier: Spencer Horwitz drew a leadoff walk, moved to second on a single, then third on a wild pitch, and scored on another single. Another walk loaded the bases with nobody out, and you could feel the bullpen getting antsy. Ryan did manage to strike out Billy Cook, but that was it for him. He got shown the door after 1 2/3 innings, giving up two runs on three hits and walking two. Not the comeback he wanted, but hey, Beau Brieske came in and managed to get an inning-ending double play four pitches later, which definitely saved the Tigers from a total meltdown there. Meanwhile, Flaherty, who’s been battling right flexor inflammation since July, has had an up-and-down season, especially with walks being a big problem for him in Detroit.
Jared Jones Locks It Down
On the other side of the ball, the Pirates had Jared Jones dealing, and man, when he’s on, he’s basically unhittable. He missed the entire 2025 season with ulnar collateral ligament surgery, but he was back for his twenty-first start today. This dude has moments where he’s just lights out. His twentieth start was sensational: he held the Cardinals to one hit, no walks, and nine strikeouts just five days ago. And his eighteenth start? Seven innings, one hit, no runs against the White Sox. Yeah, he’s had his “clunkers,” like that eight-run outing against the Mets in August, but early today, he was locked in. Through two innings, the Tigers didn’t even get a baserunner, and he was throwing strikes, racking up four Ks. It looked like we were getting “Unhittable Jones” for sure.
The Pirates kept adding on, too. Billy Cook doubled in Nick Gonzales in the fourth for a 3-0 lead, and then Griffin hit a single to score Cook, making it 4-0. The Tigers finally broke the no-hitter in the bottom of the fourth when Kevin McGonigle singled to centrefield, but by then, the damage was already done.
So, the Tigers season ends with a 4-2 loss. It’s a tough way to close out the year, especially when you’re trying for a sweep at home. While Ryan’s outing wasn’t what anyone hoped for, you gotta respect the grit from guys returning from major surgeries. Now, it’s about looking ahead, figuring out how to build on those “all kinds of feelings” from Saturday, and coming back stronger next season.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Bless You Boys.
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