Guardians 8, Tigers 2: Silent bats and sluggish defense stymie Tigers

May 18, 2026; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Detroit Tigers catcher Dillon Dingler (13) slides safely into home plate ahead of the throw to Cleveland Guardians catcher Austin Hedges (27) in the first inning at Comerica Park. Mandatory Credit: Lon Horwedel-Imagn Images | Lon Horwedel-Imagn Images Happy Monday, everyone. The Tigers lost their weekend series against the Jays, but it’s a new week, so perhaps new opportunities lie ahead.

The Tigers will start trying that today as they open their four-game home series against the Cleveland Guardians. The Guardians currently hold a tenuous lead in the AL Central, so these next four games could really shake up the division standings. For game one, the Tigers were leaning on Framber Valdez, while the Guardians had Slade Cecconi on the mound.

After a 45-minute weather delay, the game got underway. The Tigers got the Guardians out in order, which is precisely how you’d like to see the game start. In the home half, Kevin McGonigle got a one-out single.

Dillon Dingler then hit into a force out, eliminating McGonigle and finding Dingler safely on first. Riley Greene then doubled, and Dingler was able to get all the way from first to home, putting the Tigers on the board nice and early. They’d have to settle for the one run, but it was a good start for the struggling team.