Tarik Skubal, the Detroit Tigers’ Opening Day starting pitcher, tipped his cap to Riley Green, following the new left fielder’s diving catch.
Greene deserved the extra attention.
While Skubal and three relievers harnessed the White Sox’s offense, Greene executed to key outs, helping the preserve the Tigers’ 11th all-time shutout on Opening Day.
Coming off at least two early-career injuries on diving defensive plays, Green made a sprawling grab on Kevin Pillar’s line drive in the fifth inning and a sprinting grab on Luis Robert Jr. in the sixth.
Tigers reliever Jason Foley earned the save by displaying an arsenal of nearly unhittable power sinkers, reaching 101 mph on his final two pitches.
X (Twitter) users responded to the four Tigers pitchers combining to limit the White Sox to zero runs, walks and extra base hits and 10 strikeouts. The White Sox became the first team to reach those dubious Opening Day totals since St. Louis Cardinals’ Bob Gibson did it to the San Francisco Giants in 1967 …
The Tigers beat the White Sox, 1-0. Opening Day victory for Detroit. Tarik Skubal pitched six scoreless innings. pic.twitter.com/oeW8fDRdj1
— Brad Galli (@BradGalli) March 28, 2024
On his two plays of the game, Greene told Tigers.com: “I had to face my fear. What better place than here?” …
Riley Greene 🔙 with run-saving catches #RepDetroit pic.twitter.com/kd0lLgCZAl
— Bally Sports Detroit (@BallySportsDET) March 28, 2024
The White Sox may be in for a long season. @ChicagoFightSox didn’t care on a sunny, but brisk, opener …
I don’t care about the projections. I’m here. And I love it.#whitesox pic.twitter.com/G8DkkxfLGN
— 𝐂𝐇𝐄𝐅 𝐑𝐔𝐃𝐃𝐘 (@ChicagoFightSox) March 28, 2024
White Sox starter Garrett Crochet made his first-ever start on Opening Day and went 1-2-3 in the top half of the first inning …
Garrett Crochet goes 1 2 3 👏 pic.twitter.com/uSE8iDcMDK
— White Sox Talk (@NBCSWhiteSox) March 28, 2024
A former reliever who called the White Sox front office last offseason to inform the executives he planned on starting in 2024, Crochet delivered Thursday, allowing just one run on five hits in six innings. He struck out eight and walked none …
Garrett Crochet's Disgusting Stuff. pic.twitter.com/JI7Z7b5TJ5
— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) March 28, 2024
Is Skubal a future Cy Young Award winner? He looked like it during his first Opening Day assignment, tossing six scoreless innings, yielding just three hits, striking out six and walking none …
Tarik Skubal, Vicious 88mph Slider…and Sword. ⚔️ pic.twitter.com/c8plkow8wC
— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) March 28, 2024
The Tigers’ new TV broadcaster was honored in his old stomping grounds …
The Chicago White Sox honor Jason Benetti after eight seasons as the voice of the White Sox. 👏👏#RepDetroit pic.twitter.com/ge4qpZmi1y
— Bally Sports Detroit (@BallySportsDET) March 28, 2024
The biggest key to the Tigers’ season could be Javy Baez. After two down offensive seasons, if the shortstop returns to the all-star form, the bottom of the lineup could be dangerous. Baez singled, stole second, took third on a fielder’s choice and scored on a sacrifice fly by Andy Ibanez. It’s the type of “small-ball” run the Tigers want more of this season …
I’m all in for a Javy Baez comeback player of the year campaign https://t.co/wvx1QnEhTG
— Josh Stephens (@JoshLStephens) March 28, 2024
Tigers Chairman and CEO Christopher Ilitch wanted to get an fans-eye view of his current investment …
Tigers owner Chris Ilitch is sitting in the stands at the Opening Day game in Chicago vs. the White Sox pic.twitter.com/pveATnWrZV
— Brad Galli (@BradGalli) March 28, 2024
The Tigers’ owner surely enjoyed seeing Greene match the first of two clutch catches in his new position, left field. With Greene moving to the corner and rookie Parker Meadows in center field, the Tigers fielded two athletic defenders …
Last time Riley Greene played a regular season game, he suffered a season-ending elbow injury on a diving catch here last September. Little different dive today, this time to his right, but still quite a catch. pic.twitter.com/AOkm0MFmWb
— Jason Beck (@beckjason) March 28, 2024
Tigers rookie Colt Keith’s first major league hit. Even if it wasn’t everything he imagined, at least his parents and fiancé were in attendance …
First Major League hit ✔️#RepDetroit @coltkeith3 pic.twitter.com/xsDyzhILIt
— Detroit Tigers (@tigers) March 28, 2024
When things are going bad, right? Andrew Vaughn was called out on strikes in the seventh inning after being nabbed for a pitch-clock violation. The White Sox slugger was not in the batter’s box when the pitch clock hit seven seconds. In an earlier at-bat, Vaughn didn’t get any help from the umpire …
Two blown calls by home plate umpire Brian O’Nora
Cheated Andrew Vaughn out of another good at bat pic.twitter.com/agcXSyPdH6
— Herb Lawrence (@Ecnerwal23) March 28, 2024
Foley utilized strong sinkers to strike out the final two batters he faced, earning the save …
Jason Foley's Vicious Sinkers. 😳 pic.twitter.com/eET4JEhfWL
— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) March 28, 2024
Final score: Tigers 1, White Sox 0
The @Tigers pitch an #OpeningDay shutout! pic.twitter.com/RIpomMOjy5
— MLB (@MLB) March 28, 2024
While Some White Sox fans were just content the game was back, others, like @WhiteSoxCess, are already preparing for a long season …
#whitesox 1L down, 134 to go to break the record.
— WhiteSoxCess (@WhiteSoxCess) March 28, 2024
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