.jpg)
2 hours ago
3
After connecting on his first MLB home run, Detroit Tigers rookie Gage Workman touched home plate and reached out to embrace an old friend Sunday night.
Wearing the No. 99 uniform in his first MLB game with the organization that drafted him in the fourth round in 2020, Workman hugged Spencer Torkelson, a former Arizona State teammate.
The two-run shot traveled 382 feet with an exit velocity of 101.4 mph, snapping a 3-3, sixth-inning tie with the Kansas City Royals. Boosted by Workman, the Tigers snapped a five-game losing streak with a 6-3 victory at Kauffman Stadium. Both AL Central rivals are 19-22.
Starting Sunday on the bench, Workman entered as a pinch hitter for shortstop Zach Short and slammed an 85-mph slider into the right field seats, barely clearing the foul pole.
The Tigers needed a lift.
The newcomer delivered.
Gage Workman's first MLB homer boosts Tigers
Workman's professional career started after he received a $1 million signing bonus in '20. Workman remained in the Tigers' system from 2021-24, rising to Double-A Erie. Pilfering Workman through the 2024 Rule 5 Draft, the Chicago Cubs carried him on the Opening Day roster.
The rookie struggled through his nine-game audition and was traded to the Chicago White Sox. Workman's stint on the South Side lasted just three outings before he injured his hip.
Workman returned to the Tigers' organization last May. Assigned to Triple-A Toledo, Workman developed into the Mud Hens' premier offensive threat, slashing .358/.413/.590 with four homers, 28 RBI and 12 stolen bases.
Workman, a shortstop by trade, has experience throughout the infield and 53 minor league games in the outfield, including 21 in center field for the Mud Hens.
Carpenter on Saturday suffered an AC joint sprain in his left shoulder after misplaying Bobby Witt Jr.'s grounder down the right-field line. The Tigers' right fielder hit the foul-territory wall aggressively as Witt cruised around the bases in 14.13 seconds for an infield-the-park home run.
English (US)