Defense doesn't help Casey Mize in Detroit Tigers' 7-3 loss vs Twins

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MINNEAPOLIS – The Detroit Tigers let the Minnesota Twins load the bases too many times.

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It happened four times.

The Tigers escaped without damage in the second and fifth innings, but the Twins took advantage for three runs in the third inning and two runs in the eighth inning. Two of those innings included defensive mistakes, which are becoming a trend as the Tigers lost, 7-3, to the Twins on Monday, April 6, in the opener of a four-game series at Target Field.

Both teams collected seven walks apiece.

Right-hander Casey Mize surrendered five runs across 4⅓ innings, but the defense didn't help him.

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The Tigers (4-6) and the Twins (4-6) meet again Tuesday (7:40 p.m., Detroit SportsNet) in the showdown between American League Central foes, with left-hander Tarik Skubal making his third start of the 2026 season.

In Monday's game, the Tigers fell behind 3-0 on the scoreboard in Mize's 28-pitch third inning – but not before Mize avoided what could've been a bigger problem in the 29-pitch second inning.

The second inning featured two walks and a fielding error by left fielder Matt Vierling, but Mize stranded the bases loaded when James Outman struck out and Brooks Lee flew out.

He wasn't able to do the same in the third inning.

That's when Byron Buxton doubled, Trevor Larnach singled and Luke Keaschall walked to load the bases, then a trio of Twins cashed in: Victor Caratini had a sacrifice fly (with one out), Matt Wallner produced an RBI single (with two outs) and Royce Lewis delivered an RBI single (with two outs). Those three plate appearances put the Twins ahead, 3-0.

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The key play: On Larnach's single, second baseman Gleyber Torres ranged toward second base and made a sliding backhanded play, but he stumbled on the transfer to first base and his throw pulled first baseman Spencer Torkelson off the bag. It wasn't ruled an error, but had Torres made a clean play, Mize would've gotten out of the third inning without allowing any runs.

The Tigers answered, though.

Three runs in the fourth inning tied the game at 3-3, thanks to Colt Keith's RBI double and Zach McKinstry's two-RBI single.

Both hits occurred against right-hander Joe Ryan, who allowed three runs on three hits and three walks with seven strikeouts across five innings. He threw 101 pitches, averaging more than 20 pitches per inning.

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Keith finished 1-for-4 with one strikeout, but he is hitting .387 with a .972 OPS through nine games.

He entered Monday's game ranked in the 96th percentile with a 95.3 mph average exit velocity, making him due for his first homer in the near future – and a breakout performance in his age-24 season.

The momentum evaporated almost immediately, as Mize surrendered two runs with two outs in the fourth inning, as Luke Keaschall pulled an up-and-in sinker for a two-run home run to left to put the Twins in front, 5-3.

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Mize allowed five runs on seven hits and three walks with four strikeouts across 4⅓ innings, throwing 90 pitches. The 28-year-old owns a 5.23 ERA across two starts.

The velocity on all of Mize's pitches declined throughout his start, including the sinker: 93 mph (first inning), 94 mph (second inning), 93.3 mph (third inning), 91 mph (fourth inning), 91.4 mph (fifth inning).

It was 37 degrees at first pitch.

The Twins loaded the bases for the third and final time in the fifth inning on Caratini's single against Mize, Lewis' walk against right-handed reliever Drew Anderson and Lee's single against Anderson, only for Anderson keep the Twins from scoring when Buxton to popped out on a first-pitch changeup.

Anderson covered three scoreless innings, using 49 pitches.

The Tigers' seven walks included three in a row from Riley Greene, Torkelson and McKinstry in the eighth inning against left-handed reliever Kody Funderburk. Between the second and third walks, Torkelson was thrown out on the bases as a wild pitch deflected off the backstop and directly into the glove of the catcher, who caught Torkelson in a rundown between first and second.

After that, right-handed reliever Cody Laweryson stranded two runners with Vierling's strikeout and Jahmai Jones' pop out.

The Tigers also missed a big scoring opportunity against left-handed reliever Anthony Banda in the sixth inning, when Jones pinch-hit for Parker Meadows with a runner on third base and two outs.

It was a favorable matchup for Jones.

He received four sliders in a row from Banda, who limited right-handed hitters to a .151 batting average with a 28.5% whiff rate against sliders in 2025 – and a .105 average against sliders in 2024.

Sure enough, Jones struck out swinging.

The Twins mirrored the Tigers by walking three times in the eighth inning, including twice against left-handed reliever Brant Hurter, but unlike the Tigers, the Twins turned those free passes into runs.

With two outs, Victor Caratini hit Hurter's two-strike fastball for a two-run single – extending the Twins lead to 7-3.

Contact Evan Petzold at [email protected] or follow him @EvanPetzold.

This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Detroit Tigers glovework lacking in 7-3 loss to Minnesota Twins

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