ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Detroit Tigers right-hander Mason Englert, a 2022 Rule 5 draft pick who came into this season with 15u2153 innings above the High-A level, battled against one of the best young hitters in baseball.
Making his MLB debut, Englert lost the nine-pitch battle to Tampa Bay Rays shortstop Wander Franco in the eighth inning in Thursday's 4-0 loss on Opening Day. A four-seam fastball caught too much of the middle of the strike zone; Franco drilled the heater 402 feet to left-center field for a solo home run.
Englert retired the next three batters.