ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — The schedule is brutal, and every game matters.
The Detroit Tigers begin the 2023 season with 40 games in a row against teams with a winning record last season. They won't catch a breather until the middle of May when the Pittsburgh Pirates come to town. Falling out of postseason contention before the summer months, just like the past two seasons, is a real possibility.
Left-hander Eduardo Rodriguez, the Tigers' Opening Day starter in back-to-back seasons, looked sharp but didn't get any run support in a 4-0 loss to the Tampa Bay Rays on Thursday afternoon in front of 25,025 fans at Tropicana Field.