3 Tigers Winners From Opening Day, 3 Players to Watch in Game 2
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The Detroit Tigers are back in full force, as that was on display Thursday against the San Diego Padres in the season opener. On their way to an 8-2 victory, some clear players stood out, while others faded into the background. But that doesn't mean they won't do anything in game two.
With game two set to take place on Friday night, first pitch being scheduled for 9:40 PM EST, let's take a look at the three best Tigers from the opening day win, followed by three Tigers to watch in game two, against Padres projected starting pitcher, Michael King.
3 Tigers Who Won Opening Day
1. 3B Kevin McGonigle
There is no doubt about who takes number one in who was a winner for the Tigers on Opening Day. Rookie Kevin McGongile made his impact felt right out of the gates, collecting four hits in five at-bats against the Padres. He was also the only hitter in the lineup not to strike out.
McGonigle joined Delino DeShields as the only rookie in the Expansion Era (since 1961), two players aged 21-or-younger have had 4+ hits in their Major League debut, according to Tigers PR on X (formerly Twitter).
2. C Dillon Dingler
The reigning American League Gold Glove catcher started off the season strong, hitting the first Tigers home run of 2026. Additionally, he drove in three RBIs and caught all nine innings behind the plate.
This offseason, Dingler underwent arthroscopic right elbow surgery, which could have poorly impacted Detroit for Opening Day. After his recovery and what he did in spring, which carried into Opening Day, safe to say that the surgery won't impact Dingler this year.
3. SP Tarik Skubal
Can't leave Tarik Skubal off the list, as the back-to-back American League Cy Young displayed why he's the best pitcher on earth. In his 2026 debut, Skubal went six innings, striking out six, allowing three hits and one run to come around to score, though it was unearned.
His command was spot on, throwing 49 of 74 pitches for strikes. Skubal will now get to sit back and watch his team play, getting a front-row seat to the first player to watch when the Tigers play Friday.
3 Players to Watch in Game 2
1. SP Framber Valdez
Making his Tigers debut in game two of the series, Framber Valdez looks to begin his career in Detroit on the right foot. This spring, Valdez was dominant, pitching to an ERA below 1.00 across 18.1 innings, striking out 16 batters to just two walks.
The Tigers are expecting Valdez to help get them to the playoffs and win the AL Central division for the first time since 2014, and what a pickup it is to help them achieve that goal. So long as he gets ground balls, Detroit fans should pick up on the dominance of their one-two punch in Skubal and Valdez.
2. RF Kerry Carpenter
The Tigers outfielder had a quiet day at the plate in San Diego on opening day, getting five at-bats and going 0-5 in all of them with two strikeouts. Anyone who knows the game of Carpenter knows that these days don't happen often, and if he's in the lineup for game two, he should be a name circled to watch.
Carpenter had his best season in the major leagues in 2025, and getting off to a hot start in 2026 would only showcase the depth the Tigers have in the outfield. Just wait until he starts to heat up, folks. Carpenter is the definition of what the Tigers want in a designated hitter/corner outfield bat.
3. LF Riley Greene
Looking to keep the strikeouts down this season, Riley Greene's day at the plate on Opening Day could have been better. He did walk, but he also struck out twice without recording a base hit.
This offseason, Greene's impact was quiet, but still slashed .283 at the dish with two home runs and eight RBI, which makes all the more sense for him to be a player to watch in game two.
It just takes one swing of the bat for Greene to get his mojo back, and while he continues to work on his strikeout rate, he's still the team's MVP when he's hot in the batter's box.
Dominic Minchella is a 2024 Eastern Michigan University graduate with a BA in Communications, Media, and Theatre Arts and a Journalism minor. He covers Major League Baseball for On SI and spends his free time watching games and sharing his insights.