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MLB / With Parker Meadows Returning, Fans React To MLB-Best Detroit Tigers Getting Better … Stronger … Faster

With Parker Meadows Returning, Fans React To MLB-Best Detroit Tigers Getting Better … Stronger … Faster

Jeff Hawkins Written by Sports EditorJeff Hawkins
Updated –
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With two outs and a runner at third base in the bottom of the first inning Monday night, the Chicago White Sox threatened to cut into the Detroit Tigers’ early two-run advantage. 

Andrew Benintendi, one of the last-place White Sox’s proven hitters, delivered a low line drive to center field. Not hesitating and ignoring the risk of allowing the ball to squirt by and roll to the wall for a possible inside-the-park homer, Meadows dived to snare an improbable run-saving catch. 

Meadows stole an out on a liner that had a hit probability rating of .950, according to Statcast. 

Welcome back. 

Activated from the 60-day disabled list Monday, Meadows appeared with the Tigers for the first time since sustaining a nerve injury in the upper arm during the spring-training opener Feb. 22. The 25-year-old went nearly two months without throwing before returning to some limited baseball activities. The past two weeks, he spent a rehabilitation assignment with Class A West Michigan and AAA Toledo.  

X (Twitter) s Meadows and Kerry Carpenter’s first career three-home-run game helped spark the MLB-leading Tigers to a series-opening 13-1 rout at Rate Field. Their actions spoke louder than their post-game interview …

The Tigers were coming off back-to-back 1-0 games against the AL Central-rival Kansas City Royals. Never have the Tigers appeared in three straight such outings. They still haven’t. Carpenter made sure of that, slugging a 2-run homer, three batters into the game … 

The first time through the batting order, the Tigers scored five times off three home runs through 1 1/3 innings. Carpenter’s second homer, a fifth-inning two-run shot, provided the Tigers with an 8-0 lead … 

Following a second-inning walk, Meadows stole second base. The speedster could add an extra dimension to the Tigers. While ranking fourth in runs scored (296), they entered Monday with 21 stolen bases, the fewest in the league. Displaying his speed again in the fifth inning, Meadows legged out a triple. With a 109 mph exit velocity, the extra-base hit marked the Tigers’ 14th hard-hit ball, with eight exit velocities reaching triple digits. Make that 15 and nine. Next batter Carpenter slugged his third homer for a 10-0 lead. The White Sox fell to 18-42 …

One of the MLB’s top stories this season, the Tigers thrived without Meadows. They departed spring training without their top three center fielders, but manager AJ Hinch pieced together one of the league’s top lineups. They are proving it on defense, too, with left fielder Riley Greene running a long way to make a sliding catch … 

Creating one of the Tigers’ top highlights for 2025, catcher Darren Dingler and Zach McKinstry shared in a unique, juggling 2-5 foul pop out. How many similar plays have you seen? … 

Getting back in the flow of the major leagues quickly, Meadows started things off Monday with his run-saving diving effort. The Tigers (40-21) are slated to continue their four-game series in Chicago on Tuesday. How much better, stronger and faster will they become with Meadows returning to the lineup? If one start was an indication …

Jeff Hawkins Written by Sports EditorJeff Hawkins
Jeff Hawkins is an award-winning sportswriter with more than four decades in the industry, in both print and digital media. He ed the Sportscasting team in 2021 following a decade of freelancing. He spent his early career as a reporter for various newspapers in Illinois, New York, Florida, North Carolina, and Michigan, with a particular emphasis as a beat reporter for the Chicago Blackhawks. Jeff earned his bachelor's degree in journalism from Oakland University. Over the course of his career he earned several sports writing awards, including two national awards from the Associated Press Sports Editors for column writing and news reporting. One of the five prized columns included a commentary on NASCAR's increasing corporate influences, particularly in northern racetracks — commentary which you might find Jeff building on as part of the Motorsports writing team at Sportscasting now.  
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