Jahmai

Jones

Carpenter will take a seat with left-hander Ranger Suarez toeing the slab for the Red Sox. Jahmai Jones will function as the team’s designated hitter and will bat third for the Tigers on Friday night.

With Kris Bubic on the mound, the Tigers will again sit Keith, move Kevin McGonigle to third base, and let Javier Baez play shortstop. Keith did struggle in limited at-bats versus lefties last year, but over 135 plate appearances in his career, Keith is slashing .254/.304/.302 against lefties with a 26 percent strikeout rate. Unfortunately for him, Baez, Wenceel Perez, and Matt Vierling all have much more success versus lefties. The only hope for Keith would be that he could steal playing time from Jahmai Jones, who has slahed .251/.342/.485 against lefties in 190 career plate appearances. Maybe the Tigers would allow their former top 25 overall prospect more at-bats at the expense of a journeyman bench bat.

It’s a tough break for Jones since he likely would’ve been in the lineup to face Royals southpaw Cole Ragans. The 28-year-old utility specialist should be ready to go once he’s feeling better later this week.

McGonigle’s ability to generate consistent hard contact in tandem with elite contact skills at such a young age makes it strangely difficult to imagine a future where he isn’t an impactful fantasy contributor. That future might become reality in a few weeks on Opening Day. The 21-year-old prodigy’s path to a spot on Detroit’s season-opening roster got easier with Trey Sweeney sidelined with a shoulder injury and leaves super utility specialist Zach McKinstry as the lone obstacle in his way. A strong performance in Grapefruit League exhibition contests would make it extremely challenging for the Tigers to ship him back to the minors. He’ll be a popular sleeper candidate in all fantasy drafts this spring, especially if he starts making some noise at the dish. Here is the full lineup: Jahmai Jones (RF), McGonigle (SS), Gleyber Torres (2B), Colt Keith (3B), Jake Rogers (DH), Jace Jung (1B), Trei Cruz (CF), Eduardo Valencia (C) and Corey Julks (LF).

Jones led off the game with a single off of Connelly Early, but he never advanced past first base. He then strolled to the dish with the bases loaded and two outs in the fifth inning and he lined a two-run single into left field that put the Tigers ahead 2-1 and proved to be the difference in the ballgame. He has been an integral part of the Tigers’ lineup against southpaws in the second half of the season and is slashing a healthy .287/.357/.550 with seven long balls and 23 RBI in 150 plate appearances on the season.

Jones broke the game open with a two-run double in the fourth inning that increased the Tigers’ lead to 3-0 and set them up with two runners in scoring position with zero outs. They wouldn’t score again in the inning — or for the rest of the game — blowing a late lead add another gut punch to their late-season collapse. Jones has done a nice job mashing lefties for the Tigers, slashing .280/.384/.552 with seven homers and 21 RBI in only 146 plate appearances.

It’s the second straight game that the 28-year-old slugger finds himself on the bench with an opposing left-hander on the mound. Look for him to get an at-bat in a key spot against a right-handed reliever at some point on Friday evening. Jahmai Jones will start in his place as the designated hitter and bat leadoff for the Tigers against Kyle Harrison and the Red Sox on Friday night at Fenway Park.

Jones walloped a full-count sinker from Messick for his 400-foot (110.3 mph EV) blast that put the Tigers ahead to stay. That would be his lone hit in three at-bats on the night. For the season, the dynamic 28-year-old is slashing .276/.378/.545 with seven homers, 19 RBI and two stolen bases in 143 plate appearances.

Jones got the game started with a bang for the Tigers, crushing the second pitch that Martín Pérez threw for a 374-foot (104.4 mph EV) solo shot that gave the Tigers an early lead they would never relinquish. He also drew a two-out walk in the fourth inning and rode home on Gleyber Torres’ three-run shot. He has done a nice job as a lefty-masher for the Tigers, slashing .276/.367/.562 with six homers, 18 RBI and two stolen bases in 120 plate appearances.

Jones led off the bottom of the first with absolute bomb to left field off Sean Manaea, which checked in at 429 feet. He would later add a double and two more singles, including one which briefly gave the Tigers the lead in the fourth. Jones has found some opportunities against left-handed starters, but likely not enough to prove consistent value in mixed fantasy leagues.