What to know about new Detroit Tigers prospects in Jack Flaherty trade
Chris Clegg, founder of The Dynasty Dugout, breaks down who the Detroit Tigers received by trading Jack Flaherty to the Los Angeles Dodgers.
It wasn’t a start, but it was an MLB debut to remember for Detroit Tigers left-hander Brant Hurter.
The 25-year-old, a starter who had a 5.80 ERA across 71⅓ innings in Triple-A Toledo, joined the Tigers’ 11-man bullpen as a bulk reliever. He appeared in his first game Sunday against the Kansas City Royals, completing three scoreless innings with three strikeouts.
Hurter impressed, but a bad pitch from a different reliever resulted in the Tigers losing to the Royals, 3-2, in Sunday’s finale of four games to drop the series at Comerica Park.
“Tough loss because we were in position to win,” manager A.J. Hinch said, “and we had the avenues to get to the finish line. That’s a gut punch.”
WELCOME TO THE SHOW: Tigers promote left-hander Brant Hurter from Triple-A Toledo for MLB debut
Right-handed reliever Shelby Miller, a 12-year veteran, surrendered a three-run home run with two outs in the ninth inning. He hung a first-pitch splitter to pinch-hitter MJ Melendez, who drove the ball over the wall in right field.
“They’re going to unleash all those lefties at any point,” Hinch said. “Shelby has given up eight hits to lefties on the year coming into that inning. Two two-strike hits, and then a bad split to a hitter that can hit the ball out of the ballpark, and it changes the whole landscape of the game.”
The Tigers (53-60) have lost 10 of their past 14 games.
Hurter handled the fifth, sixth and seventh innings against the Royals without issuing a walk while working around two hits, throwing 26 of 36 pitches for strikes. He generated six whiffs on 19 swings with one sinker, two sweepers and three fastballs.
His three scoreless innings protected the Tigers’ slim lead.
“The big thing with me is my balls move all which ways,” Hurter said. “Throwing strikes and getting ahead is the big thing. I’ll get soft contact if I do that. If they’re able to spit on certain pitches, I’m a lot less successful.”
Hurter allowed singles to Vinnie Pasquantino and Hunter Renfroe in the sixth inning, but he escaped trouble by striking out Paul DeJong swinging with an up-and-in 92.9 mph four-seam fastball.
Before that, Hurter — who is still learning to command his changeup to right-handed hitters — struck out Salvador Pérez for the first strikeout of his MLB career. He fanned the veteran catcher, a nine-time All-Star in his 13-year career, with a down-and-away sweeper for the second out in the sixth inning.
“It was super cool,” Hurter said. “I think I threw a sinker away that he chased, so I threw a slider off that and was able to get the swing and miss. That was a really cool moment for me.”
Hurter also struck out Dairon Blanco looking with a sweeper to complete his three-inning relief appearance.
“Brant was great,” catcher Dillon Dingler said. “He was controlling the zone really, really well with pretty much every shape that he had. I was super happy for him. He had some great innings out of the bullpen there. I know he’s probably floating right now. I’m really looking forward to what he can do moving forward.”
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The Tigers removed Hurter — in favor of right-handed reliever Will Vest — before he could have a second matchup with the top of the Royals’ batting order, anchored by superstar Bobby Witt Jr., in the eighth inning.
Vest did his job, but Miller didn’t take care of his business.
In the ninth inning, Miller allowed a leadoff single to Renfroe and a one-out single to Freddy Fermin. The Royals ended up with runners on the corners and two outs. Melendez stepped to the plate as a pinch-hitter, representing the go-ahead run, then crushed a three-run home run.
After the homer, Miller owns a 5.85 ERA in 40 innings this season.
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The Tigers scored one run in the second inning and one run in the fifth inning.
Zach McKinstry sparked the second-inning run with a two-out triple on a first-pitch fastball from right-hander Michael Wacha. Dingler, a rookie catcher playing in his third game, worked a four-pitch walk to extend the inning. With runners on the corners, Gio Urshela hit a down-and-away cutter for a ground-ball single into left field, which scored McKinstry from third base for a 1-0 lead.
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A leadoff walk from Javier Báez sparked the fifth-inning run. He advanced to third on Colt Keith’s one-out single, and then he scored on Matt Vierling’s sacrifice fly to right field, taking a 2-0 lead.
The Tigers then loaded the bases with an ensuing single from Justyn-Henry Malloy and a walk by Bligh Madris, but McKinstry grounded out to strand the runners.
There was also an opportunity to extend the lead in the sixth inning, with runners on the corners for Wenceel Pérez, but Pérez grounded into an inning-ending double play.
Wacha allowed two runs on seven hits and four walks with two strikeouts across six innings, throwing 99 pitches. The Tigers had quality plate appearances throughout those six innings but failed to get the big swing to put up a crooked number on the scoreboard.
The Tigers didn’t bring Hurter into the game until the fifth inning, even though he has worked as a starting pitcher throughout his career in the minor leagues.
“He attacked the strike zone with his best stuff,” Hinch said of Hurter. “He used all of this pitches, which was great. He can fall in the trap of falling in love with the sinker to get the ball on the ground because when it does, you want more of the same. … I though the handled the emotions of today extremely well.”
Instead, the Tigers started right-handed reliever Alex Faedo.
The combination of Faedo and right-handed reliever Brenan Hanifee completed the first four innings. Faedo covered 1⅔ scoreless innings, working around two hits and one walk with three strikeouts; Hanifee covered 2⅓ scoreless innings with one strikeout.
Faedo owns a 3.69 ERA across 53⅔ innings this season.
Contact Evan Petzold at epetzold@freepress.com or follow him @EvanPetzold.
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St. Hubert pastor discusses the Archdiocese of Detroit’s restructuring
The Rev. Douglas Bignall of St. Hubert Catholic Church in Harrison Township discusses the ongoing restructuring effort by the Archdiocese of Detroit on Tuesday, May 19, 2026.
The list of churches targeted for the possible stoppage of weekend Masses has grown to at least 58 parishes across southeast Michigan, according to the latest proposed models the Archdiocese of Detroit had released as part of its major restructuring process through Friday.
At least 22 parishes under the first round of proposed models wouldn’t hold weekend Mass. The archdiocese has been divided into 15 planning areas, or geographic areas, and three or four models are being proposed for each planning area, said the Rev. Mario Amore, executive director of parish renewal for the Archdiocese of Detroit.
The archdiocese has been holding listening sessions with parishioners this spring as part of its restructuring plan to get reactions.
The models have different proposed groupings of parishes, in which a grouping would share a pastor and potentially other priests. In some cases, selected churches in the grouping would no longer hold Sunday Mass.
The Archdiocese of Detroit released on May 22 and this past week the model proposals for another five planning areas, including areas of Macomb County, Oakland County and Detroit. Around 36 more parishes would no longer hold Mass in the future under the latest proposals.
Bunches of churches in Detroit would be affected, while four parishes in Troy and three parishes in Clinton Township wouldn’t have Saturday Vigil Mass or Sunday Mass under each of the proposed models presented for their planning areas.
Archdiocese of Detroit spokesperson Holly Fournier said the archdiocese has heard a wide range of reactions about the proposed models, which is “understandable given how personal parish life is for people.”
“Some pastors and parishioners are hopeful about opportunities for stronger collaboration and renewed ministry, while others are experiencing more uncertainty and concern, especially in places where one or more models suggest a parish might no longer host weekend Masses in the future,” she said.
Fournier emphasized that the models are “draft models” and aren’t final decisions.
The models for the final six planning areas will be released in June, according to the restructuring website.
The models are part of the archdiocese’s biggest restructuring plan in years. Announced last fall, Archbishop Edward Weisenburger said the archdiocese can’t maintain the roughly 200 existing parish buildings it has and is working to “right-size” the archdiocese, along with its personnel and financial resources.
Fournier said the draft models were developed by priests earlier this year and are being presented in listening sessions as proposals “meant to spark broader consultation with the faithful.” Each parish in the archdiocese is holding listening sessions this spring or early summer.
In other dioceses that have undergone restructuring processes like the Archdiocese of Detroit’s, as many as 20-40% of the initial models were changed as a result of parishioner feedback, Fournier said.
“That is why it is so important for Catholics to attend their parish listening sessions to view these models and provide their honest feedback, so informed adjustments can be made where necessary,” she said in an email.
One of the most heavily affected groupings is Planning Area 1, which includes west Detroit. Ten of its 13 parishes would not have Saturday Vigil Mass or Sunday Mass in at least one of the model plans. They include Christ the King, Presentation/Our Lady of Victory, SS. Peter and Paul (Jesuit), SS. Peter and Paul (Westside), St. Charles Lwanga Church, St. Mary of Redford, St. Moses the Black Parish, St. Peter Claver Parish, St. Scholastica and St. Suzanne-Our Lady Gate of Heaven, all of which are in Detroit.
Planning Area 9, which includes southeastern Oakland County, has between 15 and 19 parishes, depending on the model. Ten of the parishes wouldn’t hold weekend Mass in at least one of the models. Four of them are in Troy.
They include St. Lucy in Troy, St. Elizabeth Ann Seton in Troy, Christ Our Light in Troy, St. Thomas More in Troy, St. Owen in Bloomfield Township, Our Lady of La Salette in Berkley, Our Mother of Perpetual Help in Oak Park, St. Justin-St. Mary Magdalen in Hazel Park, St. Vincent Ferrer in Madison Heights and Divine Providence in Southfield.
Planning Area 10, which includes all of northern Oakland County and parts of western Oakland County, has 19 to 22 parishes, depending on the model. Seven would stop holding weekend Mass in at least one of the models, including St. Benedict in Waterford Township, St. Thomas More in Troy, Sacred Heart in Auburn Hills, St. John Fisher Chapel University Parish in Auburn Hills, St. Perpetua in Waterford Township, St. Rita in Holly and Prince of Peace in West Bloomfield Township.
Planning Area 12, which includes parts of southern and eastern Macomb County, has 16 parishes. Four Warren parishes and three Clinton Township parishes would stop holding Mass under the draft models.
St. Louise de Marillac in Warren wouldn’t hold Saturday Vigil or Sunday Mass in two of the three draft models presented by the archdiocese. Six other parishes would not hold weekend Mass in only one of the models, including St. Louis in Clinton Township, San Francesco in Clinton Township, St. Ronald in Clinton Township, St. Martin de Porres in Warren, St. Faustina in Warren and St. Mark in Warren.
Planning Area 13, which includes areas of central and northern Macomb County and a parish in Troy, has 14 or 16 parishes, depending on the draft model. Three parishes in the planning area wouldn’t have weekend Mass under at least one of the models: St. Jane Frances de Chantal in Sterling Heights, St. Matthias in Sterling Heights and SS. John and Paul in Washington Township.
Amore said that if a church stops holding Sunday Mass, parishioners are encouraged to worship at other churches in their “pastorate,” which is a grouping of parishes overseen by a pastor. In the long term, the church building might close, or other sacramental celebrations might take place there, such as weddings and baptisms, he said.
The parish’s buildings could also be repurposed for other uses, such as religious education classes.
Fournier said the proposed models are meant to “foster discussion and discernment.”
“We encourage Catholics to stay engaged in the process, share their feedback honestly, and remember that the goal is not simply organizational change, but ensuring vibrant Catholic communities for future generations,” she said.
asnabes@detroitnews.com
Detroit’s dining scene just got even more flavorful with the opening of Sunda New Asian, bringing modern Southeast Asian cuisine to the city.
Restaurant owner Billy Dec joins the show to share what guests can expect from the new hotspot, from bold dishes and incredible cocktails to an energetic atmosphere.
Watch the video above to see what’s cooking up at Sunda New Asian.
Copyright 2026 by WDIV ClickOnDetroit – All rights reserved.
Detroit Lions podcast includes Purple Insider Matthew Coller to talk about NFC North offseason moves.
Nolan and Richard are joined by Purple Insider Matthew Coller to talk about NFC North offseason moves.
By this point in the offseason, it’s well documented who the Detroit Lions have added, as well as who they’ve lost.
Former Carolina Panthers center Cade Mays was the prize of free agency. He’ll replace Graham Glasgow in the middle of Detroit’s offensive line. Clemson’s Blake Miller, selected 17th overall in April’s draft, is poised to quickly take over at the tackle spot opposite Penei Sewell, stepping in for Taylor Decker. The pass rush was overhauled across from Aidan Hutchinson, with Ahmed Hassanein and Tyler Lacy being the only other edge defenders still on the roster from last season.
Today, we’ll try to take our analysis a step further, identifying a few patterns within Detroit’s offseason approach and exploring what those acquisitions, retentions and departures mean for a Lions team looking to bounce back and reemerge as a title contender in 2026.
Detroit’s offense had its own share of issues throughout 2025. But what the defense produced down the stretch with the season on the line failed to meet reasonable expectations. Opponents averaged 28.1 points and 382.1 yards per game from Weeks 12-18, a stretch that resulted in four losses. Pinning all of Detroit’s defensive woes on one factor would be foolish (and you can’t ignore the role injuries played), but an inconsistent, at best, pass rush certainly didn’t help. The Lions owned the third-slowest time to pressure (2.86 seconds) in the NFL last season, according to Next Gen Stats.
Aside from the retooling opposite Hutchinson, the Lions also seemingly put an emphasis on acquiring interior defensive linemen who can get after the passer. Levi Onwuzurike is back after his contract tolled last season — Josh Paschal, a run-defending lineman who also had his contract tolled but was released in March, wasn’t afforded the same opportunity — and the Lions spent a couple of late-round draft picks on Texas Tech’s Skyler Gill-Howard and Tennessee’s Tyre West. Both players were drafted because of the flashes they’ve shown as pass rushers, particularly Gill-Howard, whose win rate in 2025 (14.4%) ranked 10th out of the 512 FBS interior defenders who rushed the passer on at least 100 snaps, according to Pro Football Focus.
Copying the Super Bowl champions isn’t always wise — every team’s personnel has its own set of skills — but it’s striking how much Detroit’s defense differed from that of the Seattle Seahawks, who rode their defense on the way to winning the franchise’s second title. The Lions led the league in use of base defense (three linebackers) last season, deploying those packages for 657 plays, according to Next Gen Stats. The Seahawks were last, with 66 plays. It was the opposite for use of nickel defense (five defensive backs), with the Seahawks leading the league (815) and the Lions at 32nd (355). Of course, Seattle is unique, given head coach Mike Macdonald’s defensive system and nickelback Nick Emmanwori’s immediate impact as a rookie.
The Lions won’t overhaul their entire scheme in one offseason, but it’s difficult to see their moves in totality and not come away thinking they could lean more on nickel packages in 2026. Alex Anzalone, one of the league’s better linebackers against the pass, allowed the Lions to play base defense as much as they did, as he was comfortable in coverage. He’s now with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The Lions added a number of viable options to play nickelback next season, including veterans Christian Izien Jr. and Roger McCreary, as well as fifth-round rookie Keith Abney II (Arizona State).
Assuming the starting five, from left to right, winds up being Sewell, Christian Mahogany, Mays, Tate Ratledge and Miller, Detroit’s offensive line will have an average age of 25.2 next season. That’s down from 2025 (27.8) and 2024 (29.8). In no way does the influx of youth indicate surefire success, but the Lions would certainly be set up for sustained success if each of the five projected starters reach their ceilings. The offensive line could be even younger if 2025 fifth-rounder Miles Frazier, who is 11 months younger than Mahogany, wins the starting job at left guard. Juice Scruggs, another contender at left guard, is nine months older than Mahogany. Ben Bartch, 27, is the veteran option.
Whether Mays continues ascending at center will be key to Detroit’s success in 2026. He’s only started 20 games at the position over his four seasons in the NFL, and all of those starts have come within the last two years. He showed week-to-week growth in his 12 starts in 2025, enough for the Lions to commit $25 million ($14 million guaranteed) to him over the next three years. Mays surrendered 13 pressures last season and didn’t allow sack, according to PFF.
rsilva@detroitnews.com
@rich_silva18
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