Daily News 19

Tag: John Peck

  • Spencer Torkelson’s Home Run Helps Tigers Defeat Twins in 12-Inning Thriller

    Spencer Torkelson’s Home Run Helps Tigers Defeat Twins in 12-Inning Thriller

    The Detroit Tigers outlasted the Minnesota Twins in a 12-inning battle Wednesday, winning 11-6 at Target Field after Spencer Torkelson delivered a decisive two-run home run in the 12th inning.

    With the score tied 6-6, Torkelson led off the inning by launching the second pitch from Tommy Nance into the left-field bleachers for his 21st home run of the season. The Tigers then loaded the bases with two outs before Javier Báez cleared them with a double down the right-field line.

    Torkelson’s homer lifts Tigers in extra innings

    Detroit’s victory came after Kyle Finnegan allowed the tying run to score in the 11th inning. Finnegan stranded the potential winning run at third by striking out Kody Clemens and inducing Ryan Jeffers to ground out to end the frame.

    The Tigers had taken a 5-2 lead before their bullpen surrendered the advantage in the eighth inning. Five of the first six Minnesota batters reached base against Drew Sommers and Kenley Jansen. Royce Lewis followed with a two-run single to tie the game, but Jansen and Tyler Holton each struck out a batter to leave two runners in scoring position.

    After Max Clark opened the 11th with a double that scored automatic runner Ben Malgeri from second, the Twins responded in the bottom half of the inning with Luke Keaschall’s RBI single.

    Detroit gets key contributions from rookies

    Starter Drew Anderson allowed one earned run over 5 2/3 innings, while John Peck, Detroit’s No. 20 prospect, recorded his first two Major League hits and drove in three runs. Clark doubled three times and scored three runs.

    Anderson faced early trouble when he clipped the jersey of Twins leadoff hitter Keaschall. Two batters later, first baseman Colt Keith could not handle a Clemens grounder, putting runners on first and second with one out.

    That brought Jeffers to the plate after he had hit three home runs against the Tigers over the previous two nights. Anderson won the matchup by getting Jeffers to ground a changeup to shortstop, where Peck started an inning-ending double play.

    Peck then made an impact offensively in the second inning. Eduardo Valencia led off with a single, and Clark doubled one out later. Peck crushed a Dean Kremer cutter to the base of the wall in left-center field for a two-run double.

    The Tigers added two more runs in the fifth before Peck provided additional insurance with a single that scored Clark, who had doubled to lead off the sixth.

    Twins rally but fall short

    Anderson ran into another threat in the fourth inning after walking Clemens to begin the frame. Jeffers followed immediately with an RBI double, putting the tying run on second base with nobody out. Anderson retired the next three hitters, striking out two of them, to end the danger.

    Minnesota cut the deficit to 5-2 in the sixth when Kevin McGonigle’s two-out throwing error allowed an unearned run to score. The Twins later tied the game in the eighth but could not produce another big hit with runners on base.

    After dropping the first two games of the series by a combined 26-3 score, Detroit secured a much-needed win and gained momentum heading into a four-game weekend series against the Cleveland Guardians.

    Source: www.mlb.com

  • John Peck, Tigers’ No. 20 Prospect, Called Up

    John Peck, Tigers’ No. 20 Prospect, Called Up

    The Detroit Tigers have promoted infield prospect John Peck from Triple-A Toledo, adding another promising player from their farm system to the Major League roster. Peck was in the dugout Monday for the Tigers’ game against the Minnesota Twins in Minneapolis.

    Manager A.J. Hinch said Peck, ranked Detroit’s No. 20 prospect by MLB Pipeline, would not start Monday. However, he is expected to start at shortstop Tuesday and Wednesday at Target Field.

    “We obviously really like him defensively, and we liked how he’s developed offensively over the last couple of seasons,” Hinch said.

    To create room for Peck on the Major League roster, Detroit optioned outfielder Corey Julks to Triple-A Toledo.

    John Peck’s path to the Tigers

    The Tigers selected Peck in the seventh round of the 2023 MLB Draft out of Pepperdine. He played under former Tigers shortstop and then-Waves assistant coach Danny Worth, who played an important role in preparing him for a professional baseball career.

    Peck now follows Worth into Detroit’s infield after putting together two impressive seasons in the Tigers’ farm system. His 2025 campaign has been particularly notable despite being shortened by an injury.

    “He’s a mature guy with just the way he goes about his actions and his business,” Hinch said. “I just told him today he doesn’t have to be perfect. He’s seen some of his former teammates come up and survive the transition. So it should make him believe before he has to go out and do it.

    “And I told him he’s here to stay. I want him to get some time on the field and coming off the bench in some games, just get himself used to this level because he has the skills to play reliable defense, show a little bit of power, and see where this opportunity takes him.”

    Peck’s minor-league performance

    Peck made a strong impression during Spring Training as a non-roster invitee to the Tigers’ Major League camp. He carried that momentum into Double-A Erie, where he posted a .285/.328/.511 slash line with 10 home runs, 17 doubles, three triples, 44 RBIs and 19 stolen bases in 58 games.

    Detroit promoted Peck to Triple-A Toledo on June 23, but he played in only two games for the Mud Hens before landing on the injured list. He returned to Toledo earlier this week after a rehabilitation assignment and went 7-for-14 with one double, one RBI, three walks and three stolen bases.

    Peck has played primarily at shortstop, including all four of his games with Toledo this past week, but he is capable of playing throughout the infield. His reliable infield defense could place him alongside fellow 2023 draftee Kevin McGonigle and Javier Báez in Detroit’s shortstop mix.

    Tigers continue promoting prospects

    The Tigers have added several prospects to their Major League roster this summer, including top prospect Max Clark, infielder Hao-Yu Lee, outfielders Ben Malgeri and Brett Callahan, and catcher Eduardo Valencia.

    Clark and McGonigle were first-round picks, Peck was selected in the seventh round, and Callahan was taken in the 13th round of the 2023 MLB Draft. Pitching call-up Andrew Sears, selected in the 10th round, was also part of that draft class.