Dietrich Enns shines in MLB return as Tigers run away from A's

Chris McCosky, The Detroit News on Jun 26, 2025

Published in Baseball

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DETROIT — Sometimes it happens like you dream it. Or pretty darn close to it.

Lefty Dietrich Enns’ last big league start was Sept. 24, 2021. He’s traveled a long, long road to get back. And he certainly made the most of his return.

The 34-year-old Central Michigan product allowed one hit over five impressive innings Thursday, helping the Tigers beat the Athletics, 8-0, and take the three-game series at Comerica Park.

“I’m proud of him for the journey,” Tigers manager AJ Hinch said. “He’s been around the world and worked his way back.”

Literally.

Enns, who last pitched in the big leagues with the Rays, spent 2022 and 2023 in Japan and last season pitched in Korea. The Tigers signed him and after he made a strong impression this spring, he was dominant in 14 starts at Triple-A Toledo (2.89 ERA with 71 strikeouts in 62 1/3 innings).

“Reliable human, reliable pitcher,” Hinch said. “He earned his way back here by how he pitched in Triple-A. I told him he got called up because he can help us win.”

Enns got into the game with an eight-pitch, six-strike first inning and only had to work out of one mess.

In the third inning, Eastern Michigan product Max Schuemann rolled an infield single to the left side of the infield — the only hit Enns allowed — and stole second. He advanced to third on a flyout.

But Enns left him there, getting the dangerous Brent Rooker to bounce into a 5-4-3 double play.

Smartly mixing change-ups, cutters and curveballs off well-located 93-mph four-seam fastballs, Enns struck out four and got six ground-ball outs. The Athletics put 11 balls in play against him with a mild average exit velocity of 81.4 mph.

“He dove right in with our pitching group,” Hinch said. “He’s not just doing the same thing over and over again, hoping for a new opportunity. He refined his change-up. He’s learned count leverage a little better. His arsenal has shifted.

“Adjustments don’t mean a complete overhaul. It just means subtle tweaks and the performance followed.”

It was Enns’ third big league win. His other two were against the Tigers, Sept. 11 at Comerica and Sept. 16 at Tropicana Field.

Spencer Torkelson got the offense started, lining a change-up from lefty Jeffrey Springs over the wall in left field. It was his 17th homer and his first since June 10. He’d gone 44 plate appearances between homers and was 4 for 37 in that stretch.

They stretched the lead to 3-0 in the third. Jahmai Jones bounced one over the bag at third base that eluded Max Muncy and caromed off the side wall for a double.

Parker Meadows scored easily from second and Gleyber Torres hustled around from first.

Torres padded the Tigers’ lead with an opposite-field, two-run homer to right off reliever J.T. Ginn in the seventh. It was his eighth homer.

The Tigers, specifically Zach McKinstry, ran themselves out of a couple scoring opportunities.

With runners at first and second and one out in the fourth, McKinstry broke for third base on a 2-2 pitch to Jake Rogers. Perhaps he thought the count was full, but he stopped, got in a rundown and was tagged out.

With two outs in the sixth, McKinstry singled and stole second base. He tried to score on an infield ground ball by Javier Baez. Baez was safe on a throwing error by Muncy but McKinstry was thrown out at the plate by first baseman and former Tiger Gio Urshela.

McKinstry more than made up for the outs on the bases. He had three hits and paid full penance in the eighth inning by ripping a two-run triple into the right-field corner off lefty TJ McFarland. He leads the American League with eight triples.

The Tigers (51-31) continue to pile up series wins. They’ve won 18 of 25 series with one tie. They’ve won 10 of 13 series at Comerica Park.