(WXYZ) — The Detroit Tigers will take on the Tampa Bay Rays on Thursday afternoon, starting the 2023 season on the road.
Detroit will play three games in Tampa Bay and then three games on the road in Houston before coming home for Opening Day against the Boston Red Sox in Detroit on April 6.
Related: Photo Gallery: 2023 Detroit Tigers Opening Day roster
The team has finalized its roster for the start of the 2023 season and its pitching lineup, which will see Eduardo Rodriguez get the start for Detroit on Opening Day.
According to Tigers.com, only five of the team's 13 position players have spent a full season in the Major Leagues: Miguel Cabrera, Javier Báez, Jonathan Schoop, Austin Meadows and Eric Haase. There are more pitchers who spent a full season in the MLB.
During Brad Galli's visit to Lakeland, the vision is clear: the youth movement is apparent with eyes on guys like Spencer Torkelson and Riley Greene.
"How much after last season were you itching to get back here and start the season?" Brad asked.
"I was really itching because we got a taste of it, me, Torkelson, the young guys got a taste of it, spending a full season with them, I mean it's going to be a lot of fun," Greene said.
"I feel great. There's a lot of great dudes on the team that have been working really hard this offseason and we're just ready to get after it," Torkelson said.
It's also the first season for Scott Harris, the new Tigers president of baseball operations, who took over for Al Avila.
"Coming off 96 losses, there are no shortcuts back to contention. It starts with putting together a team and an environment that can play competitive baseball every day," Harris said.
Below is the roster and the starting pitcher lineup.
Pitching lineup
- Eduardo Rodriguez – Thursday at Tampa Bay
- Spencer Turnbull – Saturday at Tampa Bay
- Joey Wentz – Sunday at Tampa Bay
- Matthew Boyd – Monday at Houston
- Matt Manning – Tuesday at Houston
Opening Day Roster
Catchers (2)
- Eric Haase
- Jake Rogers
Position Players
- Spencer Torkelson (1B)
- Jonathan Schoop (2B)
- Javier Báez (SS)
- Nick Maton (3B)
- Ryan Kreidler (3B)
- Kerry Carpenter (OF)
- Riley Greene (OF)
- Austin Meadows (OF)
- Matt Vierling (OF)
- Zach McKinstry
- Miguel Cabrera (DH)
Starting pitchers
- Eduardo Rodriguez
- Matthew Boyd
- Joey Wentz
- Spencer Turnbull
- Matt Manning
Relief Pitchers
- Tyler Alexander
- José Cisnero
- Mason Englert
- Jason Foley
- Garrett Hill
- Alex Lange
- Chasen Shreve
- Trey Wingerter
