Kevin McGonigle's four-hit MLB debut powers Tigers past Padres

Field Level Media|published: Thu 26th March, 19:08 2026

Mar 26, 2026; San Diego, California, USA; Detroit Tigers third baseman Kevin McGonigle (7) hits a double during the third inning against the San Diego Padres at Petco Park. Mandatory Credit: David Frerker-Imagn Images

Kevin McGonigle doubled in the first two at-bats of his MLB career, Dillon Dingler homered and drove in three runs and the visiting Detroit Tigers started the season with an 8-2 rout of the San Diego Padres on Thursday.

McGonigle, a 21-year-old who made the jump all the way from Double-A to make the Opening Day roster, looked more than ready as he lined a two-run double to highlight a four-run first inning. Then he doubled again in the third and scored on Parker Meadows' two-run single.

In the fifth, McGonigle slapped a single and rode home when Dingler punished a high fastball from Ron Marinaccio an estimated 403 feet into the left-center-field seats for a two-run blast that made it 8-0. McGonigle singled in the ninth to polish off his 4-for-5 MLB debut.

Given that kind of cushion, Tarik Skubal cruised to the win, permitting three hits and an unearned run while walking none and fanning six in six innings.

After allowing consecutive one-out singles by Xander Bogaerts and Manny Machado, Skubal mowed down 15 straight hitters until losing his shutout in the sixth when Fernando Tatis Jr. reached on an error and Bogaerts laced an RBI double down the left field line to bring him home.

Ramon Laureano accounted for San Diego's other run with a two-out solo homer to left field in the seventh against reliever Drew Anderson.

Coming off a career-best 13-5 season in 2025, Nick Pivetta couldn't find the strike zone with any consistency in his first Opening Day start. He lasted only three innings, allowing seven hits and six runs with three walks and four strikeouts to eat the loss.

All the walks fueled the Tigers' first-inning outburst. After fanning Kerry Carpenter, Pivetta walked Gleyber Torres and gave up a single to Colt Keith. Free passes to Riley Greene and Spencer Torkelson followed, then McGonigle's first double and an RBI single by Dingler capped the rally.

Keith and Dingler each added two hits to Detroit's 12-hit attack. Bogaerts collected two of the Padres' five hits.

--Field Level Media