Latest news with #JahmaiJones
New York Times
a day ago
- Sport
- New York Times
Jahmai Jones, a father's memory and a Detroit legacy that lives on
DETROIT — Jahmai Jones has three words stitched on his outfield glove. Flip the switch. That's one of the mantras his late father, Andre, always preached. He taught his children to be kind and compassionate off the field. But when the lights came on, when the game started, he wanted them to be focused and intense. Advertisement Like that glove, there are other reminders. Jahmai still has a Bible verse in his social media bios. Matthew 10:16, a verse Andre often recited to his children. I am sending you out like sheep among wolves. Therefore be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves. He owns a pendant inscribed with a message that reminds him of his father. Those are the small things. The daily reminders of who Andre Jones was and what he stood for. 'I don't know,' Jahmai said this weekend, 'if I've had a single day when I haven't given thought to something or something hasn't come up that I'd love to share with him or talk about or ask for advice. Doesn't matter. It's every day.' Andre was a football player at Notre Dame from 1987 to 1990. He won a national title with the Fighting Irish, then played as a defensive end for the Detroit Lions in 1992. Jahmai was 13 the day it happened, the day everything changed. Andre passed out in the bathroom. The ambulance came and whisked him to the hospital. At first, the family hoped it was something minor. Then they learned Andre suffered a brain aneurysm. There was no brain activity. Like that, he was gone at age 42. 'It's just a hard thing to explain to someone who hasn't experienced it,' Jahmai said. 'It was just very foreign. It was very foreign to me until it happened. Once it happened, you're like, 'Man, there's all these emotions that come with it.' All these experiences you have to go through.' Jahmai, one of six children, was about to start his freshman year of high school in Georgia. He was old enough to understand, to process, to remember. But the thing about grief is that it's an ongoing emotion. No set endpoint. Not a linear progression. It's a loop, one that can go back or forward or repeat without warning. The feelings and memories might fade. Then it can catch you out of nowhere, hitting all fresh and new again. Advertisement It's not always sadness. Not even pain. Maybe just a thought, an idea, a reflection and a reminder of something no longer there. 'I think now, especially, I'm 27,' Jahmai said. 'Thirteen years later (my understanding) is a lot different. But the thoughts, still thinking about him, have not changed from 13 to now.' A post shared by Jahmai Jones (@jamjones7) It's there in the lonely quiet of daily life. Thoughts, mantras, pendants. Sometimes it's more palpable in the big moments, when you want to share something with someone who is gone. Jahmai thought of that a lot on Friday when he was called up to play for the Detroit Tigers, here in the same city where his father and older brother, T.J., both played for the Detroit Lions. T.J. was a receiver from 2015 to 2018, had 64 receptions over four seasons. That's the last time Jahmai was in Detroit, across the street at Ford Field watching his brother play. Another brother, Malachi, played in the Arena Football League and the CFL. 'Detroit's got a special place in my heart just because of the family side,' he said. 'Being able to do it myself and add to it, it's everything I can ask for.' Jahmai thought of Dad soon after he got the call and learned he was coming to Detroit. A car service picked him up from a minor-league series in Columbus, Ohio. He scrambled to pack his hotel room, grab his baseball gear and pack it all in the car. 'I got all the necessities,' he said. 'I got my wallet. Got my phone. Got my keys. Got my baseball stuff. Everything else, I'll figure it out later. If the clothes get left, the clothes get left.' He thought of his father as he finally arrived at Comerica Park and dove straight into preparing for the game. He credits his parents as the primary reason he is here. Andre was a larger-than-life influence. His mother, Michele, raised the kids as a single mother after Andre's death. For all the tiny reminders, Jones said he honors his father the most by the way he tries to live his life. Advertisement 'How he wanted his kids to carry themselves throughout the world, it's a testament to him and my mom,' Jones said. 'Love the people that I love and be caring to others. That's all a reflection of him.' And he surely thought of his father in the aftermath of a thrilling game Friday night, one when he was summoned from the bench to pinch hit in the eighth inning. He hit a home run on the first pitch he saw. The Tigers beat the Chicago Cubs 3-1 in a matchup of two of the league's best teams. In a series in which the Tigers took two of three from the powerful Cubs, Jones was the prevailing story of the weekend. 'I thought about it a lot last night,' Jones said Saturday morning. 'Talking with my wife, talking with my family. It's kind of a full-circle moment.' It's been a strange year for Jones. There was the serendipity of signing a minor-league deal with the Tigers, of having the chance to carry on his family's Detroit sports legacy. The Tigers identified Jones as a valuable right-handed bat who could play all over the diamond, the type of player who very much fits their M.O. 'We chased him hard from the very beginning of minor-league free agency,' Tigers manager A.J. Hinch said. 'Our front office did a nice job of identifying him but also seeking him on how we could maximize his skill set.' Jones showed up to spring training on the fringes. A second-round pick in 2015, Jones is now playing for his sixth organization. He quickly impressed and made a case for himself. He appeared, for a moment, to have a very real chance of making the team as injuries hit the rest of the Tigers' outfield. It didn't work out that way. The Tigers broke camp without him. Jones went down to Triple-A Toledo. 'He arguably had the best spring to not break with our team,' Hinch said. 'We didn't configure the roster with him, and in typical Jahmai fashion, didn't get bitter, didn't get mad, didn't waste his time in the minor leagues.' Advertisement Indeed, Jones kept grinding and working away. He saw a chance in this organization, even when others got called before him. Maybe there's another lesson intertwined with all this. Maybe one that — kind of like grief — won't fully make sense until years down the road. Because when the Tigers sent down Andy Ibáñez to find his swing and the chance finally came, Jones was ready. On the field before Friday's game, he bounced around with a smile. 'All I want to do is contribute,' he said. He waited on the bench all game. Talked with injured Tiger Matt Vierling about how to stay ready. Hinch called his number, inserted him for powerful left-handed hitter Kerry Carpenter in the bottom of the eighth inning. The first pitch was a curveball, hanging and ripe. Jones connected, sent it looping toward the left-field fence. For a moment, he didn't think he got enough. '(Ian) Happ was going back on it and was jogging, jogging, going back to the fence,' Jahmai said. 'I was like, 'Dang, I really got too under it.'' But Happ kept running. He finally reached the wall and ran out of room. The ball kept soaring, too. It cleared the fence. 'I'm proud of him,' Hinch said. 'I'm happy for him.' No matter what happens from here, Jones will have that moment. Another memory. A legacy that continues, in ways big and small. 'I'm still able to enjoy every single big moment I'm able to have,' Jahmai said. 'It's just when you're wanting to share it with people you love, the people you love are always at the forefront. No matter if they're here or not, you always think about them.'
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Spencer Torkelson supports Tarik Skubal with home run in Detroit Tigers' 3-1 win over Cubs
Tarik Skubal clapped to acknowledge the fans. A sellout crowd of 40,132 cheered for him. "Skub," they chanted. The reigning American League Cy Young winner dominated for the Detroit Tigers on Friday, June 6, leading them to a 3-1 win over the Chicago Cubs in the opener of a three-game series at Comerica Park. He lost his scoreless streak at 21 innings in the sixth inning and fell short of completing the eighth inning, but he put the Tigers in a position to win. Advertisement And so they did, for the 42nd time this season. Celebrate the Tigers with our new commemorative book! Detroit Tigers first baseman Spencer Torkelson (20) celebrates batting a solo home run against Chicago Cubs during the sixth inning at Comerica Park in Detroit on Friday, June 6, 2025. ROSTER MOVES: Detroit Tigers call up Jahmai Jones; Andy Ibáñez optioned to Triple-A Toledo The Tigers (42-23) were saved by right fielder Kerry Carpenter with two outs in the top of the eighth inning, when Seiya Suzuki hit a fly ball off right-handed reliever Will Vest — who had just replaced Skubal — that kept carrying toward the wall. Carpenter made a leaping catch to keep the Tigers ahead, 2-1. The Cubs have a 39-24 record, dropping just behind the New York Mets in the National League. In the bottom of the eighth, Jahami Jones — called up from Triple-A Toledo for his Tigers debut — came off the bench to pinch-hit for Carpenter against left-handed reliever Génesis Cabrera. On the first pitch he saw, Jones crushed a curveball for a solo home run to left-center field. Advertisement The Jones homer made it 3-1. The Tigers took a 2-1 lead in the sixth inning, thanks to Spencer Torkelson's 15th home run in 62 games. Torkelson fell behind 0-2 in the count, but he refused to chase three consecutive down-and-away curveballs, working a 3-2 count. On the sixth pitch, he hit a 97 mph fastball from right-hander Ben Brown to left-center field for a solo home run. [ MUST LISTEN: Make "Days of Roar" your go-to Detroit Tigers podcast, available anywhere you listen to podcasts (Apple, Spotify) ] Key hits from Gleyber Torres, Kyle Tucker The Tigers and Cubs traded runs in the fifth and sixth innings, respectively. Advertisement In the bottom of the fifth, Gleyber Torres hit an RBI single off Brown. He delivered the third two-out single in a row to put the Tigers ahead, 1-0: Javier Báez and Parker Meadows set the table, then Torres cashed in. With that single, Torres increased his on-base percentage to .378 through 222 plate appearances, ranking 22nd among qualified MLB players — ahead of superstars such as Bryce Harper, Juan Soto, Trea Turner and Francisco Lindor. In the sixth, the Cubs tied the game, 1-1. Kyle Tucker hit an RBI double off Skubal's slider in a 3-1 count with one out in the sixth inning. It was the first run allowed by Skubal since the sixth inning May 20 against the St. Louis Cardinals, snapping a 21-inning scoreless streak. Advertisement The 21 scoreless innings in a row matched Skubal's career high. For the Cubs, Brown allowed two runs on seven hits and one walk with seven strikeouts across seven innings, throwing 92 pitches. He entered with a 5.72 ERA — and lowered that mark to 5.37 in his 13th game (11th start) against the Tigers. Brown primarily threw fastballs and curveballs. Big break in fifth inning The Tigers benefitted from a big break in the fifth inning. The Cubs should've had runners on second base with no outs, but Pete Crow-Armstrong was thrown out on the bases. He rounded third base on Dansby Swanson's double to left field, then jammed on the breaks and retreated. Advertisement The Tigers caught him easily on his way back. It seemed like a mistake from Cubs third base coach Quintin Berry, who waved Crow-Armstrong around third base before suddenly throwing up the stop sign way too late. Berry, now 40, played 94 games for the Tigers in 2012, stealing 21 bases in 21 attempts. He also hit .258 with 10 doubles, three triples and two home runs, helping the Tigers reach the World Series, where they lost to the San Francisco Giants. Contact Evan Petzold at epetzold@ or follow him @EvanPetzold. Listen to our weekly Tigers show "Days of Roar" every Monday afternoon on Apple, Spotify or wherever you listen to podcasts. And catch all of our podcasts and daily voice briefing at Advertisement Order your copy of 'Roar of 125: The Epic History of the Detroit Tigers!' by the Free Press at This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Detroit Tigers take first matchup of MLB's best with 3-1 win over Cubs
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Skubal shines as Tigers beat Cubs 3-1
Detroit Tigers' Jahmai Jones (18) celebrates his home run with Riley Greene (31) against the Chicago Cubs in the eighth inning during a baseball game, Friday, June 6, 2025, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya) Tarik Skubal pitched one-run ball into the eighth inning, and Detroit Tigers beat the Chicago Cubs 3-1 on Friday night in the opener of a weekend series between two of the majors' best teams. Skubal (6-2) allowed eight hits, struck out six and walked none in 7 2/3 innings. In his past 11 starts, the reigning AL Cy Young Award winner is 6-0 with a 1.61 ERA, 95 strikeouts and three walks. Advertisement Skubal left with runners on the corners, then had to wait out a dramatic moment. Seiya Suzuki lifted a deep flyball to right off Will Vest, but Kerry Carpenter reached above the wall to keep Detroit in front. Vest got four outs for his 10th save. Cubs right-hander Ben Brown (3-4) permitted two runs and seven hits in seven innings. Spencer Torkelson and Jahmai Jones homered for the AL Central-leading Tigers. RAYS 4, MARLINS 3 TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Jonathan Aranda drove in two runs to lead Tampa Bay over Miami at George M. Steinbrenner Field. It was the Rays' fourth straight win to improve to 34-29, and the Marlins' fifth consecutive loss to drop to 23-38. Advertisement Aranda is hitting .379 at the Rays' temporary home ballpark. He drove in the first run on a single in the first inning, just one of two hits the Rays got with runners in scoring position in 14 chances. He drove in another run on a groundout in the two-run third inning. Aranda singled again in the seventh and scored what turned out to be the winning run after singles by Jake Mangum and Matt Thaiss. NATIONALS 2, RANGERS 0 WASHINGTON (AP) — Michael Soroka struck out seven in six sparkling innings, and Washington beat Patrick Corbin and Texas. Soroka (3-3) allowed two hits and walked one. Brad Lord and Jose A. Ferrer each got three outs before Kyle Finnegan finished the two-hitter for his 18th save. Advertisement The speedy game was over in 1 hour, 50 minutes. Adolis García singled with two outs in the fifth for Texas' first hit. Josh Smith added a one-out single in the sixth for the Rangers in their fourth consecutive loss. Washington took a 1-0 lead in the second when Nathaniel Lowe and Alex Call opened with back-to-back singles. Lowe went to third on a flyout and scored on a groundout by Robert Hassell III. Call led off the seventh with his first homer of the season. Corbin (3-5) allowed five hits in eight innings in his longest start of the season. He struck out two and walked none against his former team. Advertisement ASTROS 4, GUARDIANS 2 CLEVELAND (AP) — Jeremy Peña had three hits to extend his hitting streak to 12 games, Colton Gordon got his first major league win and Houston defeated Cleveland. Christian Walker drove in a pair of runs in the fifth inning and Brendan Rodgers added a solo shot in the sixth as the Astros improved to 3-1 on their six-game road trip. Gordon (1-1), who was making his fifth start, allowed one run on seven hits and struck out five. The left-hander was an eighth-round pick in the 2021 amateur draft. Josh Hader recorded his 17th save, tied for second in the American League. David Fry homered for the Guardians, who have dropped three of four. Carlos Santana had his 14-game hitting streak snapped. Advertisement YANKEES 9, RED SOX 6 NEW YORK (AP) — Anthony Volpe homered in a five-run first inning, then came out after he was hit by a pitch on the left elbow as New York beat Boston in the AL rivals' first meeting this year. Volpe was hit by an 88.2 mph pitch from Walker Buehler in the second, then was replaced at the start of the fourth. New York said Volpe was undergoing an X-ray and a CT scan. Aaron Judge had his ninth game with three or more hits, raising his major league-leading average to .397. Before a sellout crowd of 46,783, Jazz Chisholm Jr. had three hits, including a homer in the first, four RBIs and two stolen bases. Paul Goldschmidt also homered for the Yankees, who led 7-0 after the second and 8-1 following the fifth. Advertisement Every starter had a hit for New York (39-23), which has won nine of 12 and 15 of 20 to move a season-high 16 games over .500. Boston dropped to 30-35 with its ninth loss in 12 games. The Red Sox made a pair of errors, raising their big league-high total to 57. Rafael Devers hit his 29th home run against the Yankees, a two-run drive in the seventh off Brent Headrick. Marcelo Mayer, a 22-year-old who debuted on May 24, hit his first big league homer, a 410-foot solo drive to right-center in the fifth against Will Warren (4-3). PIRATES 5, PHILLIES 4 PITTSBURGH (AP) — Adam Frazier had three hits and scored the winning run on Nick Gonzalez's sacrifice fly in the ninth inning, helping Pittsburgh rally for a victory over Philadelphia. Advertisement David Bednar (1-4) struck out the side in the ninth. Frazier and Jared Triolo started the ninth with singles off Jordan Romano (0-3). Isiah Kiner-Falefa loaded the bases with a bunt before Oneil Cruz struck out looking. Gonzales then lifted a 2-2 slider to the warning track, allowing Frazier to score. Trea Turner gave Philadelphia an early lead, getting on with a single for his first of three hits and taking third on a double steal in the first before scoring on a grounder from Nick Castellanos. The Pirates' Bryan Reynolds hit an RBI single the next inning. Turner hit a double to right and Alec Bohm brought him in with a single to left, putting the Phillies back ahead 2-1 in the third. Reynolds tied it again with his eighth home run of the season into the left-field bleachers. Advertisement WHITE SOX 7, ROYALS 2 CHICAGO (AP) — Luis Robert Jr. drove in three runs in his return to the lineup, and Chicago beat Kansas City. Mike Tauchman homered to help the last-place White Sox to their third win in four games. Davis Martin struck out seven while pitching six innings of two-run ball. White Sox catcher Kyle Teel, one of baseball's top prospects, went 1 for 2 with two walks and scored a run in his major league debut. Robert hit a tiebreaking two-run single in Chicago's five-run eighth inning. He also had a run-scoring single in the second. It was Robert's first game since Monday. The slumping slugger has been working on some adjustments at the plate, and he got an extra day after he was struck on his head by a ball in the batting cage. Advertisement The White Sox beat the Royals for the second time in the last 20 matchups. PADRES 2, BREWERS 0 MILWAUKEE (AP) — Manny Machado homered for a second straight game and five San Diego pitchers combined on a four-hit shutout as the Padres defeated Milwaukee. Machado's eighth-inning homer off Grant Anderson was his ninth of the season. It came one day after he hit his 350th career homer in a 3-2 loss at San Francisco, making him the 33rd player to reach that milestone in his age-32 season or earlier. Machado turns 33 on July 6. San Diego's other run came when Luis Arraez singled home Tyler Wade in the third. Advertisement Wandy Peralta (3-0) earned the win after replacing starter Randy Vásquez and striking out Christian Yelich to strand runners on second and third in the fifth. Robert Suarez retired the side in order in the ninth to earn his MLB-leading 20th save in 22 opportunities. Vásquez walked four while striking out two and allowing two hits in 4 2/3 innings. Milwaukee's Chad Patrick (3-5) struck out six and gave up one run, four hits and three walks in six innings. BLUE JAYS 6, TWINS 4 MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Addison Barger hit a two-run home run, Bo Bichette had a go-ahead two-run single in the fifth inning and Toronto beat Minnesota for its fifth straight victory. Advertisement Trevor Larnach homered two batters into the first off rookie Paxton Schultz to give the Twins the lead and tie him for the team lead with 10. Kody Clemens had a run-scoring ground out and Christian Vázquez hit a two-out RBI double to make it 3-0 in the second. Bailey Ober hit Vladimir Guerrero Jr. with a pitch to begin the fourth and then gave up his first hit when Barger homered to right field to get Toronto to 3-2. Five of Barger's seven homers have come in his last seven games. Ernie Clement singled leading off the fifth and Andrés Giménez doubled before Bichette blooped a single to center for a 4-3 lead. George Springer hit his ninth home run — a solo shot off Mason Fluharty to make it 5-3 in the sixth. Advertisement Guerrero doubled leading off the eighth and scored on Alejandro Kirk's single for a 6-3 lead. Ober (4-2) retired the first eight Blue Jays before walking Andrés Giménez on a full count. He allowed five runs and five hits in seven innings. _____
Associated Press
4 days ago
- Sport
- Associated Press
Tarik Skubal stars as the Tigers top the Cubs 3-1 in a matchup of division leaders
Updated [hour]:[minute] [AMPM] [timezone], [monthFull] [day], [year] DETROIT (AP) — Tarik Skubal pitched one-run ball into the eighth inning, and Detroit Tigers beat the Chicago Cubs 3-1 on Friday night in the opener of a weekend series between two of the majors' best teams. Skubal (6-2) allowed eight hits, struck out six and walked none in 7 2/3 innings. In his past 11 starts, the reigning AL Cy Young Award winner is 6-0 with a 1.61 ERA, 95 strikeouts and three walks. Skubal left with runners on the corners, then had to wait out a dramatic moment. Seiya Suzuki lifted a deep flyball to right off Will Vest, but Kerry Carpenter reached above the wall to keep Detroit in front. Vest got four outs for his 10th save. Cubs right-hander Ben Brown (3-4) permitted two runs and seven hits in seven innings. Spencer Torkelson and Jahmai Jones homered for the AL Central-leading Tigers.
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Detroit Tigers call up Jahmai Jones; Andy Ibáñez optioned to Triple-A Toledo
The Detroit Tigers have added a new player to their active roster. The Tigers called up Jahmai Jones, a 27-year-old outfielder, from Triple-A Toledo, according to multiple people with knowledge of the situation who were granted anonymity because the roster moves are not official. The Tigers optioned infielder Andy Ibáñez to the Mud Hens, following his continued struggles against left-handed pitchers. Advertisement Since July 21, 2024, Ibáñez is hitting .200 with a .578 OPS against left-handed pitchers across 136 plate appearances. He has hit just two home runs off lefties — and three total — during the 319-day stretch. MORE ABOUT THIS: Andy Ibáñez struggling vs lefties. That's a big problem for Tigers Detroit Tigers infielder Jahmai Jones walks out of the batting cage after practice during spring training at TigerTown in Lakeland, Fla. on Friday, Feb. 21, 2025. Both Jones and Ibáñez are right-handed hitters with track records of success against left-handed pitchers, so Jones is expected to step into the Ibáñez platoon role — only as an outfielder instead of an infielder. The Tigers need to open a spot on the 40-man roster for Jones, which could result in outfielder Akil Baddoo, currently in Toledo, being designated for assignment. Advertisement In 2025, Jones is hitting .276 with six home runs, 24 walks and 46 strikeouts across 52 games for Triple-A Toledo, posting an .875 OPS. He has made 18 starts in left field, 15 starts in right field and seven starts in center field. Jones has MLB service time in parts of four seasons, hitting .198 with a .535 OPS in 69 games. He has played for the Los Angeles Angels (three games in 2020), Baltimore Orioles (26 games in 2021), Milwaukee Brewers (seven games in 2203) and New York Yankees (33 games in 2024). He had a .238 batting average with the Yankees last season. This story will be updated. Contact Evan Petzold at epetzold@ or follow him @EvanPetzold. Advertisement Listen to our weekly Tigers show "Days of Roar" every Monday afternoon on Apple, Spotify or wherever you listen to podcasts. And catch all of our podcasts and daily voice briefing at Order your copy of 'Roar of 125: The Epic History of the Detroit Tigers!' by the Free Press at This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Detroit Tigers call up Jahmai Jones, option Andy Ibanez to Triple-A
