DETROIT, MI— Tampa Bay Rays take game one of three game series from the Detroit Tigers at Comerica Park four to one. The Tigers couldn’t overcome an early deficit and Tampa Bay’s starting pitcher excelled.

Rays starter Drew Rasmussen (#57) kept Detroit’s offense under control Monday night, allowing only three hits and one earned run over six innings as Tampa Bay defeated the Tigers 4-1 before 23,265 fans at Comerica Park.

Rasmussen struck out five, did not walk a batter and threw 71 of his 103 pitches for strikes. He improved to 14-5 and handed the game to a Tampa Bay bullpen that allowed only two additional hits over the final three innings.

The Rays wasted little time against Tigers starter Framber Valdez (#59), scoring twice in the first inning.

Yandy Díaz (#2) scored when Junior Caminero (#13) grounded out to shortstop, putting Tampa Bay ahead 1-0. Ryan Vilade (#26) then came home when Jonathan Aranda (#8) reached on a fielder’s choice, giving the Rays a 2-0 advantage before Detroit came to bat.

Valdez settled down after the opening inning, but Tampa Bay added another run in the fourth. Jorge Mateo (#9) doubled and scored when Chandler Simpson (#14) reached on a bunt single to third, extending the lead to 3-0.

Detroit finally broke through against Rasmussen in the bottom of the fourth.

Highly regarded Tigers prospect Kevin McGonigle (#7) doubled and eventually scored on a sacrifice fly by Brett Callahan (#34), trimming the deficit to 3-1.

That was as close as Detroit would get.

Aranda delivered Tampa Bay’s final run in the sixth, launching his 16th home run of the season 380 feet to right-center off Valdez. The solo shot made it 4-1 and gave Aranda his second RBI of the night.

Valdez took the loss and fell to 8-9. The left-hander worked six innings, allowing eight hits and four runs, three earned, while walking two. He did not record a strikeout and threw 84 pitches, 54 for strikes.

The Tigers bullpen kept Detroit within striking distance. Tanner Rainey (#56) worked two hitless innings, allowing two walks while striking out two, and Tyler Holton (#87) surrendered one hit and struck out one in a scoreless ninth.

Detroit, however, couldn’t generate enough offense to mount a comeback.

The Tigers finished with only five hits and struck out 12 times. They went 1-for-6 with runners in scoring position and left six runners on base.

McGonigle, Dillon Dingler (#13), Spencer Torkelson (#20), Javier Báez (#28) and pinch-hitter Ben Malgeri (#53) accounted for Detroit’s five hits. Torkelson doubled in the eighth for his 22nd double of the season, but the Tigers couldn’t bring him home.

Tampa Bay’s bullpen was equally effective after Rasmussen departed. Garrett Cleavinger (#60) struck out two in a perfect seventh, Manuel Rodríguez (#39) struck out three while working around a hit and a walk in the eighth, and Bryan Baker (#47) struck out two in the ninth to earn his 38th save.

The Rays finished with nine hits compared with Detroit’s five. Tampa Bay also played error-free defense, while Detroit committed one error.

For the Tigers, the loss puts them behind immediately in the three-game set at Comerica Park. Detroit will now look to even the series in Game 2 before the teams close out the series Wednesday.

Monday’s game lasted 2 hours, 36 minutes.

FINAL: Tampa Bay 4, Detroit 1
WP: Drew Rasmussen (14-5)
LP: Framber Valdez (8-9)
SV: Bryan Baker (38)
Attendance: 23,265
Date: August 24, 2026
Location: Comerica Park — Detroit, Michigan