Detroit Tigers left-handed pitcher Dietrich Enns did something Thursday he hasn’t done since 2017. For the first time in 2,877 days, the 34-year-old started an MLB game.

In Detroit’s 8-0 win over the Athletics, Enns went five scoreless innings, striking out four, walking two and allowing just one hit on 77 pitches.

His last start came on Aug. 10, 2017 as a member of the Minnesota Twins when he gave up one earned run on five hits in 2 1/3 innings against the Milwaukee Brewers.

“That was incredible,” Tigers manager A.J. Hinch told MLB.com’s Ed Eagle. “Good for him, and obviously good for our team and good for the organization. A lot of people contributed to this moment, but Dietrich stayed under control, stayed within himself from all the excitement and delivered a great performance when we really needed it.”

Thursday marked Enns’ first time pitching in the big leagues since 2021 with the Tampa Bay Rays. He pitched in Japan from 2022-2023 and in South Korea last year, where he went 13-6 with a 4.19 ERA in 30 starts.

The Tigers signed Enns to a minor league deal in the offseason and his career trajectory changed during spring training when he learned a new pitch — the “kick change” from Tigers pitching coach Gabe Ribas.

“Early in spring training, they were like, ‘Hey, try this out,'” Enns explained to MLB.com. “I really liked the shape right away, and then they just gave me some confidence to go out there and throw it. That really helped a lot.”

He took that to Triple-A where he posted a 2.89 ERA in 15 starts, striking out 71 in 62 1/3 innings, earning his promotion. While only a spot start for Enns, his outing could potentially earn him a permanent roster spot.


By Matt Higgins
Matt Higgins worked in national and local news for 15 years. He started out as an overnight production assistant ... More about Matt Higgins
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