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Eduardo Valencia homers in his first MLB at-bat for Tigers

sportsJul 9, 202629171

Eduardo Valencia homered in his first major league plate appearance, launching a 425-foot solo shot to center field off Athletics starter Hogan Harris at Comerica Park in the bottom of the seventh; Statcast listed a 103.4 mph exit velocity and 29 degree launch angle. Valencia had been recalled from Triple-A Toledo to provide catching depth after Dillon Dingler suffered a thumb injury; he was promoted following a 76-game Triple-A season in which he hit .267 with 16 home runs, 49 RBI, a .353 on-base percentage, a .486 slugging percentage and an .840 OPS in 331 plate appearances. MLB Pipeline ranks Valencia as Detroit's No. 21 prospect and the team expects him to remain with the big league club through the All-Star break while they monitor the catching rotation. MLB.com noted Valencia is the 10th player in Tigers history to homer in his first major league at-bat. The homer contributed to a 4-1 Tigers win over Oakland in which Detroit scored in the seventh; Valencia later took a pitch off the shoulder in his final plate appearance but finished his debut without recording an out at the plate beyond the home run.

Sarah Langs
@slangsonsports.bsky.social

Eduardo Valencia is the 10th player in Tigers history with a HR in his 1st career AB He joins: 2021 Akil Baddoo 2020 Sergio Alcántara 2015 Daniel Norris 1974 Reggie Sanders 1970 Gene Lamont 1964 Bill Rowan 1963 Gates Brown 1948 Sam Vico 1944 Hack Miller

483h ago
Hoover Street Rag
@hooverstreetrag.org

Eduardo Valencia, Major League debut, from Venezuela, first MLB AB, and he goes YARD to dead center at Comerica. What an opening act for this kid!

283h ago
Detroit Tigers (Unoffical)
@nottigers.bsky.social

[PR RT - Dan Dickerson Calls] Eduardo Valencia hits his first career home run. Dan Dickerson on the call #DNMW

203h ago
titustiger.bsky.social2

very little I miss about Twitter but Dan Dickerson Calls is one of them

titustiger.bsky.social1

#JasonBenetti and #AndyDirks are good but love the #DanDickerson calls #Tigers

br∞ke⸆⸉ 🪩1

it’s so cool that so many of our players who made debuts this year hit homers on the first AB

McTabby1

That crowd noise. *wipes eyes*

Quoting this
Robert Baker6

Home run on your major league debut is always awesome. Home run in your first at bat?? I might cry 🥹

Jason Beck
@jasonbeck.bsky.social

Dillon Dingler is day-to-day with a right hand contusion, per A.J. Hinch. No IL move. C/1B Eduardo Valencia called up from Triple-A Toledo for depth. Jahmai Jones designated for assignment.

168h ago
Chris McCosky
@cmccosky.bsky.social

"Baseball is pretty cool, isn't it" --Don't look now, but the Tigers are just 4.5 games out in the Central, 3.5 out of the Wild Card race after sweeping the Athletics...

51h ago
titustiger.bsky.social
@titustiger.bsky.social

Welcome to the bigs Mr. #EduardoValencia #tigers have another member of the #BangerBoys lineup

63h ago
Tigers Minor League Report
@tigersmlreport.bsky.social

What should fans expect to see from Eduardo Valencia…other than an epic home run in his first MLB at-bat. tigersmlreport.com/2026/07/09/w...

43h ago
MLB
@mlbbot.bsky.social

Eduardo Valencia homers in his first MLB at-bat and the @Tigers have won 5 straight!

Final Score Graphic Athletics 1 (41-52) - Tigers 4 (43-50) Pictured: Eduardo Valencia raises his arms in celebration after a home run. He wears a white Tigers uniform with dark blue accessories and a dark blue batting helmet.
63h ago
Charles Bryan, Part-Time Cat Bed
@charleshbryan.bsky.social

Hey, that was his first MLB at bat! Home run for Eduardo Valencia. 4-1 Tigers. ⚾🐯

53h ago
The Majors Detroit
@tmsnxdetroit.bsky.social

Eduardo Valencia made his MLB debut unforgettable, homering in his first Major League plate appearance as the Tigers beat the Athletics 4-1. Detroit completed the sweep and has now won 8 of its last 9 games.

52h ago
Ben Franklin, Esq.
@bfsesq.bsky.social

I went to the White Sox game at Rate Field today. Cool to see it for the first time, but a snooze of a game. Then later I turn on the Tigers and see that Eduardo Valencia homered on his first major league at bat? And a great win, too? Tigers, don't worry, I'll never quit you.

52h ago
The Detroit News
@detroitnews.com

The Tigers got homers from Jake Rogers, Zach McKinstry and Eduardo Valencia in Thursday's win over the Athletics.

23h ago
Agent Larry-ala
@agentketolarry.bsky.social

Eduardo Valencia leads MLB in slugging percentage (unofficial). This young man from Venezuela just came up from the minors. He blasted one over the center field wall in his first big league at bat. What a debut! Congrats! Go Tigers!

33h ago
blessyouboystigers.bsky.social
@blessyouboystigers.bsky.social

Tigers DFA Jahmai Jones, promote C/1B Eduardo Valencia from Triple-A Toledo. Dillon Dingler is day-to-day but seems to have avoided a more serious injury www.blessyouboys.com/detroit-tige...

38h ago
DingerTV
@dinger.tv

HOME RUN Eduardo Valencia (1) 425 ft (29°, 103.4 mph) off Hogan Harris (94.0 mph 4-seam, 2156 rpm) ATH 1-DET 4 (B7, 2-1, 0 outs) https://www.mlb.com/video/eduardo-valencia-homers-1-on-a-fly-ball-to-center-field-urmyei

23h ago
2 sources
fptrack.comTigers Promote Prospect Eduardo Valenciatigersmlreport.comWhat to Expect From Eduardo Valencia - Tigers Minor League Report

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