Tarik Skubal says he's glad the keyhole at Comerica Park is gone after Tigers asked for input

DETROIT (AP) — The Detroit Tigers are wrapping up their first homestand with a subtle change on the field at Comerica Park, putting grass over a strip of dirt that used to be between the pitcher's mound and home plate.

AL Cy Young Award and pitching Triple Crown winner Tarik Skubal said he’s glad the team got rid of the keyhole, making the left-hander's sightline the same as it is in every other ballpark in Major League Baseball.

“I might get some heat for this, but they asked what we thought of it, and I said I didn’t really like it,” Skubal said Wednesday morning before a series-ending game against the New York Yankees. "I wasn’t a fan of it.

“Obviously, I understand from a fan perspective. It’s unique and stuff, but just from a visual perspective, it’s so much different.”

Detroit was the last team in the majors to have the throwback feature — which was common in the 1800s and early 1900s — in its ballpark that opened in 2000 after the club left Tiger Stadium. The Arizona Diamondbacks also had a keyhole at Chase Field before removing it in 2019 when they changed their playing surface from grass to synthetic turf.

The Tigers also made major renovations in the seating area behind home plate, removing a tunnel that was mostly used by umpires and installing state-of-the-art chairs that allow fans to heat or cool their seats.

“I'm a fan of having no tunnel,” Skubal said. “I'm glad it's gone. It makes it feel pretty clean back there.”

While Skubal said the front office asked for his input following the 2024 season and he gave his strong opinion, two other pitchers on the staff simply shrugged their shoulders when asked about the new view, and an All-Star outfielder insisted he didn't even realize the keyhole was gone.

“They asked a couple guys, but it didn't bother me,” right-handed reliever Will Vest said. “It just doesn’t really move the needle too much for me.”

When lefty Tyler Holton is on the mound, he said he's locked in on the catcher's target with or without a path of dirt in front of him.

“I think if you’re noticing things like that, you’re probably not focused on what you need to be focused on,” Holton said.

Riley Greene, meanwhile, insisted he didn't know the keyhole was gone until a reporter asked him about it on Wednesday.

“I'm going to be honest, I didn't even notice it,” Greene said. “Somebody told me that it was being taken out and I was like, `Oh, cool. I’m probably not even going to notice it.' And, I haven’t even noticed it.”

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A-10 Thunderbolt II "Warthog" aircraft flyover Comerica Park before a baseball game between the Detroit Tigers and Chicago White Sox, Friday, April 4, 2025, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)

The Detroit Tigers play the New York Yankees in the third inning during a baseball game at Comerica Park , Wednesday, April 9, 2025, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)

Detroit Tigers pitcher Tarik Skubal throws against the New York Yankees in the first inning during a baseball game, Tuesday, April 8, 2025, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)

New York Yankees pitcher Max Fried throws to Detroit Tigers' Zach McKinstry in the third inning during a baseball game at Comerica Park , Wednesday, April 9, 2025, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)

Detroit Tigers pitcher Tarik Skubal throws against the New York Yankees in the first inning of a baseball game, Tuesday, April 8, 2025, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)

FILE -The Detroit Tigers play the Kansas City Royals at Comerica Park in the sixth inning of a baseball game in Detroit, Thursday, Sept. 29, 2022. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya, File)

Detroit Tigers pitcher Jack Flaherty throws to New York Yankees' Ben Rice in the third inning during a baseball game at Comerica Park , Wednesday, April 9, 2025, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)

SAN DIEGO (AP) — A jury has convicted a former Navy SEAL with neo-Nazi beliefs of transporting fireworks across state lines with plans to shoot explosives at police during last year's “No Kings” protest in San Diego, federal prosecutors said.

Following his conviction on Monday, Gregory Vandenberg was ordered held in custody until his sentencing hearing, which has not yet been scheduled. He faces up to 10 years in prison, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office.

During a five-day trial in Albuquerque, New Mexico, prosecutors outlined Vandenberg's intention to travel from El Paso, Texas, to California to injure law enforcement officers at the June 14 rally.

Investigators found messages on his phone indicating he was angry with President Donald Trump because he believed the U.S. government is controlled by Israel and the Jewish people, according to prosecutors. His home screen on his phone displayed a picture of the Taliban flag.

FBI agents testified that they found clothing and paraphernalia in Vandenberg’s car with anti-Israel slogans and neo-Nazi symbols, including a flag for the militant group the Caucasian Front and a message in Latin saying “Judea must be destroyed."

Vandenberg, 49, stopped at a travel center near Lordsburg, New Mexico, on June 12 and purchased six large mortar fireworks as well as 72 M-150 firecrackers, which are designed to sound like gunfire. He told the store clerk that he had significant knowledge of explosives and prior special operations forces experience, and he outlined his intentions to harm police at the upcoming demonstration, prosecutors said.

Vandenberg, who had no stable employment and lived in his car, urged the clerk to join him, according to a statement from the U.S. Attorney's Office. While in the store, he wore a T-shirt with the word “Amalek” on the front, which he said he designed specifically to mean “destroyer of Jews,” the statement said.

Store employees wrote down his license plate and contacted authorities. Vandenberg was arrested June 13 while sleeping in his car at the Davis-Monthan Air Force Base in Arizona. He told FBI agents he was traveling for work, despite being unemployed, and visiting friends in Phoenix, prosecutors said.

Vandenberg was convicted of transportation of explosives with intent to kill, injure or intimidate and attempted transportation of prohibited fireworks into California. A phone message was left Tuesday seeking comment from his attorney, Russell Dean Clark.

Acting U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison said in a statement that the verdict shows that the government will prosecute those who intend to use violence to express political beliefs.

“People in this country are free to hold their own beliefs and to express them peacefully,” Ellison said. “What they are not free to do is use explosives to threaten or terrorize others. Vandenberg intended to turn explosives into a tool of intimidation.”

This photo provided by U.S. Attorney's Office shows a hat with Al-Qaeda flag that was found in former Navy SEAL Seal Gregory Vandenberg vehicle by authorities. (U.S. Attorney's Office via AP)

This photo provided by U.S. Attorney's Office shows clothing displaying antisemitic, anti-Israel, and extremist symbols that were found in former Navy SEAL Seal Gregory Vandenberg vehicle by authorities. (U.S. Attorney's Office via AP)