Corbin Carroll has 4 RBIs, Diamondbacks ruin Justin Verlander's return to Tigers in 9-6 win

PHOENIX (AP) — Corbin Carroll hit a three-run homer and had four RBIs, Michael Soroka became the fourth pitcher in Arizona history to throw an immaculate inning and the Diamondbacks roughed up three-time Cy Young Award winner Justin Verlander in his return to the Detroit Tigers during a 9-6 victory Monday night.

The Diamondbacks won their home opener after getting swept at Dodger Stadium in their first series of the season.

The 28-year-old Soroka (1-0) gave up four hits over five scoreless innings — and the fifth was a gem. The right-hander struck out Javier Báez, Kerry Carpenter and Gleyber Torres on nine straight pitches, blowing a 95 mph fastball past Torres on the ninth one to tie a career high with 10 strikeouts.

The 43-year-old Verlander gave up five runs on six hits and two walks over 3 2/3 innings. The big blow came in the second when Carroll connected for his first homer of the season.

Verlander (0-1) began his 21st big league season after returning to the Tigers in February on a $13 million, one-year deal. The nine-time All-Star spent the first 12 1/2 seasons of his career in Detroit before being traded to the Astros in 2017.

The Diamondbacks built an 8-0 lead after five innings but the Tigers used a six-run seventh to make a big dent in the deficit. Joe Ross gave up six runs while getting just two outs. Ryan Thompson entered and allowed all three batters he faced to reach base — while also being called for two balks — before Juan Morillo got Parker Meadows to ground out with the bases loaded to end the inning.

Ildemaro Vargas hit a solo homer in the bottom of the seventh to push the D-backs ahead 9-6. Paul Sewald earned his first save.

Detroit's Colt Keith had two doubles, including one that scored two runs.

The Diamondbacks send RHP Brandon Pfaadt to the mound Tuesday while the Tigers counter with RHP Casey Mize. Both pitchers are making their first start of the season.

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/mlb

Detroit Tigers' Colt Keith (33) gets high fives from teammates after scoring during the seventh inning of an opening-day baseball game against the Arizona Diamondbacks Monday, March 30, 2026, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Darryl Webb)

Arizona Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo (17) is introduced before their opening-day baseball game against the Detroit Tigers Monday, March 30, 2026, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Darryl Webb)

Arizona Diamondbacks first base coach Dave McKay, right, looks on Ketel Marte gestures after hitting a single against the Detroit Tigers during the first inning of an opening-day baseball game Monday, March 30, 2026, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Darryl Webb)

Detroit Tigers pitcher Justin Verlander wipes his brow as he walks off the field during the fourth inning of an opening-day baseball game against the Arizona Diamondbacks Monday, March 30, 2026, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Darryl Webb)

Arizona Diamondbacks' Corbin Carroll (7) slides into third base after hitting a triple against the Detroit Tigers during the first inning of an opening-day baseball game Monday, March 30, 2026, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Darryl Webb)

Set to miss the playoffs for the first time in a decade, the Toronto Maple Leafs fired general manager Brad Treliving on Monday night, ending his tenure late in his third season in charge of one of the NHL's most popular and talked about teams.

Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment president Keith Pelley announced the abrupt change before Toronto played at Anaheim.

“Throughout the course of this season, there has been deep analysis into both the current state of the Maple Leafs organization and the direction needed to achieve the ultimate goal of delivering a Stanley Cup championship to the city,” Pelley said in a statement. “Brad Treliving is a man that we all have deep respect for, but it was determined that the club must chart a new course under different leadership.”

It’s unclear what the move means for the future of coach Craig Berube, whom Treliving hired in May 2024.

"He gave me an opportunity here, and I feel like we let him down this year, said Berube, who won the Cup in 2019 with St. Louis.

The Leafs have not won it since 1967 and are on the verge of being eliminated from playoff contention this season. This core — led by Auston Matthews — reached the playoffs nine consecutive years but won just two series in that time.

“He cares about everyone in that locker room and everything he did to try to give us the best possible chance to compete, put us in the best position to have success,” center John Tavares said. “Brad brought us all in here, (had) tremendous belief in us and we just didn’t deliver. It falls on us.”

Cutting ties with Treliving came just before a rematch against the Ducks, a little over two weeks since one of the touchpoints of Toronto's woeful few months. Matthews was injured March 12 on a knee-on-knee hit from Radko Gudas and none of his teammates responded to a play that incurred a five-game suspension.

Max Domi fought Gudas off the opening faceoff Monday night, and he and his teammates racked up 59 penalty minutes in the first two periods — more than any game during Treliving's time as GM. They won 5-4 in overtime after finding out not long before puck drop about news players called shocking.

“We haven’t had much time to sit with it, so we’re still processing it,” defenseman Morgan Rielly, the team's longest-tenured player, said. “How I feel is in times like these where changes are made, it’s ultimately on the players. It’s a business based on results.”

Treliving was hired in May 2023 after then-president of hockey operations Brendan Shanahan fired GM Kyle Dubas. Shanahan did not have his contract renewed last year following a second-round exit, and no one took his spot in between Pelley and Treliving in the organizational pecking order.

Shanahan, Dubas and predecessor Lou Lamoriello constructed the top of the roster, from Matthews and Tavares to Mitch Marner and William Nylander. Treliving was running the team last summer when Marner's most recent contract expired and recouped some value in a sign-and-trade with Vegas rather than losing him for nothing in free agency.

Treliving, who was in his second NHL GM job following a lengthy stint with the Calgary Flames from 2014-23, was responsible for a handful of significant moves during his tenure in Toronto. That included an ill-fated March 2025 deal for defenseman Brandon Carlo that included sending Fraser Minten and a first-round pick to Boston.

His final acts were selling moves at the most recent deadline, trading Scott Laughton to Los Angeles and Bobby McMann to Seattle.

“I think he’s done a lot for this team,” forward Matthew Knies said. “I think he has helped. But yeah, I think that’s just kind of the way the business goes right now, and when we’re not performing it starts from the top.”

AP freelance writer Mike DiGiovanna in Anaheim, California, contributed to this report.

AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/nhl

FILE - Toronto Maple Leafs general manager Brad Treliving holds an NHL hockey press conference at the Ford Performance Centre, in Toronto, Thursday, May 29, 2025. (Cole Burston/The Canadian Press via AP, File)