Tigers Social Media Fires Back at 97.1 The Ticket Radio Host as Frustration Boils Over
· Yahoo Sports
The Detroit Tigers have spent much of May struggling to win baseball games.
This week, however, one of the team’s biggest battles took place on social media.
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A public exchange between 97.1 The Ticket host Jim Costa and the Tigers’ official X account became a talking point among fans as Detroit’s disappointing season continued to spiral. The interaction centered around outfielder Wenceel Pérez and quickly gained attention from supporters already frustrated by the club’s recent collapse.
Jim Costa Questions Wenceel Pérez’s Social Media Posts
As noted by Tony Paul of the Detroit News, the story began after Pérez shared multiple clips of a home run on Instagram following Tuesday’s loss to the Los Angeles Angels.
Costa took issue with the timing.
“Your team has lost 17 of 20 … You misplayed a ball in RF in the 8th inning to swing the game … You’re the worst player in MLB (-1.0) WAR … Let’s share the HR we hit 5 (FIVE!?!) different times on Instagram,” Costa posted on X. “Read the room.”
The comments immediately generated discussion among Tigers fans, many of whom have become increasingly frustrated with a team that entered the season with postseason aspirations but now finds itself near the bottom of the American League standings.
Tigers Social Media Delivers a Response
Less than 24 hours later, Pérez provided another highlight.
The Tigers outfielder connected for a solo home run against the Angels on Thursday, giving Detroit an early lead.
Moments later, the Tigers’ official X account appeared to reference Costa’s criticism directly.
“So good we might share it 5 (FIVE!?!) different times,” the Tigers posted alongside video of Pérez’s home run.
The post quickly spread among fans, with many recognizing the apparent callback to Costa’s original comments.
The Clapback Didn’t Age Well
Unfortunately for Detroit, the game did not unfold the way the organization hoped.
After Pérez’s home run, the Tigers offense went silent. Detroit failed to record another hit over the next five innings and eventually suffered a 7-1 loss to the Angels.
Costa wasn’t about to let the moment pass.
“Btw shutout since this post,” Costa responded. “Worst record in the AL. Read. The. Room.”
The exchange sparked another round of reactions online, with some fans applauding the Tigers’ willingness to push back while others argued the team should focus on improving its play on the field.
Costa Addresses the Situation on 97.1 The Ticket
The social media back-and-forth eventually made its way onto Detroit sports radio.
During Friday’s morning show, Costa described the situation as largely playful but admitted he’d prefer discussing baseball victories instead of online feuds.
“I would like a baseball team to talk about,” Costa said. “I don’t want to do the like Twitter feud with the Tigers to make the summer interesting.”
He then delivered a line that many Tigers fans can probably relate to.
“I’d rather the baseball team make the summer interesting.”
Bigger Problems Than Social Media
The reality is that this story likely never becomes a major topic if the Tigers are winning.
Instead, Detroit enters the weekend tied for the worst record in Major League Baseball after losing seven consecutive series. The club that many projected to contend for the American League Central title now sits 11.5 games behind division-leading Cleveland.
That reality has magnified every frustration surrounding the organization.
What started as criticism of an Instagram post evolved into a public exchange between a radio host and the team’s official social media account. But underneath it all sits a much larger issue.
The Tigers aren’t losing the battle on social media.
They’re losing far too many baseball games.