Tigers to wear patch honoring late owner Mike Ilitch

Detroit — As expected, the Tigers will wear patches on their uniforms in 2017 to honor late owner Mike Ilitch.

They will start wearing them in Friday's spring-training opener against the Baltimore Orioles in Lakeland, Fla. The Tigers unveiled the patch they'll wear Friday in a Twitter post. It's a white circle, with a navy-blue outline and "Mr. I" also in navy blue.

A Tigers spokesman said Friday this isn't necessarily the same patch that will be worn throughout the regular season. The team still is working on that patch, as well as an early season celebration of Ilitch, who bought the Tigers in 1992 and died Feb. 10 at age 87.

The Red Wings, Ilitch's other sports team, are wearing a "Mr. I" patch for the rest of this season. It's a rectangle, with white lettering.

tpaul@detroitnews.com

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