Browsing: Tigers

Earlier this year, there was plenty of chatter throughout the baseball world about the idea of the Pirates trading Paul Skenes.

Some believed that trading the best pitcher in the game with four years of control remaining beyond 2025 was unhinged. Others thought the haul that Pittsburgh could command would jump-start a club that has seemingly been spinning its wheels for most of the past decade.

Skenes is still a Pirate, and thereâ€s no indication that will change any time soon. But what if the second-best starting pitcher in the game became available?

That scenario appears to be more realistic.

Tarik Skubal will be entering his final year prior to free agency, leaving the Tigers in a quandary. After winning the American League Central and advancing to the AL Division Series for a second consecutive season, Detroit is a team on the rise. Trading Skubal would certainly have a negative impact on the Tigers in 2026. But given the type of contract the ace is expected to seek next offseason, president of baseball operations Scott Harris must consider whether he believes he can meet that price to keep Skubal in Detroit, or whether trading the pitcher now for a haul of players/prospects is a better long-term play for the club.

“I imagine theyâ€ll consider it, if the bidding gets high enough,†said one AL executive. “Iâ€m not sure if theyâ€ll have the guts to do it.â€

Skubal, who turns 29 on Nov. 20, showed signs of a breakout in 2023 after returning from left flexor tendon surgery, going 7-3 with a 2.80 ERA in 15 starts. He established himself as an ace in â€24, going 18-4 with a 2.39 ERA, earning the AL Cy Young Award in a unanimous vote.

His dominance continued in 2025, when he went 13-6 with a 2.21 ERA, setting career highs in innings (195 1/3) and strikeouts (241) – a year that will likely result in Skubal becoming the first back-to-back AL Cy Young winner since Pedro Martinez in 1999-2000 (Jacob deGrom won in consecutive years in the National League, 2018-19).

What type of trade package would it take to land Skubal from the Tigers? Recent history can serve as a guide for those teams considering such a move.

“Pitchers of this caliber rarely become available on a short-term commitment,†an NL executive said. “There will be no shortage of suitors if Detroit makes Skubal available.â€

The Corbin Burnes trade from February 2024 is the most apples-to-apples example, as the Brewers dealt the 2021 NL Cy Young Award winner to the Orioles one year prior to free agency. Milwaukee received left-hander DL Hall and infielder Joey Ortiz, a pair of Top 100 prospects, along with a Competitive Balance Round A Draft pick (No. 34 overall).

Three executives cited the Burnes trade as a strong comp, though all of them believe the Tigers will be able to extract more for Skubal.

“The baseline is somewhere north of what Milwaukee received for Corbin Burnes,†an NL executive said. “How far north of that is anyoneâ€s guess.â€

“It would have to be two or three Top 100 type guys,†an AL executive said. “Skubal is at another level from Burnes, but that return is a good floor.â€

Last yearâ€s deal that saw Garrett Crochet traded from the White Sox to the Red Sox included two Top 100 prospects (catcher Kyle Teel and outfielder Braden Montgomery), as well as two other highly ranked Red Sox prospects (infielder Chase Meidroth and right-hander Wikelman González), though Crochet had two seasons of control remaining at the time of the deal.

“Crochet had two years left, but that is probably a reasonable market,†an AL executive said.

Three prominent hitters entering their contract season have also been moved in recent years: Mookie Betts (February 2020), Juan Soto (December â€23) and Kyle Tucker (December â€24).

The Dodgers gave up their No. 1 prospect (outfielder Alex Verdugo), No. 3 prospect (shortstop Jeter Downs) and No. 28 prospect (catcher Connor Wong) for Betts, who was set to earn $27 million that season. Five months after the trade, Betts signed a 12-year, $365 million extension with Los Angeles.

“The Betts return was underwhelming, especially in hindsight,†an AL executive said. “He was also earning so much more money, which limited the market.â€

Soto, who had already been traded from the Nationals to the Padres at the 2022 Trade Deadline, was dealt again after the â€23 season, one year before he was to hit the open market.

To acquire Soto and Trent Grisham, the Yankees gave up catcher Kyle Higashioka and right-handers Michael King, Jhony Brito, Drew Thorpe (a Top 100 prospect) and Randy Vásquez (ranked as the Yankees†No. 13 prospect). Soto had a monster season in New York, hitting a then-career-high 41 home runs with a .989 OPS, finishing third in AL MVP voting while helping the Yankees to their first AL pennant in 15 years.

Sotoâ€s stay in the Bronx was short, however. The four-time All-Star signed a 15-year, $765 million deal with the Mets after the season, moving across town for the biggest contract in baseball history.

The Cubs sent infielder Isaac Paredes, righty Hayden Wesneski and third baseman Cam Smith (MLB Pipelineâ€s No. 73 overall prospect) to the Astros for one year of Tuckerâ€s services – the latest in a recent string of trades involving star players entering their final year of club control.

Tucker made his fourth straight All-Star team, hitting 22 home runs with 73 RBIs and an .841 OPS in 136 games for Chicago. The Cubs beat the Padres in the NL Wild Card Series, then fell to the rival Brewers in a five-game NLDS, as Tucker slashed .259/.375/.370 with one home run and one RBI in the eight postseason games.

Tucker will be the No. 1 free agent this offseason, and the consensus within the industry is that the Cubs wonâ€t be the team to give him the type of contract he is seeking, meaning Tucker would be one-and-done in Chicago despite the players the Cubs parted with to acquire him.

One question that potential Skubal suitors will have to ask themselves is simple: Is it worth giving up a haul for one year of a player, even one as talented as Skubal?

“Each deal must be evaluated on its own merits, but if an acquisition of a short-term commitment helps your club reach the postseason, then itâ€s certainly worth it,†an NL executive said. “Flags fly forever.â€

“I think they can make sense for win-now teams,†an AL executive said. “The prices havenâ€t been as bad as Deadline deals.â€

With those previous trades as a roadmap for a potential Skubal deal, which teams might try to pry the ace away from the Tigers this winter?

The Mets should top the list of prospective suitors, especially after missing the postseason in 2025. President of baseball operations David Stearns has shied away from paying big free-agent prices for pitching, but the Mets and owner Steve Cohen figure to be aggressive this winter – and nothing would be bigger than trading for Skubal.

New York has plenty of young pitching to offer Detroit – Brandon Sproat and/or Jonah Tong, for example – while outfielder Carson Benge and infielder/outfielder Jett Williams could also interest the Tigers. All four of those players are in MLB Pipelineâ€s Top 100, and while giving up three (or four?) players like that might be a huge cost, the Mets have the money to sign Skubal long term and keep him in New York.

The Red Sox made a big move last year by acquiring Crochet, but imagine pairing Skubal with him atop the rotation in 2026? Boston has a pair of Top 100 pitchers (lefty Payton Tolle and righty Kyson Witherspoon) as well as two position players (shortstop Franklin Arias and outfielder Jhostynxon Garcia) on that list, giving the Sox a good foundation from which to build a package for Skubal.

Three other contending teams – the Dodgers, Phillies and Padres – should never be counted out of situations like this one, as their front offices have a history of making big moves.

A Dodgers deal would potentially have to include outfielder Josue De Paula, Los Angeles†No. 1 prospect and the No. 13 prospect in baseball. The Dodgers have seven players currently on MLB Pipelineâ€s Top 100 list – not to mention an inexpensive, budding star in Roki Sasaki – giving president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman a number of chips to use in a deal if he chooses to make his pitching-rich club even richer.

Phillies president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski has long considered top prospect Andrew Painter – who some have compared to a young Justin Verlander – to be untouchable, but Philadelphiaâ€s aging roster makes 2026 a crucial season before its current window of contention begins to close. Dombrowski has two other Top 100 prospects (shortstop Aidan Miller and outfielder Justin Crawford) who could interest Detroit.

After making a flurry of moves at the Trade Deadline, San Diego has only two players on the current Top 100 list (No. 77 catcher Ethan Salas and No. 95 lefty Kruz Schoolcraft), but president of baseball operations A.J. Preller is one of the most creative executives out there. Never count him out if he sets his mind on something, and given that both Michael King and Dylan Cease are free agents this offseason, the Padres will have to address their rotation in some form or fashion. Adding Skubal would certainly be one way to approach that.

Other teams will invariably throw their hats in the ring if Skubal is made available, but for the Tigers to move him, they will have to get back a package that not only helps the future, but allows the 2026 club to take aim at its third straight postseason berth.

“I bet they will have to add Major League players elsewhere to consider it,†an AL executive said. “They will need to demonstrate they improved the club overall.â€

Source link

Third baseman Izaac Pacheco has never liked being told something canâ€t be accomplished.

The Tigers’ 2021 second-round pick out of Friendswood High in Texas has proven he is willing to exhaust every option before accepting anything but success.

That stems from a work ethic ingrained from an early age.

“Head down and keep working,†Pacheco said, citing his high school coach Cory Benavides.

The 22-year-old Pacheco has spent the past three seasons at High-A West Michigan. This year he broke through as the Midwest League MVP after hitting .258/.388/.499 with 17 home runs in 99 games.

Routine has always been a focal point for Pacheco, but he found additional inspiration from an MLB all-star.

“I watched a podcast with Bobby Witt Jr., and he talked about journaling,†Pacheco said. “I think he was the first guy I saw who was open about it and said he writes his affirmations and journals and brings the journal into the dugout.

“It made me think, ‘Obviously, this guy is an incredible player,’ so I wanted to do that too.â€

The journal became a daily practice for Pacheco—pages of personal affirmations, notes on opposing pitchers and takeaways from a rotation of mental-skills books. Scouts took note of the differences.

“This was not the same kid I saw last year,†one said. “He played tighter defensively. His swing was better. And he just looked like he understood his body. The kid grew up.â€

For Pacheco, the mental side of baseball holds as much value as the physical.

“I really never failed coming up to pro ball,†Pacheco said. “I think it’s a big realization to know that there are 10 guys behind you who want your spot. It’s not about being scared of it, but wanting to put the work in, and that’s who I am.

“My parents raised me to believe that if you want something, you have to work hard for it. If you want to be better than the people behind you, youâ€ve got to work harder than they do.

“Itâ€s pretty simple.â€

Source link

It’s complicated.

That’s one of two consensus opinions I found in speaking with six scouts/executives from different teams about the Tarik Skubaltrade speculation that has become the talk of the baseball industry over the last 48 hours.

At least it was the talk before Shohei Ohtani’s sublime performance late Friday night, but in a way, the stories are connected, especially for a team like the Mets, who need someone like Skubal to have a chance at competing with the Los Angeles Dodgers for baseball supremacy in 2026 and beyond.

More on that to come. For now, the larger point, as the scout/execs point out, is that the Detroit Tigers are in a very difficult position. They would be risking the wrath of their championship-starved fan base if they trade Skubal, arguably the best pitcher in baseball, after reaching the postseason the last two years, yet they’d almost certainly lose him to free agency a year from now if they choose not to trade him.

“That’s why it’s hard to predict which way this thing will go,” said an executive from a mid-market NL team. “In a vacuum, it’s a no-brainer, unfortunately, considering Skubal is a (Scott) Borasguy and all that. You make the best trade you can and move on. But in the real world, that’s a tough sell when you haven’t won in 40 years.”

It’s 41 years, actually, since the Tigers won the World Series in 1984. And there is another layer to their conundrum.

For years, the late Mike Ilitch, the Tigers’ owner, operated with one of the higher payrolls in baseball while trying to win another title, spending big in free agency and once locking up Justin Verlander to a seven-year, $180 million extension that at the time was the highest in the game. But Ilitch died in 2017 and his son, Christopher, has run a more budget-conscious operation since taking over.

“It’s kind of like Hal(Steinbrenner) taking over after George died,” said one midwest-based scout. “The fans there long for the days when they felt like Mike Ilitch would spend whatever it took to try to win. The son is not very popular as it is. Trading Skubal would make him persona non grata in Detroit.”

In short, this isn’t Garrett Crochet, who was traded for prospects last winter by the rebuilding Chicago White Sox, or even Corbin Burnes, traded by the small-market Milwaukee Brewers from a team that had enough pitching depth to continue winning.

Skubal is far more essential than that to the Tigers and the city of Detroit.

Oct 5, 2025; Seattle, Washington, USA; Detroit Tigers pitcher Tarik Skubal (29) pitches against the Seattle Mariners in the seventh inning during game two of the ALDS round for the 2025 MLB playoffs at T-Mobile Park / Steven Bisig-Imagn Images

Still, the same scouts and execs don’t rule out a trade. For it to happen, however, it would take a more attractive package than either Crochet or Burnes brought back.

Which leads to the second consensus opinion that emerged from my various conversations: That is, no team is more motivated or well-positioned than the Mets to make such a trade happen.

“I’d make them the favorite to get Skubal, no question, if the Tigers decide to trade him,” said an NL scout. “They have the pieces to get it done and they obviously have the need. Steve Cohen apologized to the fans for missing the postseason — what does that tell you? He’s going to want to make big-splash moves to change the narrative.”

To that point, SNY’s Andy Martino reported Friday the Mets are expected to be “involved” if Skubal is made available, and willing to “shake up their current position-player group” if it means acquiring a top pitcher.

So the question on the Mets’ end would be just how far they’re willing to go for a player they could lose to free agency after one season.

“Steve Cohen changes that equation,” said one team exec. “His money takes significant risk out of losing the player. And when you look at the Mets, as badly as they played down the stretch, they’re still talented enough that a pitcher like Skubal could be the difference-maker that gives them a chance to compete with the Dodgers and win it all next year.

“But I’d still expect them to draw a line somewhere as to how much they’d be willing to give up, knowing they could sign Skubal in a year without giving up assets.”

So what would it take? The scouts/execs all made the point that this has to be more than trading prospects, as the Tigers, even without Skubal, would go into next season trying to win, with the core of a team that had the best record in baseball until a September collapse.

“They would want players who could help them win next season, plus prospects too,” said a team exec. “They’re going to ask for (Nolan) McLean. He’s a guy you can sell to your fans as a rising star who can be another Skubal. You get him with some other pieces and maybe your fans can live with it.

“But if I’m the Mets, McLean is the one untouchable. The ceiling is too high and you have him under control for six years. Other than that, it’s finding the right combination of players on your major league roster and top prospects.”

Sep 18, 2025; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Detroit Tigers pitcher Tarik Skubal (29) pitches in the sixth inning against the Cleveland Guardians at Comerica Park. / Rick Osentoski – Imagn Images

Scouts identified catcher Francisco Alvarez, third baseman Brett Baty, and lefty starter David Peterson as possibilities the Tigers would want off the major league roster.

One suggested Clay Holmes as well.

The prospects in demand, other than McLean, figure to be pitchers Brandon Sproat and Jonah Tong, infielder Jett Williams, first baseman Ryan Clifford, and outfielder Carson Benge.

“It has to be some combination of those players,” said a scout.

Two players sparked much debate among the scouts/execs: Alvarez and Benge.

“Other than pitching, Alvarez could be the key,” one exec said. “It depends how the Tigers’ scouts evaluate him. He showed some growth after the Mets sent him to Triple-A, but is he still a 30-home run guy as he was projected to be when he came up? As a catcher, that would make him a difference-maker and something to help justify the trade from a PR standpoint.

“If you’re the Mets, you have to make the same evaluation. Is it worth giving up a catcher who’s still young (Alvarez turns 24 in November)? I’d have a hard time doing that, on top of what else you’d have to put in the deal.”

Then there is Benge, the minor leaguer who could be the long-term answer to filling the Mets’ hole in center field. Scouts love him for his athleticism and advanced approach at the plate.

“He has a chance to be a .300 hitter with power who can play center field,” one scout said. “How many of those guys are there in the game these days? If I’m the Mets, I’m doing everything I can to keep him.

“You know you’re going to have to give up pitching, probably either Tong or Sproat, plus Peterson. And you can live with giving up Jett Williams. But Benge could be special offensively and he fills a big need for the Mets.”

The bottom line is the scouts/execs believe the two teams could find enough common ground on a trade package to make it work if the Tigers become committed to making a deal. But only two of the six people I spoke to think the chances of it happening are more than 50-50.

The other four think it’s far more likely the Tigers will listen but ultimately decide that Skubal is worth more, even for one more season, than what the Mets or anyone else is offering.

“I just don’t think they’d want to deal with the uproar it would cause among their fans,” one exec said. “That’s a very real factor, especially when you haven’t won a championship in so long and the public perception is that Skubal gives them a chance next year.

“But I’ll say this: if the Mets are willing to go the extra mile, in terms of what they’d give up, they could make it awfully tempting for the Tigers to ignore all the outside noise and decide, let’s do it.”

Source link

With Tigers ace Tarik Skubala year away from free agency, the possibility exists that Detroit will make him available via trade this offseason while seeking a massive haul in return.

And Jon Heyman of The New York Post reports that the gap in what the Tigers have offered and what Skubal is seeking could be roughly $250 million.

The report from The Post regarding Detroit’s offer is similar to one that came out last November from Evan Petzold in The Detroit Free Press, who noted that the Tigers’ offer at the time was non-competitive.

Meanwhile, Tigers owner Christopher Ilitchgave a bit of a weird answer earlier this month when asked about a possible Skubal extension.

Adding more intrigue to the situation is the fact that the 28-year-old left-hander is repped by Scott Boras, who ordinarily takes his biggest clients to free agency.

That means the calculus for the Tigers could be simple: trade Skubal this offseason and maximize his value, or run the risk of losing him for draft pick compensation after the 2026 season.

In a world where Skubal is available this offseason, the Mets would almost certainly be very interested and in a strong position to make a highly competitive offer.

New York’s farm system is among the best in baseball, and was recently rated by ESPN as the No. 1 system in MLB.

With Skubal one year from free agency, the cost to acquire him would be lower than a scenario where he had multiple years of team control left, but it would still be huge.

It’s unclear what the Tigers would be seeking, but the Mets have blue chip pitching prospects and hitting prospects who are close to the majors and others who are further away. So it’s fair to believe they’d be able to put together a package that piques Detroit’s interest.

Among the Mets’ top prospects are pitchers Jonah Tong and Brandon Sproat, infielder/outfielder Jett Williams, center fielder Carson Benge, first baseman Ryan Clifford, third baseman Jacob Reimer, and shortstop Elian Peña.

As far as Nolan McLean, it’s hard to envision the Mets including him in a deal for any player who is a pending free agent.

Source link

Oct 13, 2025, 12:41 PM ET

DETROIT — Detroit Tigers general manager Scott Harris said he extended manager A.J. Hinch’s contract during the 2025 season and insisted ownership will provide the resources necessary to sign ace Tarik Skubal to a long-term deal.

Harris and Hinch had a news conference Monday morning, wrapping up their season that ended last week with a 3-2, 15-inning loss at Seattle in Game 5 of the AL Division Series and looking ahead to next year and beyond.

“I wish we weren’t here right now,” Harris said. “I wish we were in Toronto, preparing for Game 2 of the ALCS.”

Editor’s Picks

1 Related

Harris said he approached Hinch during the season, his fifth in Detroit, about extending his contract for a second time and they reached a deal quickly. Harris also signed Hinch to a long-term contract in 2023.

“He’s one of the best managers in the game,” Harris said.

Harris declined to say how long Hinch is under contract.

“We want him to be here as long as he’s willing to be here,” Harris said. “I want to work with him as long as I can possibly work with him.”

The Tigers would also like to have Skubal report to work in Detroit for years to come but know that will be costly. He won the AL Cy Young Award and was the league’s pitching Triple Crown winner in 2024. He followed that with a career-low 2.21 ERA and a career-high 241 strikeouts.

“He’s the best pitcher in baseball,” Harris said. “He’s hopefully going to win a second Cy Young.”

Skubal signed a $10.15 million, one-year contract during the last offseason – avoiding salary arbitration – and he’s set to become a free agent after the 2026 season.

To keep him off the market, team owner Chris Ilitch would have to spend many millions.

Harris insisted Ilitch will support the organization with what is needed for payroll, including what it would take to keep the 28-year-old lefty long term.

“I have no concerns about that,” Harris said.

Harris does have concerns about why the Tigers collapsed in September, when they blew the biggest lead in division or league history, and their poor performance at the plate in the postseason.

“I deserve to get those questions and we deserve the negative narrative that is swirling around this team,” he said.

Detroit had the best record in baseball for much of the season, then slumped into the trade deadline when Harris did not make a major move.

While Harris did not regret passing on pitchers he was offered, he said it is fair to question why he didn’t add a bat to the lineup.

“Maybe we should’ve,” he said.

Source link

DETROIT — Detroit Tigers general manager Scott Harris said he extended manager A.J. Hinchâ€s contract during the 2025 season and insisted ownership will provide the resources necessary to sign ace Tarik Skubal to a long-term deal.

Harris and Hinch had a news conference, wrapping up their season that ended with a 3-2, 15-inning loss at Seattle in Game 5 of the AL Division Series and looking ahead to next year and beyond.

“I wish we werenâ€t here right now,†Harris said. “I wish we were in Toronto, preparing for Game 2 of the ALCS.â€

Harris said he approached Hinch during the season, his fifth in Detroit, about extending his contract for a second time and they reached a deal quickly. Harris also signed Hinch to a long-term contract in 2023.

“Heâ€s one of the best managers in the game,†Harris said.

Harris declined to say how long Hinch is under contract.

“We want him to be here as long as heâ€s willing to be here,†Harris said. “I want to work with him as long as I can possibly work with him.â€

The Tigers also would like to have Skubal report to work in Detroit for years to come, but know that will be costly. He won the AL Cy Young Award and was the leagueâ€s pitching Triple Crown winner in 2024. He followed that with a career-low 2.21 ERA and a career-high 241 strikeouts.

“Heâ€s the best pitcher in baseball,†Harris said. “Heâ€s hopefully going to win a second Cy Young.â€

Skubal signed a one-year, $10.15 million contract during the last offseason — avoiding salary arbitration — and heâ€s set to become a free agent after the 2026 season.

To keep him off the market, team owner Chris Ilitch would have to spend many millions.

Harris insisted Ilitch will support the organization with what is needed for payroll, including what it would take to keep the 28-year-old lefty long term.

“I have no concerns about that,†Harris said.

Harris does have concerns about why the Tigers collapsed in September, when they blew the biggest lead in division or league history, and their poor performance at the plate in the postseason.

“I deserve to get those questions and we deserve the negative narrative that is swirling around this team,†he said.

Detroit had the best record in baseball for much of the season, then slumped into the trade deadline when Harris did not make a major move.

While Harris did not regret passing on pitchers he was offered, he said it is fair to question why he didnâ€t add a bat to the lineup.

“Maybe we shouldâ€ve,†he said.

Source link

Detroit Tigers radio play-by-play announcer Dan Dickerson apologized Saturday for cursing while still on the air following the Tigers’ season-ending loss to the Seattle Mariners in Game 5 of the American League Division Series on Friday.

According to Devon Henderson of The Athletic, a hot mic picked up Dickerson saying, “F–k this game recap,” on the heels of Detroit losing 3-2 in a 15-inning thriller.

In a statement provided to Christian Romo of the Detroit Free Press, Dickerson noted that while it was accidental and he did not realize that he was still on the air, he was still apologetic for the incident:

“I want to sincerely apologize for swearing during a break in the post-game last night. Our mics were inadvertently left open—but I know better than to swear into an open mic.

“It was said in a moment of frustration, and not a reflection about how I feel about doing the game recap—just how I felt about doing it in that moment after a five-hour, 15-inning, season-ending loss. I’m very sorry any fans had to hear it—my apologies again.”

Despite stumbling over the final month of the regular season and losing out on the AL Central crown, the Tigers beat the Cleveland Guardians in the AL Wild Card Series and forced Game 5 in the ALDS thanks to a 9-3 win in Game 4.

Detroit took a 2-1 lead in the sixth inning of Game 5 on a two-run home run by Kerry Carpenter, but Seattle tied it up in the seventh, and the game ended up going to extras.

Both teams had numerous scoring opportunities with men on base, but it wasn’t until the bottom of the 15th that a run was finally pushed across.

Tigers reliever Tommy Kahnle allowed a single to J.P. Crawford, hit Randy Arozarena with a pitch and intentionally walked Julio Rodríguez, bringing up Jorge Polanco with the bases loaded and one out.

Polanco delivered with a walk-off RBI single to send the Mariners to the American League Championship Series against the Toronto Blue Jays, and send the Tigers into the offseason.

It was a pressure-packed and exhausting game for players, coaches, fans and announcers alike, and Dickerson was not immune to it.

Source link

• 

  Buster OlneyOct 11, 2025, 01:19 AM ET

  Close

  • Senior writer ESPN Magazine/ESPN.com
  • Analyst/reporter ESPN television
  • Author of “The Last Night of the Yankee Dynasty”

SEATTLE — After Jorge Polanco singled to end the Mariners’ 3-2 victory over the Tigers in 15 innings late Friday night, propelling Seattle to its first American League Championship Series since 2001, a full accounting and assessment could begin.

Four hours, 58 minutes. The two sides combined for 15 pitchers who threw 472 pitches, including two starters — Logan Gilbert and Luis Castillo — who made the first relief appearances of their careers. So many missed opportunities in extra innings, by both teams. So much emotion, fueled by a T-Mobile Park crowd of 47,025 that was relentless in its decibel generation.

“An incredible win for Seattle,” Tigers manager A.J. Hinch said, “which means it was an incredible loss for us. That was an epic game.”

Mariners pitcher George Kirby said, “From the eighth inning on, I had a massive headache. I am glad that game is over.”

Editor’s Picks

2 Related

It felt like two different games, some of them said afterward. Kirby joked that he felt like the start of the game, when he was pitching against the Tigers’ Tarik Skubal, had occurred three days before the finish. The Mariners took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the second, and when Kirby was removed by Seattle manager Dan Wilson in the sixth inning, Kerry Carpenter immediately crushed a two-run go-ahead homer — which might have felt like enough at the time, given Skubal’s dominance.

Skubal confounded Seattle with his changeup, and though the Mariners pushed his pitch count steadily, as they had hoped, he kept racking up strikeouts. Two in the first, two in the second, three in the third; in one stretch, he whiffed seven hitters in a row. Skubal’s season high before this outing was 107 pitches, and with the left-hander approaching triple digits in his pitch count, he and Hinch agreed the sixth inning would be his last. His final pitch, against MVP candidate Cal Raleigh, was 101 mph and gave him his 13th strikeout of the game on his 99th offering.

But for the Mariners, Skubal’s exit was a reprieve. They immediately tied the score on a pinch-hit single by Leo Rivas, who was celebrating his 28th birthday.

Nobody could have known that the score would remain tied for the better part of the next three hours, with Wilson and Hinch summoning relievers and each of them responding effectively, from Detroit’s Will Vest, Rafael Montero and Jack Flaherty to the Mariners’ Matt Brash, Andres Munoz, Gilbert and, yes, Castillo, working out of the bullpen for the first time in nine years.

“You can’t say enough about what those guys did out of the bullpen,” Wilson said.

Jorge Polanco’s walk-off single in the 15th capped the Mariners’ first series-clinching victory in extra innings since Game 5 of the 1995 ALDS. Steph Chambers/Getty Images

The work was often accomplished under duress. The Mariners put two runners on base in the 10th inning, two more in the 12th — the basepaths constantly filled — and twice the Tigers turned double plays to get out of jams. After Kirby left the game, he went back to the clubhouse to do his postgame work then went to the dugout to watch. So did Skubal. Players on both teams draped over the front rails of the dugout, tracking every pitch that had the potential of ending or extending their season.

Tommy Kahnle came on to pitch for Detroit in the bottom of the 15th inning, and J.P. Crawford smoked a single — yet another promising start to an inning. Kahnle then hit Randy Arozarena with a pitch, bringing Raleigh to the plate, and the catcher slammed a fly ball deep enough to center to enable Crawford to tag up and take third while Arozarena took second. Hinch ordered an intentional walk of Julio Rodriguez, and now it was Polanco’s chance to end the game.

“I was just looking for a pitch to hit,” Polanco said, describing how he narrowed his focus on Kahnle’s changeup.

When Polanco pulled the ball between first and second base, Crawford raced home.

“I couldn’t believe it was over,” said Raleigh, who, like the other Mariners, chased after Polanco in celebration.

T-Mobile Park went into full meltdown, with a din so loud that it was nearly impossible for the players standing next to each other on the field to hear each other.

Maybe it was the loudest scene in Mariners history. Or maybe the second loudest. The last time a winner-take-all AL Division Series game ended in extra innings took place 30 years earlier, when Seattle designated hitter Edgar Martinez — now the Mariners’ hitting coach — pulled a ball into the left-field corner and another future Hall of Famer, Ken Griffey Jr., raced around the bases to score the deciding run of a series against the New York Yankees.

Before this Game 5, the Mariners’ pregame ceremonies began with the unveiling of a shiny sports car coming through an alley in the right-field wall, and the guy riding on top of the back seat was familiar to this crowd: Griffey. The extra-inning madness that followed, all the pitching heroics and runners left on base and the way the Mariners chased Polanco after his game-winning hit, will be remembered in the same way as that 1995 epic.

Champagne was still dripping from the back of Polanco’s hat after the game when he spoke with reporters.

“I have so much gratitude,” he said.

Baseball fans who witnessed this 15-inning saga can relate.

Source link

2025 season: 87-75, second in AL Central, eliminated in ALDS

With the Tigers eliminated by the Mariners in Game 5 of the ALDS, let’s take a look at the season that was in Detroit, the questions the team must address this winter and the early outlook for next year.

Advertisement

Things that went right

The good news in Detroit starts with Tarik Skubal, the front-runner to win a second consecutive Cy Young Award this year. The lefty led the majors in ERA (2.21) and WHIP (0.89), and since coming off the IL in the middle of the 2023 season, he has logged a ridiculous stat line, with a 2.39 ERA, 0.90 WHIP and 11.0 K/9. In 2025, he allowed zero runs in 12 of his 31 starts and recorded a double-digit strikeout total on 10 occasions. Naming Skubal the American League starter for the 2025 All-Star Game was an easy call for AL manager Aaron Boone, and having Skubal anchor the Tigers†rotation took substantial stress off the bullpen and other starters. Case in point: He recorded a career-high 14 strikeouts in Detroitâ€s Game 1 wild-card win and struck out 13 in his team’s ALDS Game 5 loss.

Speaking of the bullpen, Tigers manager A.J. Hinch settled on a reliable pair to finish games in Will Vest and Kyle Finnegan. Although he wasnâ€t treated as a full-time closer, Vest easily led the team with 23 saves and also earned six wins while logging strong ratios (3.01 ERA, 1.21 WHIP). Finnegan arrived from Washington at the trade deadline and picked up four saves while recording a 1.50 ERA and a 0.72 WHIP.

Advertisement

The lineup was productive through a group effort, ranking 11th in runs scored despite not having a regular contributor with an OPS over .806. Riley Greene was the offensive anchor, hitting a career-high 36 home runs and finishing fourth in baseball with 111 RBI, though he cooled off significantly in the second half. Against right-handers, he was joined in the heart of the lineup by Kerry Carpenter, who needed just 433 at-bats to accumulate 26 home runs.

Spencer Torkelson was the teamâ€s comeback player, as he rebounded from a miserable 2024 to rank second on the club in homers (31) and RBI (78). Dillon Dingler deserves mention, as he took hold of the No. 1 catcher role, was solid at the dish (.752 OPS) and ranked fourth among catchers with a +12 fielding run value, per Statcast. Finally, Zach McKinstry was an underrated contributor. He started games at six different positions, produced a career-best .771 OPS and led the team with 19 steals.

Things that went wrong

The Tigers†second-half collapse will be remembered for a long time. After all, Detroit owned a 15.5-game division lead on July 8 and still had a 12.5-game advantage on Aug. 25. But then a miserable stretch, in which the Tigers went 1-11 from Sept. 11-24, including five losses to Cleveland, paved the way for the Guardians to win the AL Central. Detroit was rarely competitive during that 12-game span, outscored by 41 runs. And while the Tigers still made the playoffs and bounced back to defeat Cleveland in the wild-card round, they ultimately ran out of steam (and offense and pitching) against the Mariners in a 15-inning loss in Game 5 of the ALDS.

Advertisement

There were a few letdowns on a pitching staff that wouldâ€ve been average at best if not for the impact of Skubal every five games. Jackson Jobe was one of baseballâ€s most hyped prospects at the outset of the season. Unfortunately, he logged mediocre ratios (4.22 ERA, 1.49 WHIP) across 10 starts before undergoing Tommy John surgery in June. He will likely miss all of next season. Chris Paddack was acquired at the trade deadline to eat innings at the back of the rotation; he let his new team down by posting a 6.32 ERA. Jack Flaherty deserves credit for making 31 starts, but he was disappointing as well, as his ERA rose by 1.47 from his 2024 mark.

Most Tigers met expectations offensively, with Trey Sweeney being the most obvious exception. His .548 OPS was the second-lowest mark of any player who recorded at least 300 plate appearances. And he didnâ€t make up for his offensive shortcomings in the field, as his defense at shortstop was no better than average. Of course, timing is everything, and many key Tigers slumped when the games mattered most in September. Although they were effective overall, Greene, Dingler, Colt Keith and Javier Baez all struggled at the plate down the stretch, and the team ranked 24th in baseball with a .672 OPS in September. That said, it’s worth noting that Baez rebounded with a strong postseason, batting 10-for-32 across eight games.

[Get more Detroit news: Tigers team feed]

Offseason outlook

Despite their disappointing second half to 2025, the Tigers are an ascending team that has finally finished a lengthy rebuild. Teams in that position typically have most of their key players under contract for the following year, and the Tigers are no exception.

Advertisement

Dingler will be the teamâ€s No. 1 catcher for several years, which is great news for Detroit pitchers. Torkelson and Colt Keith will return to hold down the corner infield spots, though Keith could slide from the hot corner to second base if the team needs a replacement for pending free agent Gleyber Torres. Detroit’s front office will need to decide if Sweeney is the answer at shortstop, and McKinstry will be ready to cover any position.

Beyond Greene in left field, there are plenty of decisions to be made among the outfield options. Javier Báez has two more years on a lucrative contract. He wasnâ€t terrific in 2025 but bounced back well enough from two miserable seasons to continue playing regularly between center field, shortstop and third base. Wenceel Pérez is another young player who had a productive season. He can play center or right and will try to show in spring training that heâ€s a lineup regular rather than a fourth outfielder. Matt Vierling and Parker Meadows are also in the mix; both were expected to log heavy workloads in 2025, but they instead suffered through ineffective, injury-impacted seasons.

The rotation is in good shape for 2026, though the organization might want to start looking farther down the road. Skubal will be supported by Flaherty and Casey Mize for one more year, but all three hurlers are pending free agents after next season, so some pivotal decisions are on the horizon. Convincing Skubal to sign his name on a long-term contract will be critical for an organization that is flush with young talent but lacks other superstars in their prime.

Advertisement

Elsewhere in the rotation, Reese Olsonâ€s regular season ended in late July due to a shoulder strain, but he should be ready for spring training and might be the teamâ€s second-best starter. The final rotation spot will be hotly contested by a few young arms, including Sawyer Gipson-Long, Keider Montero and Troy Melton. José Urquidy could be in the mix as well, as the team holds a $4 million club option on the 30-year-old who is recovering from 2024 Tommy John surgery.

Vest will return to anchor the bullpen, but Finnegan and Tommy Kahnle are headed to free agency. Still, there are some key members under contract for 2026, including Tyler Holton, Brenan Hanifee, Chase Lee and Brant Hurter. As good as Vest has been, acquiring an experienced closer should be an offseason consideration for Detroit.

Prospects on the horizon

Kevin McGonigle has shot up prospect rankings to the point that he has a case to be considered the No. 1 prospect in baseball. The 21-year-old has an absurd hit tool, which allowed him to log a .408 OBP and a .991 OPS while shooting through three minor-league levels this year. McGonigle finished the campaign in Double-A but could jump straight to the majors or spend a brief period in Triple-A next year. A natural shortstop, he could replace Sweeney or slide over to fill the vacancy at second base.

Advertisement

The organization has three other elite prospects who will debut late in 2026 or in ‘27. The closest one might be outfielder Max Clark, who was the third overall pick of the 2023 MLB Draft and is currently McGonigleâ€s teammate in Double-A. Clark has plus speed, improving power and an incredible ability to control the strike zone. Josue Briceño is also at Double-A, though he has yet to dominate that level to the same degree as McGonigle and Clark. Briceño can play catcher or first base, which opens possibilities for him to join the roster late next season. The final name to remember is Bryce Rainer, who was the teamâ€s first-round pick in 2024 and is at least a year behind the others.

Melton, mentioned above, is the teamâ€s best pitching prospect. In fact, he is the only Tigers prospect who projects to make a real impact on the 2026 rotation or bullpen. Melton could open 2026 in a swingman role before becoming a full-time starter. He will be especially valuable if the team needs to replace multiple starters going into 2027.

Goals for 2026

Although Tigers fans were undoubtedly frustrated by the teamâ€s decline in the second half and exit in the ALDS, this is a team that should be a contender for several years. The next step for president of baseball operations Scott Harris and general manager Jeff Greenberg is to determine the best way to put the finishing touches on this roster to make the Tigers favorites in October series against the best teams in the American League.

Advertisement

Given the volume of elite hitting prospects on the way, finding short-term solutions to vacant positions is likely a good goal. Of course, elite players arenâ€t always going to take short-term contracts, but the club found a good fit this year with Torres. As for major moves, those would be best made with pitchers, given that the organization has little help on the horizon on that front. Adding an elite starter to pair with Skubal would take the rotation from solid to great, and a similar impact could be made by adding an elite closer to the bullpen.

The Tigers†late-season collapse not only led to frustration within the organization and fan base but also created a sense of urgency to add to the roster this offseason. The front office was mostly quiet at the July trade deadline, which was arguably one of the prime reasons the team fell short of expectations. Despite the looming arrival of some talented prospects, Tigers fans will hope that some impact veterans are added over the winter, especially with Skubalâ€s free agency looming in a year.

Fantasy focus

Skubal will be the first pitcher off the board in nearly every 2026 draft. Depending on the scoring system, he could be a top-five pick in some leagues. There will be a bit of a wait before a second Detroit player is selected, which will happen when Greene has his name called in the range of Round 4-5.

Advertisement

There are a handful of Tigers who will be coveted middle-round picks, including Torkelson, Carpenter, Flaherty and whoever is expected to open the season as the teamâ€s closer. McGonigle could skyrocket up draft boards if he has a strong spring, and it wouldnâ€t be surprising to see him selected among the top 100 picks in some leagues.

Olson, Mize and Keith will be selected in the second half of drafts, as will Torres, whether he returns to the Tigers or departs for another team.

Source link

SEATTLE (AP) Jorge Polanco hit a game-ending single in the 15th inning, and the Seattle Mariners advanced to the AL Championship Series by outlasting the Detroit Tigers for a 3-2 victory Friday night in the longest winner-take-all postseason game in baseball history.

With one out and the bases loaded, Polanco drove in J.P. Crawford with a liner to right on a full-count changeup from Tommy Kahnle. Crawford held his arms in the air as he touched home plate while the Mariners poured out of the dugout to celebrate in front of a frenzied crowd of 47,025.

Crawford hit a leadoff single, Randy Arozarena was hit by a pitch and Julio Rodríguez was intentionally walked before Polancoâ€s big swing on the 472nd pitch of an epic Game 5 that clocked in at 4 hours, 58 minutes.

It was the third one-run game – all with a 3-2 score – in a tightly contested AL Division Series.

“I know we played a long game, but this team never gave up,†Polanco said. “I know there is a lot of emotion, but we are always trying to keep it simple. Iâ€m just trying to go out there and play and trying to get the win.â€

The Mariners left 12 runners on base and still managed to advance to the ALCS for the first time since 2001. Next up is a matchup with the AL East champion Blue Jays, beginning on Sunday night at Toronto.

“Just an incredible ballgame from top to bottom,†Mariners manager Dan Wilson said.

Luis Castillo pitched 1 1/3 innings for the win in his first major league relief appearance. Logan Gilbert, another member of Seattleâ€s rotation, worked two scoreless innings in his first relief outing since his college days at Stetson University in 2017.

“It was such a tough night,†Seattle catcher Cal Raleigh said. “Everyone put their other stuff side and did everything for the team, including Logan and Luis.â€

Detroit wasted a stellar performance by Tarik Skubal, who struck out 13 while pitching six innings of one-run ball. The Tigers went 1 for 9 with runners in scoring position and left 10 on base.

“We had an incredible game today that – unfortunately, somebody had to lose, and that somebody was us, and it hurts,†manager A.J. Hinch said.

Kerry Carpenter put Detroit in front when he hit a two-run homer off Gabe Speier in the sixth inning. Carpenter had four hits and walked twice, becoming the first player to reach five times and hit a home run in a winner-take-all postseason game since Babe Ruth in 1926, according to STATS.

The Mariners tied it at 2 on Leo Rivas†pinch-hit single off Tyler Holton in the seventh. Rivas celebrated his 28th birthday with his first postseason hit.

“He was up to the task tonight,†Wilson said. “It was a huge hit.â€

The Mariners had a runner on second with no outs in the 10th, 12th and 13th inning – and came up empty each time. Arozarena and Eugenio Suárez both grounded into a double play in extra innings.

The Tigers threatened in the 12th, putting runners on second and third with one out. Zach McKinstry was cut down at home when he attempted to score on Javier Báezâ€s grounder to third. After Carpenter was walked intentionally, Gleyber Torres flied out to right.

Dillon Dingler hit a one-out double for Detroit in the 14th, but he was stranded there when Parker Meadows struck out looking against Eduard Bazardo and Castillo retired Báez on a popup to first.

“Guys just kept battling. There were opportunities on both sides after the ninth inning,†Hinch said.

Seattle dropped four of its six games against Toronto this season. The Mariners won two of three in an April series in Toronto, but they were swept by the Blue Jays at home from May 9-11.

—

AP MLB:

Source link