Game #151: Cleveland Guardians @ Detroit Tigers, Tuesday September 16th, 2025 , 6:40 Pm

[kalinecountry]

https://www.mlb.com/tigers/news/tigers-drop-series-opener-in-extras-after-kerry-carpenter-home-run

Tigers on both sides of emotional swing as division lead slips in extras.
Carpenter mashes game-tying homer with 2 outs in 9th, but Guardians answer with 4 in 10th.
Tigers official site

https://www.mlb.com/gameday/guardians-vs-tigers/2025/09/16/776303/live/box

Boxscore.

https://www.mlb.com/gameday/guardians-vs-tigers/2025/09/16/776303/live/video

Video highlights.

Guardians 7, Tigers 5 (F/10): Tenth inning flame-out

A rare off-night by Will Vest spoils one heck of a dramatic home run.

www.blessyouboys.com

Guardians 7 - Tigers 5 (F/10): Tenth inning flame-out.
A rare off-night by Will Vest spoils one heck of a dramatic home run.
BYBTB

Kerry Carpenter hits clutch homer, but Will Vest implodes in Tigers' 7-5 loss to Guardians

Detroit Tigers score: Kerry Carpenter crushed a pinch-hit game-tying home run in the bottom of the ninth inning, but reliever Will Vest squandered it.

www.freep.com

Kerry Carpenter hits clutch homer, but Will Vest implodes in Tigers' 7-5 loss to Guardians.
Freep

Tigers’ hopes of division-clinching series snuffed out by Guardians in opener

The red-hot Guardians opened the AL Central showdown with a 10-inning win over the Tigers.

www.mlive.com

Tigers’ hopes of division-clinching series snuffed out by Guardians in opener.
Mlive

 

[kalinecountry]

WATERCOOLER WEDNESDAY

In just 2 weeks, the 2025 regular season ends and hopefully, the Detroit Tigers will be playing into October. The playoffs will have a 26-man roster and the Tigers are expected to use a mix of 12 p…

totallytigers.wordpress.com

WATERCOOLER WEDNESDAY.
Totally Tigers

In just 2 weeks, the 2025 regular season ends and hopefully, the Detroit Tigers will be playing into October.
The playoffs will have a 26-man roster and the Tigers are expected to use a mix of 12 pitchers and 14 positional players. Last year, they used a combo of Tarik Skubal and Reese Olson as their starters combined with pitching chaos. That was the year when Casey Mize was left off the roster.
This year, Skubal and Mize are expected to headline the playoff roster. It is highly unlikely that Olson will make it off the IL in time to pitch. But could another starter be in the mix?
Potentially, the Tigers could add Jack Flaherty, Keider Montero, Charlie Morton or Chris Paddack. Troy Melton, who has pitched well, has been moved to the bullpen but Manager A. J. Hinch said that could change. However, Melton has only started 3 games at the MLB level.
How will all these pitchers be best used? Should the Tigers add another starting pitcher to the rotation or should they go with Skubal, Mize and pitching chaos?
Here are the stats to consider as you make your decision:
2025 Detroit Tigers Statistics | Baseball-Reference.com
(Scroll down to the bottom of the page where the pitching stats are.)

What pitching strategy should the Tigers use for the playoffs?

1. Add either Flaherty, Montero, Morton or Paddack to Skubal and Mize.

2. Use Skubal, Mize and pitching chaos.

VOTE

 

[tomdalton22]

WATERCOOLER WEDNESDAY

In just 2 weeks, the 2025 regular season ends and hopefully, the Detroit Tigers will be playing into October. The playoffs will have a 26-man roster and the Tigers are expected to use a mix of 12 p…

totallytigers.wordpress.com

WATERCOOLER WEDNESDAY.
Totally Tigers

In just 2 weeks, the 2025 regular season ends and hopefully, the Detroit Tigers will be playing into October.
The playoffs will have a 26-man roster and the Tigers are expected to use a mix of 12 pitchers and 14 positional players. Last year, they used a combo of Tarik Skubal and Reese Olson as their starters combined with pitching chaos. That was the year when Casey Mize was left off the roster.
This year, Skubal and Mize are expected to headline the playoff roster. It is highly unlikely that Olson will make it off the IL in time to pitch. But could another starter be in the mix?
Potentially, the Tigers could add Jack Flaherty, Keider Montero, Charlie Morton or Chris Paddack. Troy Melton, who has pitched well, has been moved to the bullpen but Manager A. J. Hinch said that could change. However, Melton has only started 3 games at the MLB level.
How will all these pitchers be best used? Should the Tigers add another starting pitcher to the rotation or should they go with Skubal, Mize and pitching chaos?
Here are the stats to consider as you make your decision:
2025 Detroit Tigers Statistics | Baseball-Reference.com
(Scroll down to the bottom of the page where the pitching stats are.)

What pitching strategy should the Tigers use for the playoffs?

1. Add either Flaherty, Montero, Morton or Paddack to Skubal and Mize.

2. Use Skubal, Mize and pitching chaos.

VOTE

their pen sucks. They need another starter to step up in the playoffs.

 

[gotime909]

Wierd that aj plays Greene every time vs a lefty starter and rarely will play Carp.

Greene 182 plate appearances vs lefties - 3 homers

Carp 58 plate appearances vs lefties - 3 homers

Neither play elite defense.

 

[Oldenslow]

They are going to blow this Central division lead. Last 6 games on the road,
3 with cleveland and 3 with boston.

I guess it is possible. Cleveland and Boston can be tough. The Tigers need to win 5 of their last 11 games to reach 90 wins. The Guardians need to win 11 of their last 12 games to reach 90 wins. Seems improbable, but I guess anything is possible. The Guardians have the Tigers, the Twins and Rangers left to play. The Tigers have the Guardians, Braves and Red Sox left. It would be a monumental accomplishment if the Guardians can pull it off. I have always detested the Cleveland teams.

 

[Oldenslow]

Just awful. Team has zero plate discipline other than Torres.

That is so true. They should be making the opposing pitchers work and making serious attempts at swinging only at the pitches in the box. I watched Baez in his first AB and he never took the bat off his shoulder as he watched three straight pitches, (fast balls), go right down the middle for a strike out. He just did a pivot and walked back to the dugout. It's infuriating.

 

[Oldenslow]

Wierd that aj plays Greene every time vs a lefty starter and rarely will play Carp.

Greene 182 plate appearances vs lefties - 3 homers

Carp 58 plate appearances vs lefties - 3 homers

Neither play elite defense.

Great observation. I have seen Greene makes some great defensive plays this season however. It seems Riley is listening too much to all the talk about his "steep" uppercut swing. He is really overdoing it now and hitting very high short pop ups.

 

[Oldenslow]

their pen sucks. They need another starter to step up in the playoffs.

Totally agree. It would really help the bullpen if Finnegan could come back and perform at the same level he was at before he was sidelined.

 

[nydo77]

Why does it feel like the Cleveland manger seems to be ahead of AJ.

I would say that it is because he has a team that does baseball fundamentals better than the Tigers. They have more talent in the bullpen, even without their closer, and they have players that are much better at plate discipline and coordination. It also appears that their starters take the scouting reports into deeper consideration when it comes to their game plan.

 

[nydo77]

Great observation. I have seen Greene makes some great defensive plays this season however. It seems Riley is listening too much to all the talk about his "steep" uppercut swing. He is really overdoing it now and hitting very high short pop ups.

Greene has made some obvious diving catches, but how is his range and speed, or his throwing strength and accuracy?

 

[kalinecountry]

https://www.freep.com/story/sports/mlb/tigers/2025/09/16/detroit-tigers-injury-updates-kyle-finnegan-paul-sewald-matt-vierling/86187505007/

Detroit Tigers injury updates: What's the latest on Kyle Finnegan, Paul Sewald?
Freep

 

[nydo77]

That is so true. They should be making the opposing pitchers work and making serious attempts at swinging only at the pitches in the box. I watched Baez in his first AB and he never took the bat off his shoulder as he watched three straight pitches, (fast balls), go right down the middle for a strike out. He just did a pivot and walked back to the dugout. It's infuriating.

One of the things that I am trying to observe when I can actually see a broadcast is how long Tigers keep their vision on the pitch (not very conclusively so far). When I watch Baez, much of the time I don’t see much evidence of tracking the ball at all, and most of the team truly doesn’t measure up to Harris’s claim of owning the strike zone, since they swing and miss so much at strikes, while expanding the zone.