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Eduardo Valencia Eduardo Valencia Goes deep against Philadelphia
Sat, Jul 11, 2026, 8:16 PM
Valencia went 2-for-4 with a solo home run during the Tigers' 4-2 loss to the Phillies on Saturday.
Analysis: Valencia put the Tigers on the board with a solo homer off All-Star southpaw Cristopher Sanchez in the fifth inning. Valencia has gone deep in two of the first three games of his major-league career, and his power doesn't come as much of a surprise, given that he logged 16 home runs across 3331 plate appearances in Triple-A this season and another 25 deep balls over 433 minor-league plate appearances in 2025. Dillon Dingler was back in the Tigers' lineup after missing time due to a thumb injury, and with Jake Rogers on the 26-man roster, Valencia will likely head back to Triple-A at some point over the coming days. |
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Casey Mize Casey Mize Takes loss against Philadelphia
Sat, Jul 11, 2026, 8:11 PM
Mize (4-6) took the loss against the Phillies on Saturday, allowing four runs (three earned) on five hits and two walks while striking out five across 5.2 innings.
Analysis: Mize fell one out short from logging a third consecutive quality start, and he didn't get quite enough run support from his Tigers teammates to avoid the loss, finishing Saturday's outing with 15 whiffs on 97 pitches (62 strikes). The 29-year-old right-hander has given up at least three earned runs in three of his last five starts, and he enters the All-Star break with a 2.79 ERA and 1.00 WHIP across 77.1 innings. |
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Bound for Motor City
Sat, Jul 11, 2026, 6:24 PM
The Tigers selected Pellegrin with the No. 125 overall pick in the 2026 First-Year Player Draft.
Analysis: Pellegrin will presumably forego his commitment to Tulane and join the Detroit organization. Known primarily for his speed and up-the-middle defense, Pellegrin shined at the plate during MLB's Draft League, reaching base 13 times in the span of 14 plate appearances in June, as noted by Christian Romo of the Detroit Free Press. |
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Popped by Tigers at pick 69
Sat, Jul 11, 2026, 4:33 PM
The Tigers selected Dempsey with the No. 69 overall pick in the 2026 First-Year Player Draft.
Analysis: Dempsey, a two-way player at Florida Gulf Coast, was drafted as a pitcher. Some evaluators think he could add velocity on the mound while focusing on pitching. The right-hander has impressed with high spin rates on his breaking pitches. |
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Drafted by Detroit
Sat, Jul 11, 2026, 4:08 PM
The Tigers selected LeBlanc with the No. 61 pick in the 2026 First-Year Player Draft.
Analysis: LeBlanc set a single-season record at Kansas in 2026 with 25 home runs and carried that power into the wood-bat Northwoods League, where he launched five homers with a .507 OPS last year. The 21-year-old doesn't have elite speed but was still decently productive on the basepaths with 11 steals for Kansas last season. |
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Dillon Dingler Dillon Dingler Back in lineup
Sat, Jul 11, 2026, 3:55 PM
Dingler (thumb) will serve as the designated hitter and bat third during Saturday's game against the Phillies.
Analysis: Manager A.J. Hinch said Friday that Dingler's availability for the rest of the series was uncertain due to his injured right thumb, but he's been cleared to work as the DH and could return behind the plate in Sunday's first-half finale, per Cody Stavenhagen of The Athletic. Dingler had gone 9-for-32 (.281) with two RBI and six runs scored in his last eight games before getting injured. |
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Snagged by Detroit
Sat, Jul 11, 2026, 2:28 PM
The Tigers selected Flukey with the No. 22 overall pick in the 2026 First-Year Player Draft.
Analysis: Flukey had a strong track record (three years with a K-BB% over 21%) of dominating with his upper-90s fastball and big downer curveball at Coastal Carolina, including a run to the College World Series in 2025. He missed a couple months early this season with a rib stress fracture but returned in April with his usual stuff, although he didn't pitch deep into games. A lanky 6-foot-6 righty with an athletic delivery and a high release point, Flukey has room to add 10-15 pounds of muscle to his 210-pound frame, and he will probably add a tick to his fastball with pro instruction regardless. There is some concern from pro scouts that he doesn't have great feel for spin and won't end up with a plus breaking ball in the pros, and his changeup needs further refinement, so Flukey's upside may be capped as a mid-rotation starter. |
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Andre Granillo Andre Granillo Claimed by Tigers, sent to Triple-A
Sat, Jul 11, 2026, 1:26 PM
The Tigers claimed Granillo off waivers from the Nationals on Saturday and optioned him to Triple-A Toledo.
Analysis: The 26-year-old was pushed off Washington's 40-man roster last Saturday to make room for Matt Krook, but Granillo will reclaim a 40-man spot in the Tigers organization. He's turned in an ugly 8.02 ERA and 1.66 WHIP through 33.2 innings at Triple-A this season, so he will likely have to turn things around at Toledo before getting a chance in the Tigers' bullpen. |
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Spencer Torkelson Spencer Torkelson Goes deep again Friday
Sat, Jul 11, 2026, 9:05 AM
Torkelson went 1-for-4 with a two-run home run in Friday's 10-2 win over the Phillies.
Analysis: Torkelson hit his second home run over his last three games, and he's now up to 16 long balls on the season. The 26-year-old matched his career best with 31 homers in 155 regular-season contests last year. He's sitting at his current total after 93 games, so he'll need to finish on a torrid pace if he wants to set a new career high in 2026, though Torkelson is plenty capable of going on power binges. |
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Colt Keith Colt Keith Blasts eighth home run
Sat, Jul 11, 2026, 9:00 AM
Keith went 1-for-5 with a solo home run in Friday's 10-2 win over the Phillies.
Analysis: Keith is off to a nice start in the power department this month, as he now has three home runs in seven July games. Overall, the 24-year-old has tallied all eight of his long balls this season in his last 23 contests after failing to go deep over his first 62 games of the year. Keith is building some momentum heading into the second half and starting to emerge as a useful fantasy asset due to his ability to leave the yard. |
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Kevin McGonigle Kevin McGonigle Lifts off Friday
Sat, Jul 11, 2026, 8:55 AM
McGonigle went 1-for-5 with a two-run home run in Friday's 10-2 win over the Phillies.
Analysis: It wasn't McGonigle's best performance overall, but he still managed to make an impact with his eighth home run of the season. The 21-year-old rookie also extended his hitting streak to five games, and so far in July he's batting .313 with a .905 OPS and two long balls. McGonigle is carrying positive vibes into his first All-Star Game appearance next week. |
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Jack Flaherty Jack Flaherty Cruises to another win
Sat, Jul 11, 2026, 8:50 AM
Flaherty (3-8) allowed two runs on two hits across six innings of work to earn the win in Friday's 10-2 victory over the Phillies. He walked three and struck out six.
Analysis: Facing a tough Philadelphia lineup, Flaherty managed to pick up his second straight win with the Tigers backing him with plenty of offense. The righty is on a good run across his last three starts, as he's allowed just the two earned runs in 16.2 innings while striking out 20. Flaherty has consistently done a good job of missing bats, but his overall results don't always match up. The veteran starter carries plenty of momentum into the All-Star break, and he'll look to keep things rolling in the second half. |
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Dillon Dingler Dillon Dingler Weekend availability uncertain
Fri, Jul 10, 2026, 3:33 PM
Manager A.J. Hinch said Friday that Eduardo Valencia will start at catcher Saturday against the Phillies, and it's uncertain if Dingler (thumb) will play in Sunday's series finale, Evan Woodbery of MLive.com reports.
Analysis: Dingler is not in the lineup for Friday's series opener against Philadelphia, as Jake Rogers is doing the catching and batting ninth. Valencia will catch Saturday, suggesting Dingler has already been ruled out for that game. Hinch said Dingler is progressing with his bruised thumb, but he remains day-to-day. It's possible Dingler will remain sidelined through the All-Star break. |
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Will Vest Will Vest Has stress fracture in elbow
Fri, Jul 10, 2026, 3:27 PM
Vest has been diagnosed with a stress fracture in his right elbow, Chris McCosky of The Detroit News reports.
Analysis: Vest will not require surgery, but he remains without a clear timetable for return after he was initially placed on the 15-day injured list due to right elbow inflammation July 1. It's been an ugly 2026 season for the right-hander, as he's posted a 6.08 ERA, 1.43 WHIP and 27:10 K:BB across 26.2 innings. His 3.41 FIP would suggest he's been extremely unlucky. |
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Dillon Dingler Dillon Dingler Remains out of lineup Friday
Fri, Jul 10, 2026, 1:56 PM
Dingler (thumb) is not in the starting lineup for Friday's game against the Phillies.
Analysis: Dingler was removed from Wednesday's game after a foul tip caught him in the thumb. He'll miss a second straight start behind the plate, as Jake Rogers will start at catcher and bat ninth for Detroit. Dingler remains day-to-day headed into the final series before the All-Star break. |
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Kenley Jansen Kenley Jansen Secures 11th save Thursday
Thu, Jul 9, 2026, 8:39 PM
Jansen worked around a hit and a walk to secure the save in Thursday's 4-1 win over the Athletics. He struck out one.
Analysis: Jansen wasn't his sharpest as he allowed a few baserunners and needed 19 pitches to get through the ninth inning, but he still managed to lock down his 11th save in 15 chances this season. The veteran hasn't been his typical dominant self with a 4.76 ERA across 22.2 innings, which is up from 2.59 last year and his career ERA of 2.62. Despite some struggles, Jansen seems locked in as Detroit's closer, and his impressive MLB track record suggests he could pitch better as the season rolls along. |
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Eduardo Valencia Eduardo Valencia Homers in first MLB at-bat
Thu, Jul 9, 2026, 8:31 PM
Valencia went 1-for-1 with a solo home run and was also hit by a pitch in Thursday's 4-1 win over the Athletics.
Analysis: Valencia received his first call to the majors earlier in the day, and he supplied a special moment when he appeared as a pinch hitter in the seventh inning. The 26-year-old Venezuelan lifted the fourth pitch of his first MLB at-bat over the wall in center for his first career home run. Valencia spent eight seasons in the minors before getting promoted to provide some catching depth as Dillon Dingler manages a thumb injury. Dingler's injury isn't considered serious and he may return to the lineup soon, which could send Valencia back to Triple-A Toledo, though he's firmly in the mix to provide MLB depth the rest of the season as needed. |
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Jake Rogers Jake Rogers Homers again Thursday
Thu, Jul 9, 2026, 8:23 PM
Rogers went 1-for-1 with two walks and a solo home run in Thursday's 4-1 win over the Athletics.
Analysis: With Dillon Dingler getting the night off a day after taking a foul ball off his right thumb, Rogers stepped into the starting lineup and went deep for the second straight game. X-rays came back negative on Dingler's thumb, so he may be able to return soon, but the Tigers also only have three more games before the All-Star break and may play it safe with their starting catcher. If that's the case, Rogers should get a few more chances to shine before returning to a backup role in the second half. |
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Dillon Dingler Dillon Dingler Day-to-day, not in lineup Thursday
Thu, Jul 9, 2026, 3:22 PM
Dingler (thumb) is not in the lineup for Thursday's game against the Athletics.
Analysis: Dingler had to exit Wednesday's game after a foul tip caught him in the right thumb. X-rays came back clean, and Dingler said Thursday that he's feeling "10 times better" a day after the injury, per Logan Reever of Detroit SportsNet. Dingler will avoid the 10-day injured list and is considered day-to-day as he waits for the swelling in his thumb to subside. Jake Rogers is catching for the Tigers on Thursday, and Eduardo Valencia has been called up for depth behind the plate. |
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Jahmai Jones Jahmai Jones Designated for assignment
Thu, Jul 9, 2026, 2:49 PM
The Tigers designated Jones for assignment Thursday, Cody Stavenhagen of The Athletic reports.
Analysis: Jones has slashed just .137/.219/.221 across 105 plate appearances with the Tigers this season, so he'll now lose his place on the 26-man and 40-man rosters to make room for Eduardo Valencia. His defensive versatility could make him more valuable to clubs browsing the waiver wire, though he isn't likely to make much of an impact with his bat in the big leagues. |
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