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The Milwaukee Brewers are set to begin a long stretch of games against NL Central foes, as they’ll start with four games against the Cubs at Wrigley. The Brewers, who sit at 85-52, are currently firmly in first place in the division, with an eight-game lead over the 77-60 Cubs. The Crew has won five consecutive series to build on their lead, while the Cubs have lost three straight series to the Mariners, D-backs, and Reds.

On the injury front, reliever Abner Uribe is expected to return for this series after missing the last couple of weeks with a right forearm flexor strain. Not far behind him is left-handed reliever JoJo Romero, who joined Uribe on his recent rehab assignment after an appendectomy in mid-July. Brandon Woodruff is still unexpected to return this year, though it’s possible he makes it back in a later postseason series, while Rob Zastryzny and Joel Kuhnel both have TBD returns. Brian Fitzpatrick, Quinn Priester, and Angel Zerpa are all out for the season.

Chicago is without shortstop Dansby Swanson (mid- to late September return), as well as a whole bunch of pitchers. That group includes Edward Cabrera (September), Justin Steele (potentially September, but in a relief role), Shelby Miller (potentially September), Ben Brown (September, though recently pulled off rehab assignment), Phil Maton (TBD), Hunter Harvey (TBD), Gavin Hollowll (September), Riley Martin (out for season), Cade Horton (out for season), and Porter Hodge (out for season).

Milwaukee’s offense is led by Jake Bauers, Jackson Chourio, Brice Turang, William Contreras, and Garrett Mitchell, who have pretty consistently made up the top few spots in the order. Christian Yelich has slid down in the order but has played well lately, while Andrew Vaughn and Joey Ortiz have both quietly been consistent of late. Sal Frelick, Cooper Pratt, Gary Sánchez, Luis Lara, and David Hamilton all play regularly, too. As a team, Milwaukee is hitting .255/.338/.397 (.735 OPS ranks fifth), with 126 homers (last), 683 runs scored (third), and 135 steals (tied for fourth)

Pete Crow-Armstrong is turning in an MVP season, as he’s hitting .283/.377/.577 with 38 homers, 91 RBIs, 99 runs, and 32 steals. Ian Happ, Seiya Suzuki, Alex Bregman, and Michael Busch are all regular contributors offensively, while Nico Hoerner is having a bit of a down year but is still hitting .263/.318/.356. Carson Kelly and Miguel Amaya share catching duties, and Michael Conforto is also in the outfield/DH mix. Pedro Ramírez, Matt Shaw, Tyrone Taylor, and Gabriel Arias round things out. As a team, Chicago is hitting .251/.339/.428 (.767 OPS ranks first), with 187 homers (third), 725 runs scored (first), and 101 steals (10th).

On the mound, Aaron Ashby, Trevor Megill, and the soon-to-return Uribe lead the bullpen. Ashby has a 3.24 ERA and 13 wins, spanning 75 innings with 104 strikeouts. Megill leads the team with 25 saves and sports a 2.24 ERA, while Uribe has been even better with a 2.05 ERA. Chad Patrick, DL Hall, Bryse Wilson, Antonio Senzatela, and Grant Anderson (who is more than likely the odd man out upon Uribe’s return) round things out. As a staff, the Brewers have a 3.37 team ERA (second), including a 3.46 starter ERA (fourth) and a 3.25 bullpen ERA (third). They’ve struck out 1,320 batters (second) across 1,225 2/3 innings.

Jacob Webb leads Chicago’s bullpen with 60 appearances, sporting a 2.87 ERA and team-high nine saves in 15 chances. Daniel Palencia has dealt with injuries and honestly hasn’t been all that good when on the field, with a 4.19 ERA over 19 1/3 innings, though he is 3-for-3 in save chances. Ryan Zeferjahn, acquired from the Angels at the deadline, has struggled with a 5.79 ERA over 9 1/3 innings, as has Caleb Thielbar (4.97 ERA). Ryan Rolison (2.79 ERA over 51 2/3 innings), Trent Thornton (3.45 ERA over 44 1/3 innings), and old friend Aaron Civale (1.54 ERA over 23 1/3 innings) have all been solid, and fellow old friend Colin Rea (4.48 ERA over 126 2/3 innings) has worked in a starter/long-relief swing role. As a staff, the Cubs have a 4.14 team ERA (14th), including a 4.32 starter ERA (18th) and a 3.90 bullpen ERA (12th). They’ve struck out 1,057 batters (26th) over 1,224 2/3 innings.

Probable Pitchers

Monday, August 31 @ 6:40 p.m.: LHP Kyle Harrison (10-3, 2.79 ERA, 3.29 FIP) vs. RHP Clay Holmes (5-6, 2.26 ERA, 3.35 FIP)

Harrison continues to impress in his first season in Milwaukee, with a 10-3 record, 2.79 ERA, 3.29 FIP, and 127 strikeouts across 103 1/3 innings. He took a no-decision in Milwaukee’s extra-innings loss to the Mets last week, working five innings with one run allowed on six hits and a walk, striking out five. Harrison has made three appearances against Chicago, totaling 13 innings with a 1.38 ERA and 22 strikeouts. That includes a pair of starts while with Milwaukee this year, spanning 12 innings with two runs allowed and 20 strikeouts.

Holmes, 33, is one of Chicago’s deadline acquisitions, coming over from the Mets. He’s made four starts in a Cubs uniform, spanning 23 innings with a 1.96 ERA, 3.69 FIP, and 10 strikeouts. The veteran right-hander went seven scoreless innings in a no-decision against the D-backs his last time out, allowing just two hits and two walks while striking out five. Holmes, a former longtime Pirate, has made 18 appearances (two starts) against Milwaukee, with a 1-3 record, 5.96 ERA, and 24 strikeouts across 25 2/3 innings.

Tuesday, September 1 @ 6:40 p.m.: LHP Robert Gasser (4-5, 4.59 ERA, 4.44 FIP) vs. LHP Matthew Boyd (8-3, 3.99 ERA, 4.67 FIP)

This spot, originally Dustin May’s, has now flip-flopped with Gasser after Gasser stepped in to finish out May’s start against the Mets last week when May exited after just one pitch (he was alright and started in Sunday’s series finale against the Rangers). For the season, Gasser is 4-5 with a 4.59 ERA, 4.44 FIP, and 78 strikeouts across 82 1/3 innings. He stepped in nicely in that game against the Mets, going 5 1/3 innings with one run allowed on six hits and two walks, striking out six to earn the win. Gasser’s lone start against the Cubs came back in 2024, when he went six scoreless innings with seven strikeouts in a no-decision.

Boyd, 35, was an All-Star for the first time in his career last season, but he’s taken a slight step back while dealing with injuries in 2026. Across 17 starts this year, he’s 8-3 with a 3.99 ERA, 4.67 FIP, and 76 strikeouts over 97 frames. The left-hander has taken the loss in two of his last three starts (the third start was a no-decision in a game the Cubs would lose in extra innings), allowing 13 runs (12 earned) over 17 1/3 innings against the Cardinals, Mariners, and D-backs. Boyd has made five career starts against Milwaukee, going 2-2 with a 9.00 ERA and 19 strikeouts across 23 innings. That includes one win and one loss last season, when he allowed nine runs over 10 1/3 innings.

Wednesday, September 2 @ 6:40 p.m.: RHP Jacob Misiorowski (14-5, 1.73 ERA, 2.14 FIP) vs. LHP David Peterson (7-7, 5.11 ERA, 4.05 FIP)

Misiorowski, who is now just a few weeks away from officially wrapping up what appears to be an NL Cy Young-winning season, is 14-5 this year, with a 1.73 ERA, 2.14 FIP, and 222 strikeouts over 151 innings. He hasn’t shown quite as much swing-and-miss stuff in his last few outings but he’s still keeping opposing teams off the scoreboard, as he’s totaled 18 innings with three runs allowed (1.50 ERA) and 18 strikeouts in wins against the Dodgers, Braves, and Mets. Misiorowski has made four starts against the Cubs, going 2-1 with a 2.70 ERA and 28 strikeouts across 20 frames. That includes a pair of wins this year, as he’s totaled 12 innings with just one run allowed and 16 strikeouts.

Peterson, who turns 31 on Thursday, is a former long-time Met who was acquired by the Cubs in late June. While his season numbers aren’t great, he’s been better with the Cubs, pitching to a 3.90 ERA, 4.31 FIP, and 46 strikeouts across 55 1/3 innings in 11 appearances (10 starts). He’s taken a no-decision in each of his last two appearances, spanning 11 innings with four runs allowed and 14 strikeouts against the Mariners and Reds. Peterson has faced Milwaukee seven times in his career (six starts), going 4-1 with a 3.44 ERA and 28 strikeouts over 34 frames. That includes a win in his Cubs debut back in June, tossing 5 2/3 innings with two runs allowed and two strikeouts.

Thursday, September 3 @ 6:15 p.m.: RHP Logan Henderson (9-2, 2.48 ERA, 3.29 FIP) vs. RHP Kevin Gausman (8-11, 4.52 ERA, 3.60 FIP)

Henderson continues to impress in his rookie season, as he’s now made 14 starts with a 9-2 record, 2.48 ERA, 3.29 FIP, and 86 strikeouts across 76 1/3 innings. He picked up his third straight win against the Rangers on Friday night, going seven innings with one run allowed (a solo homer) and allowing no other baserunners with seven strikeouts. This would mark Henderson’s first career appearance against Chicago.

Gausman, 35, is another deadline acquisition of the Cubs, joining them from the Blue Jays. The 14-year veteran has made five starts with Chicago, with a 3-1 record, 5.14 ERA, 4.08 FIP, and 29 strikeouts over 28 innings. He’s had two rough outings (five innings with five earned runs against the Reds and 4 2/3 innings with six earned runs against the Nationals) but also two solid seven-inning outings (no runs against the D-backs, two runs against the Royals), so it just depends which version shows up. Gausman has made eight career appearances (six starts) against Milwaukee, going 2-0 with a 1.99 ERA and 46 strikeouts across 40 2/3 innings. That includes a no-decision while with the Blue Jays earlier this year, when he went five frames and allowed three runs with five strikeouts.

How to Watch & Listen

Monday, August 31: Brewers TV; listen via radio on the Brewers Radio Network (620 WTMJ in Milwaukee)

Tuesday, September 1: Brewers TV and nationally on TBS; listen via radio on the Brewers Radio Network (620 WTMJ in Milwaukee)

Wednesday, September 2: Brewers TV and nationally on MLB Network; listen via radio on the Brewers Radio Network (620 WTMJ in Milwaukee)

Thursday, September 3: Exclusively televised nationally on Fox/Fox One; listen via radio on the Brewers Radio Network (620 WTMJ in Milwaukee)

Prediction

This is a big series for both squads, and the pitching matchups tell the story. Give me a series split.

After a blazing hot start to Devin Fitz-Gerald’s Nationals career, in which he posted a 132 wRC+ and had a May as hot as any month ever from a Nats prospect, he earned a promotion to Double A in early June, simultaneously climbing many top 100 prospect lists. The hit tool looked as advertised, but the sudden increase in power output was a welcome surprise as well, as Fitz-Gerald hit 12 home runs in 51 games at High A.

A slowdown in production is expected when any prospect moves up a level, but to say Devin Fitz-Gerald hit a wall in Double A at first would be an understatement, as from his callup on June 7th to the end of June, he posted a -1 wRC+, hitting .137 with just a .178 slugging percentage. His influx of power output he had in High A suddenly vanished, and it seemed his hit tool and approach went with it, as he was swinging at everything, struggled to draw walks, and struck out too much.

July was an improvement for Fitz-Gerald, as he swung less, leading to more walks and less strikeouts, but he still wasn’t tapping into much of the power which made him a game wrecker at High A, posting a .306 slugging percentage and 82 wRC+ on the month. Through almost two months at Double A, Fitz-Gerald was looking somewhat overmatched, causing some fans and analysts to begin to lose some faith. Others however, who understood the kind of talent they saw earlier in the year, were willing to hold the line and bet on him to figure it out.

Sure enough, August was a breakout month for Fitz-Gerald at Double A. He swung at pitches in the zone about as much as he did in June, but he chased outside the zone 13% less, and made more contact overall when he did swing. The power stroke finally returned for Fitz-Gerald as well, as he swatted 3 home runs in August, as compared to just 1 in June and July combined. Overall, Fitz-Gerald hit .310 and posted a 139 wRC+ in August, much more in line with the numbers he was posting earlier in the season.

There is still questions to be answered about Fitz-Gerald’s profile, such as if he can sustain his power numbers for longer periods of time in the upper minor leagues, but his season teaches us something important when it comes to prospect scouting as a whole: it is important to demonstrate patience with players, especially ones going through changes.

For Fitz-Gerald, that change wasn’t just a promotion to a new level, but dealing with his mother’s tragic cancer diagnosis, and having to be gone from home for months at a time to play baseball. There can be more to a players surface level numbers than meet the eye, and a bad month or two doesn’t mean he should be written off entirely.

I expect Fitz-Gerald will begin the 2027 minor league season at Double A, where hopefully Eli Willits will be next to him playing Shortstop, creating one of the most exciting middle infield prospect duos in Nationals minor league history. With another offseason to bulk and work on his swing, hopefully Fitz-Gerald can continue to add more power output to his game, as when he combines his plus hit tool with the ability to pop balls over the fence, he’s as dangerous a hitter as the Nationals have in their farm system.

A momentum building series win over the Chicago Cubs where there was drama in all 3 games, the Diamondbacks would look to carry that momentum into their 4 game series against the struggling San Francisco Giants. The good news going into this series is the Dbacks have had the Giants number in 2026, winning 8 of the 9 games they have played, but the Giants lineup of MLB the show randomly generated names would be doing their best to play spoiler to the Dbacks and attempt to deny them from gaining any ground on the Padres or Phillies in the NL Wild Card race.

Three’s (Mid) Company

The Diamondbacks starting rotation depth has been tested multiple times throughout 2026 but more so the last month plus as the Snakes have had to rely heavily on arms like Mitch Bratt, Kohl Drake and Jose Cabrera to fill in those gaps. While the expectations were on the low end for the young arms, outside of Bratt’s 7 shutout innings against San Diego earlier this month, the results have been less than ideal as they have only gone 6 innings or longer in 2 of the 20 combined starts, both of which were by Mitch Bratt.

The fellas and I agreed that these short outings from the young arms are leading to the bullpen being used more often than most would like, which could be a recipe for disaster with only a month left to go. If this team is to complete their playoff push and sneak into October, they are going to need their starting pitching to carry the load a bit more and try to keep the big bullpen arms from being overused.

Noot Scootin’ Boogie

The lone acquisition for the Diamondbacks at the trade deadline was off to a rough start at the dish, as the three of us and many other D’Backs fans and writers were starting to get worried that Lars Nootbar would be another black hole in a lineup that at times already has too many spots, but the last 10 games from Noot Noot (.310/.355/.724 for a 1.079 OPS) has the three of us hoping that Lars has adjusted to his new team and found his footing at just the right time. Gabe, Brandon and I were all on the same page in saying that if Nootbar can at least be a .750-.780 OPS hitter the rest of the way, then that could be a big boost for this offense and provide a bit more length in the lineup.

Letting Opportunities “Split” Away

Going into the series the Diamondbacks were a full game behind the San Diego Padres for the 3rd Wild Card spot in the NL, but thanks to a lot of help from the D’Backs expansion brothers in the Tampa Bay Rays they were able to leave San Fran a half game ahead of the Pads. Normally that would have us absolutely amped up that we were able to leap frog the Padres and get back into a WIld Card spot, but the fellas and I all felt the same in saying that it felt like the Diamondbacks left a prime opportunity to leave with an even bigger lead on the table as even just 1 more win in this series would have given the Snakes a 1.5 game lead, with a sweep giving them a 2.5 game lead. 

Gabe mentioned that a 2.5 game lead wouldn’t be a big enough gap to fully secure any kind of playoff spot, it would have put a lot of pressure on the Padres to make up as much ground as they could before the final series of the year when the Snakes and Padres meetup in San Diego. Brandon also pointed out that a sweep of the Giants would have kept Arizona just 3 games back of the Phillies and Cubs for that first Wild Card spot and the chance to even host a Wild Card series. A series split doesn’t technically have a winner or loser, but with the missed opportunities for the D’Backs to gane even more ground in their playoff push had us all feeling like they really came away from this 4 gamer as losers.

The Phightin Phils

The three of us turned our attention to the next series ahead of the Diamondbacks as the red hot Phillies, winners of 8 of their last 10, would be coming to Chase Field for a big 3 game set starting on Monday night. The big talking point heading into this Phillies series is the potential return of Diamondbacks 2nd Baseman Ketel Marte after the wild drama filled last few weeks became the talk of the baseball world. We all acknowledged that there will most certainly be a mixed reaction from the Snakes fans in attendance, but the hope is that the clubhouse will be ready to welcome Ketel back with open arms and be ready to focus on winning ballgames, as Ketel is a critical bat to have for this final month.

While the focus has mostly been on the Padres and the 3rd and final Wild Card spot, the D’Backs are still within striking distance of both the Phillies and the Cubs for the 1st or 2nd spot, so a series win or even a series sweep of the Phils could be the kind of juice the Snakes need to get them fired up and ready to hopefully play their best ball and finish out the regular season on a high note and with as much momentum heading into October.

Welcome back to Monday Stat Party, a weekly series showcasing some of the most curious and nostalgia-inducing statistical developments from the past week of Mets baseball. What unites each entry is the sense of intrigue which they aim to spark, and the unbridled love of the game’s anomalies from which they arise. Without further ado, let the stat party begin.

TUESDAY

Zac Thornton became the first Mets pitcher with at least six quality starts in their first 10 career games since Steven Matz. The only other Mets debuting since 2000 to accomplish that feat were Dillon Gee, Matt Harvey, Jacob deGrom, and Noah Syndergaard.

Carson Benge notched his 11th three-hit game of the season, overtaking the record for a Mets rookie set by Pete Alonso (10) in 2019.

Christopher Morel’s eighth-inning ground out registered a 114.6 mph exit velocity, marking the second-hardest-hit ball by a Met this season.

WEDNESDAY

Dustin May’s one-pitch start marked the shortest outing for an opposing starting pitcher in Mets franchise history. The record was previously held by Cubs right-hander Frank Castillo, who retired leadoff hitter Vince Coleman on three pitches before being relieved due to a right shoulder strain at Wrigley Field on August 10, 1991. The previous record for the shortest start in Citi Field history was held by Bartolo Colon, who threw just four pitches before exiting against the Royals on June 21, 2016, after leadoff hitter Whit Merrifield lined a ball off Colon’s right hand.

THURSDAY

Brett Baty’s 106.8 mph line out off Jacob Misiorowski was the fifth-hardest-hit batted ball anyone has mustered off Miz’s four-seam fastball over his two-year career.

Jackson Chourio became the fifth player to record four or more hits, two or more homers, and at least one stolen base in a game against the Mets, joining George Altman (May 15, 1962), Maury Wills (May 30, 1962), Steve Finley (May 30, 1999), and Ozzie Albies (June 30, 2021). Chourio also became the first home or visiting player to do it at Citi Field.

Jackson Chourio is batting .353 with 3 homers and a 1.036 OPS in eight career games at Citi Field, where he made his debut on Opening Day in 2024. That OPS ranks 12th-best among players with at least 35 plate appearances at the ballpark (Troy Tulowitzki leads the pack with a 1.368 OPS in 58 career plate appearances at Citi Field, with Brandon Lowe and Miguel Cabrera next on the list).

The Brewers are now 20-6 against the Mets in their last 26 regular-season meetings, dating back to September 21, 2022.

The Mets suffered their 12th loss of the season in which they recorded three or fewer hits, tied for the second-most such games in MLB this season behind only the Guardians (13).

FRIDAY

Nate Lavender recorded a 10th straight scoreless appearance to begin his career, tying left-hander Jack Leathersich (debuted in 2015) for the most scoreless appearances to begin a career in franchise history. Joe Smith (debuted in 2007) holds the franchise record with 17 straight.

SATURDAY

Nolan McLean’s 2.83 ERA through 35 career games is the ninth-best among Mets pitchers with a minimum of five innings per outing, behind: Jerry Koosman (2.30), Matt Harvey (2.38), Dwight Gooden (2.47), Jacob deGrom (2.56), Jon Matlack (2.64), Kodai Senga (2.74), Tom Seaver (2.76), and Noah Syndergaard (2.82).

Over his last 11 starts, McLean has tallied 66.1 innings pitchedwhile posting a 1.76 ERA. McLean is the ninth Met since 2000 to record an 11-game single-season span with an ERA below 2.00 while averaging six or more innings per outing, joining: Johan Santana, R.A. Dickey, Matt Harvey, Jacob deGrom, Steven Matz, Zack Wheeler, and Max Scherzer.

McLean recorded his 18th start of six or more innings pitched this season, tied for sixth-most in the majors. That total is already tied for third-most by a Met in a season since 2020, trailing Chris Bassitt (23 in 2022) and Max Scherzer (19 in 2022).

SUNDAY

Francisco Lindor hit his 155th home run as a Met, moving past Dave Kingman and into sixth place on the franchise’s all-time leaderboard.

A.J. Ewing racked up his 22nd stolen base of the season, tying Lee Mazzilli in 1977 for second-most by a Mets rookie behind only Mookie Wilson (24 in 1981).

Zac Thornton’s 2.93 ERA through 11 career games is the 12th-best among Mets pitchers with a minimum of five innings per outing, behind: Nolan McLean (2.23), Jim McAndrew (2.26), Tom Seaver (2.43), Matt Harvey (2.44), Steven Matz (2.52), Rob Gardner (2.59), Anthony Young (2.62), Rick Aguilera (2.74), Masato Yoshii (2.77), Nolan Ryan (2.85), and Jason Isringhausen (2.92).

Miscellaneous Mets stat of the week:

The Mets have gone 11 seasons without a Gold Glove Award winner, with their last one being Juan Lagares in 2014. That marks the second-longest drought in the majors, behind only the Nationals (Adam LaRoche in 2012).

Well, barring a real miracle, the Detroit Tigers 2026 season is a lost cause. After playing themselves back into contention by the middle of August, they’ve absolutely cratered since getting swept by the Chicago White Sox. A massive payroll expansion, multiple talented rookies added to the mix, Jackson Jobe’s return from Tommy John surgery, and the ongoing brilliance of Kevin McGonigle’s AL Rookie of the Year caliber season have not been enough to overcome the hellscape that was May’s 6-22 debacle. The season is a failure and there will be plenty of accounting of blame to place when this is all said and done, but for now, there are several things the Tigers should do in September to start setting themselves up for the future.

The obvious overriding theme here, is play the kids.

For starters, the Tigers should set Gleyber Torres free. The veteran second baseman has been a stabilizing, professional presence in the lineup, and a mentor to younger players, but his physical decline has cut down his playing time in both of his two seasons with the Tigers. It’s hard to imagine a scenario where the Tigers sign him again this offseason in free agency. Even so, this has nothing to do with performance. It just makes sense to place Torres on unconditional waivers this morning, giving contending teams a chance to claim him on Monday and assume the roughly $3.5M still owed to him this season. That move would be good for Torres, who at 29 years old may not have many cracks at the postseason left in his career. More importantly for the Tigers, it opens up second base and playing time for their multitude of young players who primarily work at second and third base.

Play the kids in the infield

Hao-Yu Lee is already up, and a report from Emily Waldon indicates that infield prospect John Peck is to be promoted from Triple-A Toledo to the major leagues for his debut. Peck can play second, third, and shortstop, and overall is a pretty good defender. He’s not exactly a slam dunk defensive shortstop, but he’s good enough to hang there, and likely a plus defender everywhere else. Peck and Brett Callahan have basically moved up in lockstep, and while one is a left-handed hitting corner outfielder and the other a right-handed hitting infielder, there are plenty of similarities as both are good defenders with a nice mix of speed and power, who could both use a little more plate discipline to make them staples of the Tigers bench next season. Neither got much time at the Triple-A level, particularly Peck, but they’re both eligible in the Rule 5 draft this offseason, and the Tigers need to work with them in the big leagues, see what they’ve got, and give them each some experience to take into the offseason.

The other obvious call-up is 24-year-old second baseman Max Anderson. I’ve tended to be the low man on Anderson among prospect writers on the Tigers’ system, but that doesn’t mean he isn’t talented. The issue is that he’s pretty limited defensively, and despite good bat-to-ball skills and above average raw power, he entered the season still decidedly a free swinger who chases too much and gets himself out on pitcher’s pitches rather than being selective enough to get more pitches he can drive. On that latter score he’s made some nice progress this season in his first full look at the Triple-A level, chasing a little less and finally taking his walks. He’s earned a look at the major leagues as well. Anderson is a below average second baseman in my opinion, with decent hands but mediocre range, agility, and arm strength, and at a listed 5’11” he doesn’t really have the big frame preferred in a first baseman either, though his glove would play there. Still, he can hit, and the Tigers might as well see what they’ve got in him before the season ends.

To facilitate all this, releasing Torres is the obvious move, and one would expect that Torres would be pleased to get a crack at October baseball with another team. If he’s really not that interested and prefers to stay, that’s fine. He’s a good leader and has plenty of knowledge to pass along to younger teammates, but his playing time needs to be cut down so the Tigers can embrace the youth movement.

Experiment with the bullpen

The Tigers committed to Kenley Jansen as their closer last offseason, and while he’s been much better since June 1, it’s gone pretty poorly overall. He struggled when the Tigers really needed him in April and May, and at his best since then he’s just been okay. Jansen stands at 493 saves, and his status as one of the great relievers of all-time isn’t in doubt. Here in the waning years of his Hall of Fame caliber career, no doubt he would like to reach 500 saves and the Tigers would probably like to have something like that to celebrate, but he’s not going to get there this year anyway. He has 17 saves and 5 blown saves on the year, and it’s impossible to imagine a scenario in which he saves seven of the final 26 games.

Instead, the Tigers might as well give at least a few of those chances to lefty Drew Sommers, who has emerged as the Tigers’ best reliever in the second half. There’s no reason to cut Jansen loose, as the Tigers don’t have much in the way of compelling relief options in Toledo, but they’ve got to start thinking ahead. Sommers doesn’t really profile as a pure closer type, and high leverage work in the seventh and eighth innings really isn’t much different than closing games, but it would be good to see him get a crack at a save or two.

We’d also like to see 26-year-old right-hander Yilber Diaz recalled back to Detroit to work in the bullpen. Guys in their 30’s like Tanner Rainey aren’t part of the future Tigers bullpen, but Diaz might be if he can lock in control of his fastball-slider combination. Probably, as with veteran outfielder Corey Julks, the Tigers are just doing Rainey a bit of a solid by getting him some major league paychecks for being a good soldier stashed in Triple-A all season. Rainey’s recent velo burst is at least vaguely interesting, but he’s always had pretty good stuff, he’s 33, and he’s never thrown strikes with any consistency.

Once again, play the kids.

Turn the kids loose

The final part of this is stylistic more than anything. I’m decidedly not a big sacrifice guy, and the hit and run isn’t utilized much anymore, both because of high strikeout rates for pitchers, but also because a team like the Tigers already goes first to third well on singles. However, working on stealing bases, trying to work on bunting for base hits a little more in cases like Max Clark, who has the speed to beat them out for hits, and working on elements of situational hitting like right-handed hitters doing the other way with runners on base, would be advisable.

The Tigers aren’t just going to throw caution to the wind and make tons of outs on the basepaths. For coaches and players, no matter the circumstances, winning the day’s game is still the goal. That doesn’t mean this isn’t a good time to try and turn the younger players loose to experiment, make outs without major consequence, and try to push the limits and improve.

Modern pitchers are a lot harder to steal on than in the old days. The quick, compact deliveries utilized by most pitchers gives a lot less time in which to run, and makes reading first moves to the plate crucial. Yet just about everyone is running more than the Tigers do, and they rank last in all of baseball with just 40 stolen bases. 28 other teams have more than 50 stolen bases this season, and 17 different teams have at least doubled the Tigers’ stolen base totals. They’ve got to get a lot better at this, and with a faster, younger team, they have the personnel to run way more often now.

The only way to get good at getting perfect jumps is by trial and error. There’s really nothing to lose, so it would be nice to see A.J. Hinch turn them loose and let them make their mistakes now rather than next season when their place in the standings will hopefully matter more. Either way, the club is behind the times here, and after switching out both first and third base coaches at various points this season, it would be nice to see those changes pay some dividends in the stolen base department. After finishing 10th best in baserunning ranking in 2025, the Tigers have fallen back to 22nd this season. There is clearly more work to be done in this area.

Another element of “turn the kids loose” is moving Max Clark to the leadoff spot. This is exactly what he’s built to do. He’s a classic leadoff hitter type with the addition boon of average raw power. It made sense not to rush him into that spot when the Tigers were still hoping to reach the postseason, but there’s no reason now not to get ahead of the game in this regard. Let him settle in atop the order and get used to setting the table and the tone for the Tigers’ offense.

The season is lost, but there is always work to be done to get better. It’s hard to know how hard the Tigers will push in 2027 to get back into contention, but they have enough pieces to expect a much better season if the front office can get its act together in free agency, and perhaps pull off a useful trade or two in regard to the brewing logjams at first and second base in particular. For now, the best thing they can do is take the governor off, play more aggressively, and let their big crop of talented rookies get some mistakes out of the way and learn to play the game closer to the edge of their ability at the major league level.