The Tigers’ season may be winding down, but Jason Benetti still found a way to turn a routine broadcast note into one of the funniest moments of the MLB year.
With Detroit’s postseason hopes already gone as of Sunday, the final stretch has become all about getting to 2027 and surviving the long close to a lost season. That can leave a play-by-play voice with plenty of dead air to cover, and Benetti has leaned on his trademark bag of history references to keep things moving.
The setup came while Benetti was talking about Riley Greene’s numbers in the Tigers’ City Connect uniforms. Greene had posted a 1.663 OPS in those games, and Benetti reached for a comparison that only he could really pull off.
"When your OPS in any category is the same as the year when the Austro-Turkish War started, you're doing well," Benetti said.
A beat later, his own cameraman delivered the punchline. The shot shifted to the final four letters of the “SeatGeek” sign on the outfield wall at Comerica Park, a not-so-subtle swipe that seemed to label Benetti a “geek.”
Benetti, who also handles play-by-play duties for "Sunday Night Baseball" on NBC, laughed it off.
The joke landed even harder because the historical reference was so oddly specific. There were actually several Austro-Turkish Wars, and the one Benetti meant lasted only parts of two years. That only made the whole exchange more absurd - and, somehow, more impressive.
In Other News...
Javier Bez Creates A Tigers Dilemma They Can't Ignore
Javier Bez is still part of the Tigers long-term picture, and that alone keeps his situation from being a simple one. He remains under contract through the 2027 season at a $24 million salary, a commitment that matters more now because his offensive production has dropped and his availability has been limited. Detroit has younger infielders pressing for playing time, which only adds to the pressure around how the club maps out its roster.
The Tigers have not said whether they intend to trade or release Bez, and that uncertainty leaves them weighing more than just on-field performance. His role in 2027 will have to be sorted against the backdrop of both his contract and the organizations need to keep developing its younger players, a balance that is going to make this one of the more delicate decisions on the roster. [Read more 🡒]
Tigers May Be Setting Up A Long Awaited Prospect Debut
As the Tigers close out a season that no longer has October attached to it, the club is still making small roster decisions with an eye on what comes next. Emily Waldon of Baseball America reported that Max Anderson and Corey Julks were among the players on the taxi squad and would stay with Detroit after its game against the White Sox, a sign that the organization is keeping some young depth close as the final stretch winds down.
Andersons presence is what makes the move especially interesting, since he is not currently on the 40-man roster and speculation has already started about a possible MLB debut. The Tigers also had a notable off-field item this week, announcing that Comerica Park will be renamed Fifth Third Park starting in 2027 after Comerica is acquired by Fifth Third Bank, while former Tigers Brandon Inge and Shane Greene took part in an event at the ballpark with Savannah Bananas affiliates. [Read more 🡒]
Tigers Rotation Picture Just Got More Interesting With Their Newest Arm
The Tigers rotation picture got a little more interesting with their latest addition, as right-hander River Ryan is set to start their upcoming game after coming over from Los Angeles. Its the kind of move that can quietly reshape a staff this time of year, when teams are looking for any stable arm they can lean on and every turn through the rotation carries a little more weight.
Ryans outing also lands in a week when the American League playoff race is starting to crystallize, with Boston already having clinched a postseason berth despite a loss to Tampa Bay and looking likely to settle into the No. 2 Wild Card spot. Toronto is also getting a boost of its own, planning to activate right-hander Trey Yesavage from the injured list for Mondays game against Baltimore, which only adds to the sense that the margins are tightening across the league. [Read more 🡒]