The Tigers still have a shot to leave Wrigley Field with a series win, but they’ll need a much cleaner night than the one they just endured.
Detroit was thumped 11-2 in Tuesday’s second game of the set against the Cubs, a game that got away early and never really came back. It got to the point where Zack McKinstry and Jake Rogers each had to pitch an inning, which says plenty about how lopsided things became.
Now the focus shifts to Wednesday at 8:00 PM EST, when the Tigers send Keider Montero to the mound in the series finale. Detroit is hoping he can soak up innings and help steady things as the club tries to finish the job in Chicago.
There’s more hanging over this one than just the series itself. With the trade deadline approaching and the Tarik Skubal trade chatter still floating around, results like this one matter for how the front office views the road ahead. A win over the Cubs would also give Detroit a boost in the playoff race.
FanGraphs currently gives the Tigers a 28.6% chance to reach the postseason. Detroit sits fourth in the AL Central, but its playoff odds are still better than the third-place Minnesota Twins, and the path most likely runs through the Wild Card.
A.J. Hinch is rolling out a lineup that looks built to get more out of the middle of the order against Cubs starter Colin Rea:
- SS Kevin McGonigle
- C Dillon Dingler
- 3B Colt Keith
- LF Riley Greene
- 1B Spencer Torkelson
- DH Kerry Carpenter
- RF Zach McKinstry
- 2B Hao-Yu Lee
- CF James Outman
Dillon Dingler was one of the few bright spots Tuesday night, and he’s been scorching at the plate since the start of the second half of 2026. Even in a game that was already slipping away, he kept Detroit off the shutout board with his 22nd home run of the season, a shot to the left-center bleachers.
Dingler and Matt Vierling were the only Tigers to finish with multiple hits in the loss. Kevin McGonigle, Ben Malgeri and Hao-Yu Lee each added a hit as well, but Detroit is going to need more from the bats that usually drive the offense if it wants to take the series.
That starts with Riley Greene and Spencer Torkelson. The Tigers got that kind of production in the opener, and repeating it would go a long way toward giving them back-to-back series wins. Torkelson is 1-8 in the series, while Greene is 2-8.
If Detroit can pair that kind of offense with a solid outing from its starter, it’ll head back to Comerica Park with a lot more to feel good about.
In Other News...
Tarik Skubal Just Created A Brutal New Question For Tigers Fans
Tarik Skubals latest comments have turned what should have been a straightforward health update into something far more uneasy for Tigers fans. The left-hander said he felt discomfort in his elbow as early as January, but did not get an MRI, leaving Detroit with a messy backdrop around one of its most important players and a reminder that the offseason can carry as much tension as the games themselves.
Skubal also made clear the issue was not only physical, pointing to the arbitration process as part of why he handled the situation the way he did. And with his relationship with the front office already strained since that hearing, the Tigers are now left to sort through a question that goes beyond one elbow and into the bigger trust gap between ace and organization. [Read more 🡒]
Tigers Fans May Not Like What This Means For Max Clark
Max Clark keeps doing enough in Triple-A to stay in the conversation, but not enough to force the Tigers hand just yet. The top prospect has put together a solid line with power and speed, showing the kind of all-around profile that makes him such a tempting long-term answer in the outfield, even if the organization is still weighing the timing of his next step carefully.
For now, the more likely path is patience, with Detroit able to let the season breathe a little longer before making a move. Clark could still get there sooner if his production takes another jump or if the roster situation changes, but the current read is that the Tigers may prefer to wait until September unless circumstances push them in a different direction. [Read more 🡒]
Tigers Suddenly Face A Risky Deadline Question In Center Field
With the Tigers still in the thick of the playoff race, center field has become one of the more obvious places for a deadline upgrade. Detroit has gotten by with Matt Vierling and James Outman out there, but the position has not exactly looked settled, and that makes any credible option worth a closer look as the market starts to take shape.
Jim Bowden of The Athletic floated New York Mets outfielder Luis Robert Jr. as a possible fit, a suggestion that makes some baseball sense even with the injury concerns attached to his season. Robert has long shown he can handle left-handed pitching, and for a club trying to patch a real need without boxing itself into a long commitment, that kind of profile is easy to understand, even if the price and the health questions still leave plenty unresolved. [Read more 🡒]