Monday’s three-game slate comes with more pitching notes than you’d expect, and the biggest one is that Boston has already punched its ticket to October.
The Red Sox took a loss to Tampa Bay on Sunday, but they still clinched a postseason berth when Houston fell to Atlanta. Boston is now positioned to finish with the No.
2 Wild Card spot in the AL. The Red Sox are five and a half games behind the Yankees and four games ahead of the White Sox, which would set up a first-round meeting with New York if the standings hold.
It’s a sharp finish to a stunning climb for a team that was 14 games under .500 in late June.
Detroit is also set to get a notable arm back in the mix. River Ryan is expected to start for the Tigers on Monday in what would be his debut for the club after coming over from Los Angeles in the Tarik Skubal trade.
The right-hander has been held to 10 Triple-A appearances this season because of injuries, and he’s posted a 4.39 ERA over 41 innings. Across the diamond, DJ Herz is expected to return to the Nationals after missing all of 2025 while recovering from Tommy John surgery.
Toronto, meanwhile, is bringing Trey Yesavage back from the injured list for Monday’s game against the Orioles. The Blue Jays right-hander has been sidelined for about six weeks with right knee inflammation, and he logged one rehab outing in Triple-A, where he threw 34 pitches. Toronto enters the day on the edge of the AL Wild Card chase after dropping two of three to the Rangers, sitting three games behind the White Sox for the final playoff spot.
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 🡒]
Jason Benetti Gave Tigers Fans One Viral Moment To Salvage This Season
The Tigers postseason hopes were already gone when Jason Benetti delivered the kind of offbeat broadcast moment that can briefly cut through a frustrating season. During a game call, the play-by-play announcer reached for a historical reference while comparing Riley Greenes OPS to the year the Austro-Turkish War started, a comparison so oddly specific it instantly stood out even in a long baseball year.
Then came the punchline from elsewhere in the production booth, as Benettis cameraman hilariously panned to an ad on the outfield wall to needle him right back. For a team and fan base looking for any lighter note after the playoff chase ended, the exchange became one of the seasons most shareable clips, a reminder that sometimes the best Tigers moment is the one that never shows up in the standings. [Read more 🡒]