The Tigers’ four-game set with the White Sox could turn an already messy AL Wild Card picture into something even harder to sort out. If Detroit were to sweep Chicago, it would pull within one game of second place in the AL Central and potentially sit just a game out of a Wild Card berth.
That kind of climb would still leave plenty of work to do. The Tigers would have six more games left, and the margin for error would be razor-thin if they want to keep playing into October.
That looming possibility is part of what makes Justin Verlander’s potential return such a complicated question. The target date remains Sept. 26, Detroit’s second-to-last game of the season, though a final start at Comerica Park is still uncertain for separate reasons.
If the Tigers are still alive in the race by then, would they actually send Verlander back out there even if he is healthy enough to pitch?
AJ Hinch hinted at the answer. "I'm cautious to throw [a date] out there too firm because a lot of things can happen between now and then," he said. He was speaking specifically about the steps Verlander still has to clear in his throwing progression, but the comment also fits the bigger picture around Detroit’s fading but still present postseason hopes.
What fans have seen from Verlander this season is not the same pitcher they remember from 2011, 2019, 2022, or even 2025. The 2026 version is not someone the Tigers can automatically trust if they are clinging to a Wild Card spot in the final days. At this point, it is possible to count him out.
That would be frustrating for fans hoping for one last turn at Comerica Park, and it would not sit well with Verlander if the Tigers decided to scratch him because they no longer believed he could help. Still, from the team’s standpoint, it might be the right call.
Verlander has made it clear he does not want his final start to feel like a ceremonial farewell. He wants to take the mound in a game that matters. But there could be a real gap between what he believes he can do and what he can actually deliver.
In Other News...
Tigers Suddenly Face A Bigger Concern Than One White Sox Loss
Framber Valdez gave the Tigers a chance to settle in Tuesday night, piling up strikeouts over five innings, but Detroit still left with a 3-1 loss to the White Sox in the opener of the series. Chicago jumped in front early on Munetaka Murakamis three-run homer, and even after the Tigers pushed across a run in the third, they never really got back to even.
The bigger issue for Detroit is what the loss hints at beyond a single game: an offense that could not fully capitalize on a solid outing from the mound. In a series where the Tigers needed a clean reset, they instead spent the night trying to erase an early hole, and now have to answer whether this was just a rough start or the beginning of a more familiar problem. [Read more 🡒]
Curtis Granderson Is Returning To Tigers Coverage In Chicago
The Tigers are heading into a four-game series in Chicago after a loss to the Blue Jays, and the broadcast setup for the second game should add a familiar voice to the mix. Former Detroit outfielder Curtis Granderson will join the clubs radio coverage during the third and fourth innings, giving listeners on both the Tigers and White Sox broadcasts a chance to hear from one of the more recognizable names to come through the organization.
Grandersons return to the airwaves also carries a local twist, since he was drafted by Detroit and grew up in Chicago, where his ties have remained strong off the field as well. Through the Grand Kids Foundation, he has supported youth initiatives in Illinois, so this isnt just a brief reunion with an old team. It is another reminder of how often Grandersons path continues to circle back to the cities that shaped his career. [Read more 🡒]
Tigers Wild Card Push Still Has One Frustrating Problem
The Tigers six-game winning streak ended in frustrating fashion against the Blue Jays, and the reason was impossible to miss. Three straight errors helped open the door to two unearned runs, turning a competitive game into a reminder that Detroits Wild Card push still has some rough edges, even as the club stays very much in the race.
Defense has been the nagging issue around this team, and it showed up at the wrong time in a stretch when every game matters. The Tigers now head into a series against the White Sox knowing the margin for error is shrinking, and if they want to keep climbing, they will need cleaner baseball behind the pitching staff. [Read more 🡒]