2025-2026 Tigers Off Season Thread

[casimir]

1 hour ago, Shelton said:

yeah, you are right  I forgot that they increased the supply of interleague games so much that they do average about 3 per day over the course of the season, so early on you could have more days with 5 (or 7, 9, etc) for sure.

Opening weekend there are five interleague matchups 

the next set of series has seven

The third set of series has seven

The fourth set has five

The fifth set has seven

 

So, I think it’s safe to say the interleague series distribution is definitely front loaded. It could be for various reasons, but if I had to guess it would be for money reasons. They probably prefer increased division matchups down the stretch to maximize drama. And to the extent these odd matchups provide a level of novelty, maybe it helps get people to the park early in the year when attendance and interest tends to lag.

Ability to make up a rainout could definitely be a factor, although teams had the same issue with non-division league matchups because the teams don’t make more than one trip to any team outside of their division. That does sometimes lead to the weird late season situation where a make-up from earlier in the season is played at the opponent’s stadium with home/road flipped, which is not an option for the interleague.

Anyway, it sure seems like the league is blowing through the interleague games early. Nice catch.  

 

Nice work checking out the schedule.

To your point about money, yes, that's the answer to all your questions.

One of the other things that popped into my head about front loaded interleague was a parallel to college football.  A majority of out of conference games are played early on.  Then you get your in conference games which help shape the conference races.  There might be some intent behind that, too.  Maybe moreso than weather concerns.

[chasfh]

I have found there is some front-loading in March-April, some backing off in September, and fairly even distribution May through August.

Interleague Series (2+ consecutive games) by Month - 2026 Season

Month	Series	Games
Mar-Apr	52	150
May	39	117
June	41	122
July	40	120
August	40	119
Sept	28	84
TOTAL	240	712

[Edman85]

Frontloading may have something to do with rainouts and not having a chance to make them up later in the year with a doubleheader. The earlier you have one-off series, the more likely you are to find an off-day to make it up later in the year.

Also, I am sure the league is trying to backload divisional games as much as possible.

[Sports_Freak]

On 3/7/2026 at 3:35 PM, chasfh said:

People will be interested in the beginning of the season if Kevin McGonigle is on the team and we’re beating the hell out of National League teams out of the gate.

No, I absolutely guarantee that if he goes hitless in the first 2 games, some fans will wildly over-react. Especially if the Tigers lose. 

[Sports_Freak]

On 3/1/2026 at 11:59 AM, 1984Echoes said:

I don't think that's even a question.

Baez is on the team, his roster spot is not in danger.

I think the guys "on the bubble" are Jones (bad in the field), Meadows (not hitting), Wenceel (decent bat, decent OF'er, but not a starter and can't play IF like McKinstry or Cruz) and Trei Cruz (switch-hitter, can play both OF and IF... could he knock off one of the above...?)

I'm not declaring any winners/ losers today...

But I do favor Wenceel and Trei Cruz at the moment.

So you think it's a spring training competition? Old school...😄

[tiger2022]

The rosters are pretty much set going onto spring training.  There might be one spot open on the offense and maybe a RP here or there 

The plan was probably to get McGonigle on the roster at some point in the season.  I don't know if they manipulate his service time or not, but that probably is involved in the decision.  

And if Meadows makes the team, it is only a matter of time before he is set down to AAA 

[Motor City Sonics]

They might end up trading Jace Jung.   They have so many left-handed hitting utility guys.      But if they don't trade him, I think he actually makes the opening day roster (because of Lee's injury).   Maybe Trei gets the call because he can bat Right, But Jung is finally showing something and this may be his chance.   

[IdahoBert]

On 3/10/2026 at 7:14 PM, monkeytargets39 said:

I enjoy inter league play because it allows fans from all teams opportunities to see stars on teams from the other league.

Example:  I went to the Dodgers/Tigers game this past year with a couple family members and got to see Ohtani and crew.  This year I’m going to go to a Tigers game at Wrigley.  Those types of things didn’t have the possibility to exist when I was younger outside of a World Series.

Yeah, there was a mystique about the meeting of teams from the two different leagues back then. It happened in spring, which really didn’t count, and in the All-Star game and the World Series. But although I get wistful about some baseball related stuff, this is something I don’t miss.

I like seeing teams from the National League at least once a year. It’s like getting more than socks for your birthday and getting a real present instead. It would’ve been great seeing Ernie Banks at old Tiger Stadium, and Willie Mays, and Sandy Koufax.  

[tiger2022]

I would prefer less interleague games and more divisional games.  With 15 teams in each league, there will always be at least one series, but it's hard to get excited about playing the Reds or Marlins.  

I'm rather see them play games that will have a greater impact on who wins the division.

MLB would hate it and it would never happen but 30 games against divisional teams, 3 games against each of the other AL teams and 12 interleague games.  I'm sure it would hurt financially but I'd like to see it.

Edited yesterday at 11:41 AM by tiger2022

[oblong]

I would rather watch the Reds or Marlins instead of the white sox for the 15th time.

I don't think increasing division play impacts who wins the division any more.  I could be wrong.  But if everybody in the divison is playing each other then half will win and half will lose.

[IdahoBert]

15 minutes ago, oblong said:

 

I would rather watch the Reds or Marlins instead of the white sox for the 15th time.

 

THIS! Playing the Indians and the Royals 18 times in a season was boring as heck. 

[Tiger337]

I think if they are going to have divisions, then the they should play teams within their division more often.  If they aren't going to do that, then they should get rid of divisions.  If a team isn't one of the top six teams in the league, they don't deserve to be in the playoffs anyway.  

[chasfh]

Any number of old-timey baseball fans and media—most of whom are dead by now—would wax idiotic about how the 1950s were the golden age of baseball. Thing is, those people were basically New Yorkers. But go back in a time machine and ask fans of the Pittsburgh Pirates or Philadelphia/Kansas City A's or Washington Senators how golden that era was, especially during August or September of any one of those seasons. They were playing each of the other teams 22 times a year and it's no surprise that by the end of the season they were drawing 2,000 or 3,000 spectators a day.

[Tiger337]

10 minutes ago, chasfh said:

Any number of old-timey baseball fans and media—most of whom are dead by now—would wax idiotic about how the 1950s were the golden age of baseball. Thing is, those people were basically New Yorkers. But go back in a time machine and ask fans of the Pittsburgh Pirates or Philadelphia/Kansas City A's or Washington Senators how golden that era was, especially during August or September of any one of those seasons. They were playing each of the other teams 22 times a year and it's no surprise that by the end of the season they were drawing 2,000 or 3,000 spectators a day.

I am not sure I understand your point.  They were playing a balanced schedule like you guys say you want.  should they have played fewer overall games?

I have never heard any old timer say that modern baseball is better than old-time baseball.  They all think their game was better. 

[chasfh]

6 minutes ago, Tiger337 said:

I am not sure I understand your point.  They were playing a balanced schedule like you guys say you want.  should they have played fewer overall games?

I have never heard any old timer say that modern baseball is better than old-time baseball.  They all think their game was better. 

It was in response to the point of playing too many games against the same teams over and over.

[casimir]

The solution is to give every team its own division.

[Tigermojo]

22 minutes ago, casimir said:

The solution is to give every team its own division.

Congratulations to the Central North East Division Champions!

[oblong]

2 hours ago, Tiger337 said:

I am not sure I understand your point.  They were playing a balanced schedule like you guys say you want.  should they have played fewer overall games?

I have never heard any old timer say that modern baseball is better than old-time baseball.  They all think their game was better. 

I didn't say I want a balanced schedule, just something with more variety rather than loaded with divisional games.  I think they've moved away from the extreme.   I checked the Tigers last year and they played divisional opponents 13 games.  That's fine.  They played 13 NL teams.  That surprised me. That's good.  Looks like a home and home with the West and East AL teams.

 

[tiger2022]

Each team should play every other team 5.58 times to have the ultimate balanced schedule.

No divisions, no playoffs, just one team that wins it all 

[casimir]

25 minutes ago, oblong said:

I didn't say I want a balanced schedule, just something with more variety rather than loaded with divisional games.  I think they've moved away from the extreme.   I checked the Tigers last year and they played divisional opponents 13 games.  That's fine.  They played 13 NL teams.  That surprised me. That's good.  Looks like a home and home with the West and East AL teams.

 

They played 15 NL teams.  All teams play against each other for at least one 3 game series.

[monkeytargets39]

11 hours ago, Tiger337 said:

I think if they are going to have divisions, then the they should play teams within their division more often.  If they aren't going to do that, then they should get rid of divisions.  If a team isn't one of the top six teams in the league, they don't deserve to be in the playoffs anyway.  

I’d be fine with this.  

[monkeytargets39]

23 hours ago, Motor City Sonics said:

They might end up trading Jace Jung.   They have so many left-handed hitting utility guys.      But if they don't trade him, I think he actually makes the opening day roster (because of Lee's injury).   Maybe Trei gets the call because he can bat Right, But Jung is finally showing something and this may be his chance.   

At this point, I’d rather start with McGonigle and Jung on the team and put Meadows, Wenceel and Jones in Toledo and make them hit their way back up to Detroit.  Let Javy and Vierling share CF duty and have Carpenter and Keith be the primary DH candidates.  Let Jung back up 1B/3B and McGonigle play every day at SS.  I like Cruz, but he’s a bit redundant until we move on from Javy or McKinstry.

[SoCalTiger]

3 hours ago, monkeytargets39 said:

At this point, I’d rather start with McGonigle and Jung on the team and put Meadows, Wenceel and Jones in Toledo and make them hit their way back up to Detroit.  Let Javy and Vierling share CF duty and have Carpenter and Keith be the primary DH candidates.  Let Jung back up 1B/3B and McGonigle play every day at SS.  I like Cruz, but he’s a bit redundant until we move on from Javy or McKinstry.

I don't think Jones has an option. 

[gehringer_2]

9 minutes ago, SoCalTiger said:

I don't think Jones has an option. 

Ed's table says you are correct.

[SoCalTiger]

26 minutes ago, gehringer_2 said:

Ed's table says you are correct.

And that is the Bible.