Tigers (Paddack) vs Red Sox (Giolito): 9/28/25, 3:05pm

[Brandon Glick]

There's a ton on the line today:
 

With a Red Sox win:
Sox clinch No. 5 seed, Guardians clinch Central, Tigers clinch No. 6 seed

With a Red Sox loss:
Sox clinch No. 6 seed, Tigers clinch No. 5 seed (with Guardians win) or Tigers clinch Central (with Guardians loss)

[moonslav59]

We won't start Giolito, right?

He'd miss game 3 of the playoffs or be pitching on short rest.

[Nick]

Looking ahead to young potential starters for 2026

23 Tolle 11/11/2002

24 Early 4/3/2002

25 Harrison 8/12/2001

26 Fitts 12/17/1999

27 Crochet 6/21/1999

27 Bello 5/17/1999

27 Dobbins 8/30/1999

What the hell has happened to Sandlin? Will he be ready to pitch on 4/1/2026? Whatever became of all the talk about possible September return? All the sudden he has completely disappeared. Just gives us the fact. Not some rosy predictions. Will Kutter be ready on 4/1/2026?

 

[Nick]

9 minutes ago, moonslav59 said:

We won't start Giolito, right?

He'd miss game 3 of the playoffs or be pitching on short rest.

I just don't want to face the Yankees because of the stadium......short right field porch hurts us more I think. It's better for Crochet to pitch in a big ball park.

[moonslav59]

1 minute ago, Nick said:

I just don't want to face the Yankees because of the stadium......short right field porch hurts us more I think. It's better for Crochet to pitch in a big ball park.

We play 3 games in the first round. It should be Crochet, Giolito & Bello.

If Gio pitches today. he misses the first round or pitches on short rest.

[dgalehouse]

41 minutes ago, Brandon Glick said:

There's a ton on the line today:
 

With a Red Sox win:
Sox clinch No. 5 seed, Guardians clinch Central, Tigers clinch No. 6 seed

With a Red Sox loss:
Sox clinch No. 6 seed, Tigers clinch No. 5 seed (with Guardians win) or Tigers clinch Central (with Guardians loss)

This is not entirely the case. A Boston loss and a Cleveland loss would make the Sox the five seed and Cleveland the six seed. The tiebreaker system is pretty convoluted. 

[dgalehouse]

19 minutes ago, Nick said:

I just don't want to face the Yankees because of the stadium......short right field porch hurts us more I think. It's better for Crochet to pitch in a big ball park.

The Yankees are simply a better and more dangerous opponent than either Detroit or Cleveland. 

[Bellhorn04]

53 minutes ago, Nick said:

Looking ahead to young potential starters for 2026

23 Tolle 11/11/2002

24 Early 4/3/2002

25 Harrison 8/12/2001

26 Fitts 12/17/1999

27 Crochet 6/21/1999

27 Bello 5/17/1999

27 Dobbins 8/30/1999

What the hell has happened to Sandlin? Will he be ready to pitch on 4/1/2026? Whatever became of all the talk about possible September return? All the sudden he has completely disappeared. Just gives us the fact. Not some rosy predictions. Will Kutter be ready on 4/1/2026?

 

Sandlin ended the year pitching in relief for Woo, and struggled.

[vegasbob]

Looking to see if AC puts the A lineup back on today .    I am not worried unduly about facing NYY.  I think the Sox get in their heads.   But I would give Judge 4 balls each time up.

[Nick]

8 minutes ago, Bellhorn04 said:

Sandlin ended the year pitching in relief for Woo, and struggled.

Sorry I meant Sandoval...

[Nick]

Do the hitters really need a break today? I'd want to play and hit.

[vegasbob]

4 minutes ago, Nick said:

Do the hitters really need a break today? I'd want to play and hit.

I would still sit Bregman and Narvaez to give their legs more rest.  Ok with PH'ing them if needed.

[Old Red]

1 hour ago, moonslav59 said:

We won't start Giolito, right?

He'd miss game 3 of the playoffs or be pitching on short rest.

Looks like DE Leon gets the start.

[moonslav59]

1 minute ago, Old Red said:

Looks like DE Leon gets the start.

Yup. Keeping the kids (Early & Harrison) fresh as well as lining up Gio for a playoff start.

[vegasbob]

Next point of interest will be the 26 man roster for playoff series.    The only possible adds from the IL that I see are Bernardino and May , but haven't seen anything definitive on their current status.  Not excited about May in any case.

The roster allows 13 pitchers and 13 others , making the typical in season bench of a catcher ( Wong) , Utility OF'er ( Refsnyder ) ,   Useful idiot  ( Hamilton PR'er ?)   and Utility IF'er  ( pick from Eaton or Sogard,)

The 13 pitchers are  predictable and feature guys you have been seeing for awhile.  It will include Tolle, Harrison and Early in the 13 unless Brez and AC think Bernie and/or May is a better choice.   DeLeon will be dropped off at a bus stop unless he throws a no-hitter

[illinoisredsox]

18 minutes ago, vegasbob said:

Next point of interest will be the 26 man roster for playoff series.    The only possible adds from the IL that I see are Bernardino and May , but haven't seen anything definitive on their current status.  Not excited about May in any case.

The roster allows 13 pitchers and 13 others , making the typical in season bench of a catcher ( Wong) , Utility OF'er ( Refsnyder ) ,   Useful idiot  ( Hamilton PR'er ?)   and Utility IF'er  ( pick from Eaton or Sogard,)

The 13 pitchers are  predictable and feature guys you have been seeing for awhile.  It will include Tolle, Harrison and Early in the 13 unless Brez and AC think Bernie and/or May is a better choice.   DeLeon will be dropped off at a bus stop unless he throws a no-hitter

Remember, rosters can be changed before each round.  
 

I don’t think Early will be on the wild card round roster.  Crochet will start game 1.  Then it’s Bello and Giolito in some order.  Early pitched yesterday, so he normally would go Thursday  at the earliest, and one of B & G is penciled in for that any game that day. No need for him this round.  
 
He will definitely be on an ALDS roster as 4 starters are needed there. If it takes 3 games to win the wild card round, he would probably start game 1 on Saturday.

DeLeon is here for today only no matter what he does.

[SPLENDIDSPLINTER]

1 hour ago, vegasbob said:

I would still sit Bregman and Narvaez to give their legs more rest.  Ok with PH'ing them if needed.

Breg, Narvaez and Romy not playing today. 

[illinoisredsox]

1 minute ago, SPLENDIDSPLINTER said:

Breg, Narvaez and Rome not playing today. 

Is Story in the field or DHing? The latter is the only place I play him today.

[SPLENDIDSPLINTER]

Just now, SPLENDIDSPLINTER said:

Breg, Narvaez and Romy not playing today. 

Hamilton at 2nd and Sogard at 3rd .

[SPLENDIDSPLINTER]

Just now, illinoisredsox said:

Is Story in the field or DHing? The latter is the only place I play him today.

In the field. Masa is DH.

[illinoisredsox]

Just now, SPLENDIDSPLINTER said:

In the field. Masa is DH.

Don’t like it.  Trevor implied he was tired postgame last week; he’s played ~156 games so it’s not like he’s dogged it all year.  I’d rather see him stay off the field.

Such is life in the days of 4 man benches (5 in September).  Can’t sit everyone.

[moonslav59]

10 minutes ago, illinoisredsox said:

Don’t like it.  Trevor implied he was tired postgame last week; he’s played ~156 games so it’s not like he’s dogged it all year.  I’d rather see him stay off the field.

Such is life in the days of 4 man benches (5 in September).  Can’t sit everyone.

We could have gone with...

3B Eaton

SS Sogard

2B DHam

or played Romy at 2B and DHam/Sogard at 2B

Story should be rested today.

[SPLENDIDSPLINTER]

An easy 1st inning. DeLeon breaking the mold.

[SPLENDIDSPLINTER]

Sox best hitter Massacres that one.

[vegasbob]

Duran continues to K at lead off.

He really needs to correct that 

 

Maybe he should talk to HR  Masa

[SPLENDIDSPLINTER]

1 minute ago, vegasbob said:

Duran continues to K at lead off.

He really needs to correct that 

 

Maybe he should talk to HR  Masa

Maybe he shouldn't bat lead off.

[Cameron Tran]

3 hours ago, Nick said:

Looking ahead to young potential starters for 2026

23 Tolle 11/11/2002

24 Early 4/3/2002

25 Harrison 8/12/2001

26 Fitts 12/17/1999

27 Crochet 6/21/1999

27 Bello 5/17/1999

27 Dobbins 8/30/1999

What the hell has happened to Sandlin? Will he be ready to pitch on 4/1/2026? Whatever became of all the talk about possible September return? All the sudden he has completely disappeared. Just gives us the fact. Not some rosy predictions. Will Kutter be ready on 4/1/2026?

 

Perales will be ready by then as well. People forget he was our top pitching prospect until Tolle and everyone this year

[Cameron Tran]

1 hour ago, moonslav59 said:

We could have gone with...

3B Eaton

SS Sogard

2B DHam

or played Romy at 2B and DHam/Sogard at 2B

Story should be rested today.

Not against starting Story, he needs to get over these fielding yips. Would want him to work through that in the least stressful situations 

[Cameron Tran]

Really loved that bunt from Ceddanne, love a little small ball

[SPLENDIDSPLINTER]

1 minute ago, Cameron Tran said:

Not against starting Story, he needs to get over these fielding yips. Would want him to work through that in the least stressful situations 

Story had a lot of rest the previous 3 seasons.