Kerry Carpenter's pinch-hitter game-tying blast off Cade Smith keeps Detroit alive, but Will Vest falters in the 10th as Cleveland pulls away 7-5. Casey Mize pitched well again, and Spencer Torkelson added a late two-run homer to trim the deficit, yet Detroit couldn’t complete the comeback. The Tigers sit 5½ games up in the AL Central with 11 to play, and the Guardians push to close the gap in a pivotal series opener.

Fantasy takeaway: Carpenter’s late-season hot stretch vs a lefty specialist is noteworthy, and Mize’s swing-and-miss profile continues to trend upward, making him a plausible streaming option. Vest’s bullpen volatility remains a concern for late-inning setups, tempering any immediate trust. Detroit’s lineup still feasts when matching up, but execution in high-leverage spots looms large ahead of a tight race.

The game highlighted Cleveland’s balance—Kwan’s RBI double and timely hits from Ramirez, Arias and Naylor—and Detroit’s depth, with Torkelson delivering a glimmer of power down the stretch. Rest of series implications center on bullpen usage, platoon matchups, and which offense can sustain pressure against the other’s bullpen arms.