Detroit’s 26-man playoff roster for the AL wild-card vs Cleveland leans heavily on a 14-position, 12-pitcher plan with Tarik Skubal slated to open. The lineup targets right-handers with Meadows, Torres, Carpenter, Torkelson, Greene, Dingler, McKinstry, Pérez and Sweeney, backed by Ibañez, Jones and Malloy off the bench. Injuries to Colt Keith and Matt Vierling threaten depth, while Flaherty and Mize anchor the rotation. Guardians-lefty matchups shape late-inning decisions, and the winner advances to Seattle.

Detroit shuffled the roster as Justyn-Henry Malloy was sent to Toledo to clear space for Chris Paddack’s return from the bereavement list. Malloy went 1-for-2 with a walk in three plate appearances, including a pinch-hit walk vs. a lefty and an RBI double in a Mets game. Paddack rejoined the bullpen with a 5.37 ERA in 2025 and a 4.63 ERA in seven MLB seasons since the Twins deal. Reese Olson began throwing again, but postseason hardware remains uncertain. Detroit’s 28-man roster sits at 14 pitchers and 14 position players as plans unfold for September and beyond.

Detroit activated Chris Paddack from bereavement Saturday, optioning Justyn-Henry Malloy to Triple-A Toledo to clear a roster spot. Paddack returns to Detroit's rotation after a brief family leave.

His 2025 line with Minnesota was a 4.95 ERA in 111 innings before the trade. In Detroit, he owns a 6.89 ERA over 31.1 innings across six starts, three good and three rough, with the Tigers still winning the games he starts and backed by offense.

Malloy, 25, is hitting .317 with a .934 OPS in 243 at-bats for Toledo this year. The move preserves Detroit’s outfield depth while keeping a path back to the majors for the prospect.

Detroit expands its 2025 roster for September, promoting Justyn-Henry Malloy and Sawyer Gipson-Long from Toledo as the 26-to-28-man expansion begins. Malloy, a right-handed hitter, posted a .317 average with eight homers and a .934 OPS over 66 Triple-A games and is slated to be a pinch-hit option against lefties, with a potential Monday start vs Sean Manaea. Gipson-Long, a right-hander with prior MLB exposure, offers bullpen depth as Detroit reshuffles the roster for the final month.

Detroit sits 9.5 games up in the AL Central with 24 games left, eyeing a division title and a first-round bye for the two qualifiers. The moves reflect a strategic, short-term approach as the Tigers seek to maintain their lead while intermittently rotating fresh young players into the big-league mix in September.

Detroit’s September roster push centers on bullpen depth and a couple of strategic call-ups as the 40-man deadline looms. Expect Alex Lange and Sawyer Gipson-Long to mix into the relief corps, with Parker Meadows likely back soon to bolster the outfield. On the position-player side, Hao-Yu Lee and Justyn-Henry Malloy could get a look, along with Jace Jung, as the Tigers balance pinch-hit upside and defensive versatility. Beua Brieske’s 60-day IL status could ease a 40-man squeeze for September options and potential postseason roster moves.