Tigers Seek Series Win Over Phillies with Casey Mize Starting, Dillon Dingler Back
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It is incredibly hard to fathom what is going on with the Detroit Tigers in the last six weeks after winning a measly six games in May. They are now on a six-game winning streak, having won nine of their last 10, and are looking for a series against the Philadelphia Phillies.
Both the starting rotation and offense have been elite in the last month or so, and that definitely includes Casey Mize, who is taking the mound with Cristopher Sanchez coming out of the other dugout for the Phillies.
Now, if there is a time that one would want to face Cristopher Sanchez, it is right now, as he has allowed 43 knocks and 22 earned runs in his last seven starts, including a low-light in his last one as nine runs were scored in barely three innings.
The Tigers have claimed RHP Andre Granillo off waivers from the Washington Nationals. Granillo has been optioned to Triple-A Toledo.
— Chris McCosky (@cmccosky) July 11, 2026
Detroit’s 40-man roster now stands at 40 players.
So, as seen just last night when the Tigers put up 10 runs against Aaron Nola, no less, it seems like Detroit is set up for its 7th win in a row. In theory, Sanchez is the better pitcher this season, but his ERA doesn't tell the whole story.
Both sit nearly identically with 2.60+ ERAs, but Sanchez has the upper hand in more wins, fewer losses, and nearly double the strikeouts. However, Mize hasn't pitched nearly as much, as he fell victim to the injured list this season.
On top of having an arm like Mize's pitching, the Tigers will welcome back Dillon Dingler, who didn't need a stint on the injured list but missed a few games after a foul ball smoked him in the hand. However, he will be the DH Saturday, with Eduardo Valencia making the first start of his career behind the dish.
So, if the offense looks half as good as they have in the last month, then this will be a logged win and could lead to a sweep tomorrow with Tarik Skubal taking the mound.
Saturday Afternoon Position Starters
Now, hours before the starting lineups came out for Saturday, the Tigers announced that they claimed right-handed relief pitcher Andre Granillo off waivers from the Washington Nationals and optioned him to Triple-A.
But this move will not bulk up their bullpen, at least right away, as he has an ERA over 8.00 in his last seven games in the majors, which was back in May. So, don't expect this move to make it a way for them not to be buyers at the trade deadline.
The bullpen has been a thorn in their sides this year, and as they continue with their own struggles, the offense needs to keep exploding at the plate.
- Matt Vierling
- Kevin McGonigle
- DH Dillon Dingler
- 1B Spencer Torkelson
- LF Riley Greene
- C Eduardo Valencia
- 2B Hao-Yu Lee
- RF Ben Malgeri
- SS Zach McKinstry
The Tigers turned their season around after a brutal go of things in May, when the season ultimately looked lost. However, they have clawed their way back into playoff contention, but every game is vastly important in their quest back to .500.
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Maddy Dickens resides in Loveland, Colorado. She grew up with two older brothers, where their lives revolved around sports. She earned a master's degree in business management from Tarleton State University while simultaneously playing basketball and competing in rodeo at the collegiate level. She successfully parlayed a reserve national championship into a professional rodeo career and now stays involved in upper-level athletics by writing for On SI on several different MLB teams' pages, along with some NCAA sites.