Tigers Set Probable Starters for Final Road Series of 2026 vs. White Sox

The Detroit Tigers will wrap up the road portion of their schedule with a four-game series against the Chicago White Sox that starts on Thursday.

Detroit Tigers starting pitcher Framber Valdez. Credit: Lon Horwedel-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

While not mathematically eliminated from the postseason, the Detroit Tigers are careening toward missing the postseason for the first time since the 2023 season.

But along the way, the Tigers could play spoilers to one of their American League Central rivals. The Tigers (72-80) will be in Chicago to begin a four-game series against the White Sox (77-75) on Thursday and while the Tigers have won seven of their last 10 games, the White Sox have lost seven of their last 10 games.

Chicago, which has sat at the top of the division for most of the second half of the season, is now one-half game behind the Cleveland Guardians for first place in the division. With a week and a half left in the season, Detroit would be hard pressed to catch the Guardians — it is 5.5 games back in the division. But by winning the series the Tigers could certainly bring Chicago's turnaround season to a screeching halt.

In other words, if you can’t win it, then spoil it for someone else?

Tigers Probable Starters for White Sox

Detroit Tigers starting pitcher Troy Melton. Credit: John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Here are the probable starters for both teams going into the series:

Thursday: Tigers: LHP Framber Valdez (10-10, 4.01) vs. White Sox: RHP Erick Fedde (8-9, 3.97)

Friday: Tigers: LHP Andrew Sears (0-1, 5.40) vs. White Sox: TBD

Saturday: Tigers: RHP Jackson Jobe (2-2, 3.89) vs. White Sox: TBD

Sunday: Tigers: RHP Troy Melton (8-4, 2.52) vs. White Sox: TBD

The White Sox haven't set their starting pitchers for the final three games of the series. The series with the Tigers is the culmination of a 13-day run without a day off for the White Sox. Chicago may be looking to restructure its rotation for the final three games of the series.

The Tigers will pitch one of their better left-handers to start the series in Valdez and start its best right-hander in Melton to end it. In between, the Tigers will start two of their better youngsters, including Jobe, who made his return from Tommy John surgery earlier this season. The former first-round pick is building up momentum toward 2027.

At the conclusion of this series the Tigers will return home for their final homestand as they host the Washington Nationals from Monday-Wednesday and then the Pittsburgh Pirates from Friday-Sunday. At some point during the homestand there is likely to be an acknowledgement of right-handed pitcher Justin Verlander, who announced earlier this season that 2026 would be his last in the majors.