The Detroit Tigers and Miami Marlins squared off once again at loanDepot Park on Sunday, September 14, 2025, in what has shaped up to be a compelling late-season series. With first pitch at 1:40 p.m. ET, the Tigers sent a lineup filled with left-handed power and emerging young talent against Marlins right-hander Adam Mazur, who was making just his fifth start of the season. The stakes were high for both clubs—Detroit seeking to keep pace in a tightly contested division race, Miami hoping to build on recent momentum and keep their slim postseason hopes alive.
Much of the pregame chatter revolved around Riley Greene, Detroit’s breakout left fielder, who entered the game leading the Tigers with 34 home runs and 108 RBIs. Greene’s .267 batting average also topped the team, and his power numbers ranked him ninth in the majors for homers and fifth for RBIs. Despite going hitless (0-for-4) in Saturday’s contest, Greene’s season has been historic: he joined Hall-of-Famer Hank Greenberg as the only Tigers age 24 or younger to tally at least 31 doubles, 34 homers, and 108 RBIs in a single campaign. Greenberg, for context, posted a legendary 1935 season with 46 doubles, 36 homers, and 168 RBIs.
Greene’s recent matchups against the Marlins have been a mixed bag. On Friday, he provided a bright spot with a solo home run, but Saturday saw him stymied by Miami’s pitching. Still, Greene’s overall ability to reach base has been impressive—he’s collected hits in 60.7% of his 145 games this season, with multiple-hit performances in over 30% of those outings. He’s also gone deep in 30 games and scored a run in 60 contests, demonstrating his knack for producing in key moments.
Facing Greene and the Tigers was Adam Mazur, a 24-year-old righty still searching for his first big league win. Mazur entered Sunday with an 0-3 record, a 6.30 ERA, and 13 strikeouts over 20 2/3 innings. His last outing, a rocky start against the Nationals, saw him surrender four earned runs on eight hits in just over four frames. While Mazur’s fastball spin rate had ticked up recently—reaching 2452 rpm over his last three starts—his strikeout numbers lagged behind projections. According to THE BAT X system, Mazur’s true talent level should yield more punchouts than his current 5.87 K/9 suggests.
The Tigers wasted little time testing Mazur and the Marlins’ defense in the top of the second inning. After Riley Greene flew out to Troy Johnston, Spencer Torkelson worked a walk and advanced on a series of defensive miscues. Colt Keith reached on an error and made it all the way to third, with Torkelson scoring thanks to a throwing error by Maximo Acosta and additional fielding errors by Johnston and Eric Wagaman. Dillon Dingler then singled to center, plating Keith and giving Detroit an early 2-0 advantage. By the end of the frame, the Tigers had capitalized on one hit and three errors, leaving one runner stranded but seizing the game’s momentum.
Colt Keith, another young Tiger on the rise, entered the game with a reputation for hard contact and a strong platoon edge against Mazur. His exit velocity has risen to 90.2 mph this year, up from 87.8 mph in 2024, and his ability to hit flyballs to center field (38.8%) set up well against Miami’s shallow center field fences. Keith’s recent surge in launch angle and hard-hit rate only added to the Tigers’ optimism.
Wenceel Perez, Detroit’s switch-hitting spark plug, also enjoyed the platoon advantage batting from his better side. Perez has improved his launch angle for home runs from 14.1% last season to 20.4% in 2025, and in the two weeks leading up to Sunday, he hit balls at a base hit-optimizing angle at a 60.6% clip. Zach McKinstry, hitting lower in the order, had his own edge against Mazur, with a .325 BABIP that ranked in the 82nd percentile and a notable increase in his ability to find gaps in the defense.
On the Marlins’ side, Mazur hoped home field advantage and an uptick in fastball spin would help him stifle Detroit’s lefty-heavy lineup. However, projections weren’t in his favor—LoanDepot Park is considered a tough venue for left-handed hitters, but the Tigers’ bats seemed locked in early, and Mazur’s low strikeout rate left little margin for error.
While the Tigers’ offense stole the early headlines, the pitching staff was also under the microscope. Relief ace Kyle Finnegan, acquired at the trade deadline from the Nationals, had been sidelined with an adductor strain since September 1 but was nearing a return. Finnegan threw 18 pitches off the mound on Saturday, reporting no soreness the following day. “Everything went better than expected yesterday so I think we’re reassessing where we’re at,” Finnegan said, adding, “Physically, everything feels great.” Manager AJ Hinch, however, hinted that Finnegan might need another bullpen session or a simulated game before rejoining the roster, especially with the Triple-A season winding down. Finnegan’s impact has been undeniable—he’s yet to allow a run in 14.1 innings as a Tiger, providing a stabilizing force at the back end of the bullpen.
Kerry Carpenter, another potent left-handed bat, continued his torrid stretch since returning from the injured list in late July. Carpenter slugged his 25th home run of the season on Saturday night against Miami righty Janson Junk. Since his return, he’s posted an .884 OPS and a .560 slugging percentage, ranking third in baseball in slugging against right-handers since the start of 2024—trailing only Shohei Ohtani and Aaron Judge.
Historic milestones have come in bunches for Detroit. Carpenter and Greene became the first pair of Tigers lefties to hit at least 25 home runs apiece in a season since Darrell Evans and Matt Nokes in 1987. Dillon Dingler, meanwhile, has emerged as a clutch performer with runners in scoring position, boasting a .300/.396/.456 slash line and 38 RBIs in those situations before Sunday’s contest.
The Marlins, for their part, entered Sunday’s game with renewed confidence, having snapped a long drought with their first three-game win streak since early August. Rookie Agustín Ramírez, Heriberto Hernández, and Joey Wiemer had all gone deep in recent games, providing a jolt of power to Miami’s lineup. However, defensive miscues and inconsistent pitching remained concerns as they tried to contain Detroit’s surging offense.
As the series finale unfolded, both teams had plenty to play for. The Tigers were looking to build on their early lead, leaning on a blend of young sluggers and a bullpen on the mend. The Marlins, meanwhile, were searching for answers on the mound and in the field, hoping to salvage a win and keep their slim playoff hopes flickering. With the action ongoing and plenty of baseball left to play, all eyes remained fixed on loanDepot Park, where every pitch and every at-bat seemed to carry October implications.
The Tigers’ blend of emerging stars, timely hitting, and improving health has made them one of the most intriguing teams to watch as the season heads into its final stretch. Whether they can maintain this momentum against a Marlins squad eager to play spoiler remains to be seen, but one thing’s for sure: Detroit’s youth movement is making plenty of noise on baseball’s biggest stage.
