%20%20--%3E%0A%3Csvg%20version%3D%221.1%22%20xmlns%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%22%20xmlns%3Axlink%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F1999%2Fxlink%22%20x%3D%220px%22%20y%3D%220px%22%0A%09%20viewBox%3D%220%200%201264.4%20200%22%20style%3D%22enable-background%3Anew%200%200%201264.4%20200%3B%22%20xml%3Aspace%3D%22preserve%22%3E%0A%3Cstyle%20type%3D%22text%2Fcss%22%3E%0A%09.st0%7Bfill%3A%23231F20%3B%7D%0A%09.st1%7Bfill%3A%230C2340%3B%7D%0A%09.st2%7Bfill%3A%23FA4616%3B%7D%0A%09.st3%7Bfill%3A%23FFFFFF%3B%7D%0A%3C%2Fstyle%3E%0A%3Cg%20id%3D%22Template%22%3E%0A%3C%2Fg%3E%0A%3Cg%20id%3D%22Layer_2%22%3E%0A%09%3Cg%3E%0A%09%09%3Cpath%20class%3D%22st2%22%20d%3D%22M58.4%2C131.6v-23.4l-10.1%2C23.4H29.6l-10.2-23.4v23.4H0V76.7h23.5l16.3%2C34.1L56%2C76.7h22v54.9H58.4z%22%2F%3E%0A%09%09%3Cpath%20class%3D%22st2%22%20d%3D%22M110.6%2C131.6c-3.9%2C0-7.2-0.2-9.9-0.5c-2.7-0.4-4.8-1-6.4-2c-1.6-0.9-2.8-2.3-3.5-4c-0.7-1.7-1.1-3.9-1.1-6.6%0A%09%09%09V89.9c0-2.7%2C0.4-4.9%2C1.1-6.6c0.7-1.7%2C1.9-3.1%2C3.6-4c1.7-1%2C3.8-1.6%2C6.5-2c2.7-0.3%2C5.9-0.5%2C9.8-0.5h27.8c3.9%2C0%2C7.2%2C0.2%2C9.9%2C0.5%0A%09%09%09c2.7%2C0.3%2C4.9%2C1%2C6.5%2C2c1.7%2C1%2C2.8%2C2.3%2C3.6%2C4c0.7%2C1.7%2C1.1%2C3.9%2C1.1%2C6.6v28.6c0%2C2.8-0.4%2C5-1.1%2C6.7c-0.7%2C1.7-1.9%2C3-3.6%2C4%0A%09%09%09c-1.7%2C1-3.8%2C1.6-6.5%2C2c-2.7%2C0.3-6%2C0.5-9.9%2C0.5H110.6z%20M138.7%2C94.4c0-1.4-0.4-2.4-1.2-2.9c-0.8-0.5-2.5-0.8-4.9-0.8h-15.8%0A%09%09%09c-2.3%2C0-3.9%2C0.2-4.8%2C0.7c-0.9%2C0.5-1.3%2C1.5-1.3%2C3v19.5c0%2C1.4%2C0.4%2C2.4%2C1.2%2C2.9c0.8%2C0.6%2C2.4%2C0.8%2C5%2C0.8h15.8c2.4%2C0%2C4.1-0.3%2C4.9-0.8%0A%09%09%09c0.8-0.5%2C1.2-1.5%2C1.2-2.9V94.4z%22%2F%3E%0A%09%09%3Cpath%20class%3D%22st2%22%20d%3D%22M187.7%2C131.6V90.7h-19.9V76.7h60.8v13.9h-19.8v40.9H187.7z%22%2F%3E%0A%09%09%3Cpath%20class%3D%22st2%22%20d%3D%22M257.9%2C131.6c-3.9%2C0-7.2-0.2-9.9-0.5c-2.7-0.4-4.8-1-6.4-2c-1.6-0.9-2.8-2.3-3.5-4c-0.7-1.7-1.1-3.9-1.1-6.6%0A%09%09%09V89.9c0-2.7%2C0.4-4.9%2C1.1-6.6c0.7-1.7%2C1.9-3.1%2C3.6-4c1.7-1%2C3.8-1.6%2C6.5-2s5.9-0.5%2C9.8-0.5h27.8c3.9%2C0%2C7.2%2C0.2%2C9.9%2C0.5%0A%09%09%09c2.7%2C0.3%2C4.9%2C1%2C6.5%2C2c1.7%2C1%2C2.8%2C2.3%2C3.6%2C4c0.7%2C1.7%2C1.1%2C3.9%2C1.1%2C6.6v28.6c0%2C2.8-0.4%2C5-1.1%2C6.7c-0.7%2C1.7-1.9%2C3-3.6%2C4%0A%09%09%09c-1.7%2C1-3.8%2C1.6-6.5%2C2c-2.7%2C0.3-6%2C0.5-9.9%2C0.5H257.9z%20M285.9%2C94.4c0-1.4-0.4-2.4-1.2-2.9c-0.8-0.5-2.5-0.8-4.9-0.8H264%0A%09%09%09c-2.3%2C0-3.9%2C0.2-4.8%2C0.7c-0.9%2C0.5-1.3%2C1.5-1.3%2C3v19.5c0%2C1.4%2C0.4%2C2.4%2C1.2%2C2.9c0.8%2C0.6%2C2.4%2C0.8%2C5%2C0.8h15.8c2.4%2C0%2C4.1-0.3%2C4.9-0.8%0A%09%09%09c0.8-0.5%2C1.2-1.5%2C1.2-2.9V94.4z%22%2F%3E%0A%09%09%3Cpath%20class%3D%22st2%22%20d%3D%22M363.3%2C131.6v-14.9c0-1.3-0.3-2.2-1-2.8c-0.7-0.6-2-0.9-4.1-0.9h-18.8v18.7h-20.9V76.7h46.4%0A%09%09%09c3.9%2C0%2C7.1%2C0.2%2C9.5%2C0.7c2.5%2C0.4%2C4.4%2C1.2%2C5.8%2C2.2c1.4%2C1%2C2.3%2C2.4%2C2.9%2C4c0.5%2C1.7%2C0.8%2C3.7%2C0.8%2C6.2v8.6c0%2C2.4-0.5%2C4.3-1.6%2C5.7%0A%09%09%09c-1.1%2C1.4-2.5%2C2.3-4.3%2C2.8c1.6%2C0.4%2C3%2C1.2%2C4.3%2C2.5c1.3%2C1.3%2C1.9%2C3.1%2C1.9%2C5.3v16.8H363.3z%20M363.3%2C93.9c0-1.1-0.2-1.9-0.7-2.4%0A%09%09%09c-0.5-0.6-1.6-0.8-3.3-0.8h-20v9.7h20c1.8%2C0%2C2.9-0.3%2C3.4-0.9c0.4-0.6%2C0.6-1.6%2C0.6-2.8V93.9z%22%2F%3E%0A%09%09%3Cpath%20class%3D%22st2%22%20d%3D%22M447.5%2C131.6c-3.9%2C0-7.2-0.2-9.9-0.5c-2.7-0.4-4.9-1-6.5-2c-1.7-1-2.9-2.3-3.6-4c-0.7-1.7-1.1-3.9-1.1-6.6%0A%09%09%09V89.9c0-2.7%2C0.4-4.8%2C1.1-6.6c0.7-1.7%2C1.9-3.1%2C3.6-4c1.7-1%2C3.8-1.6%2C6.5-2c2.7-0.4%2C6-0.5%2C9.9-0.5h42.2v13.9h-36.2%0A%09%09%09c-2.2%2C0-3.8%2C0.3-4.6%2C0.9c-0.9%2C0.6-1.3%2C1.5-1.3%2C2.8v19.5c0%2C2.5%2C2%2C3.7%2C6%2C3.7h36.2v13.9H447.5z%22%2F%3E%0A%09%09%3Cpath%20class%3D%22st2%22%20d%3D%22M500.8%2C131.6V76.7h20.9v54.9H500.8z%22%2F%3E%0A%09%09%3Cpath%20class%3D%22st2%22%20d%3D%22M551.2%2C131.6V90.7h-19.9V76.7h60.8v13.9h-19.8v40.9H551.2z%22%2F%3E%0A%09%09%3Cpath%20class%3D%22st2%22%20d%3D%22M621%2C131.6v-23.2L598%2C76.7h26.1l8.5%2C14.3l8.6-14.3h24.5l-23.9%2C31.6v23.2H621z%22%2F%3E%0A%09%3C%2Fg%3E%0A%09%3Cg%3E%0A%09%09%3Cpath%20class%3D%22st3%22%20d%3D%22M775.3%2C102.1c-1.2-1.7-2.7-3.4-4.1-4.8c9.2-1.7%2C18.1-5.8%2C25.4-11.6c12.8-10.4%2C19.1-24.9%2C19.1-38.4%0A%09%09%09c0-44-52.4-56.5-84.3-40.8c-9.2%2C4.6-17.1%2C11.1-23.2%2C19.1c-9.2%2C11.8-22%2C41.8%2C8.7%2C38.7C691.2%2C20%2C782.3-9.2%2C790.5%2C38.1%0A%09%09%09c0.5%2C2.4%2C0.7%2C4.6%2C0.7%2C6c0%2C20.5-20.1%2C34.8-37.7%2C28.3c8.2-14.5%2C8.2-21.3%2C7.5-26.8c-1-10.6-13.5-13.8-13.5-13.8l-7%2C12.3l-13.3%2C23%0A%09%09%09l-17.6%2C29.7c-0.5%2C0.7-1%2C1.4-1.2%2C2.2c-23.4-0.7-41.1%2C15.5-43.7%2C38.7c-3.9%2C34.5%2C29%2C55.3%2C58%2C55.3c35.5%2C0%2C62.6-29.2%2C62.6-59.9%0A%09%09%09c0-10.4-2.9-20.8-9.9-30.7V102.1z%20M755%2C126.8c-2.7%2C32.6-47.3%2C59.4-72.5%2C26.8c-7.2-9.4-1.9-32.9%2C17.9-40.1l1.4%2C0.2%0A%09%09%09c-6.3%2C19.3-2.2%2C36%2C22.2%2C33.1c-2.9-11.4-0.2-20.5%2C16.2-50.5v-0.2c1.9%2C0.7%2C3.9%2C1%2C5.8%2C1.2C754.2%2C106.5%2C755.7%2C117.1%2C755%2C126.8z%22%2F%3E%0A%09%09%3Cpath%20class%3D%22st3%22%20d%3D%22M1256.4%2C92c-2.3%2C0-5%2C0.8-7.7%2C3.1c-4.6%2C4.1-5.2%2C11.4-3.7%2C17.6c0.5%2C2.3%2C0.6%2C4.2%2C0.9%2C6.3%0A%09%09%09c-3.4%2C3.4-7.1%2C6.4-10.8%2C8.6c-0.4-6.4-3.1-11.8-6.6-17.4c-3.9-6-4.1-12.8-2.3-19.3c3.7-14.5%2C8.9-0.6%2C6.2%2C2.7%0A%09%09%09c14.3-4.6%2C8.1-19.3-0.8-21.1c-17.4-3.3-28.2%2C19.1-19.5%2C31.9c7.3%2C10.8%2C6.4%2C27.8-6.2%2C27.2c-6.8-0.3-12.2-4.9-12.4-17.8%0A%09%09%09c1.9-5.2%2C2.5-9.7%2C1.1-12.3c-0.1%2C0.4-0.2%2C0.7-0.3%2C1.1c0.1-0.4%2C0.1-0.7%2C0.1-1.1c-4.1%2C4.2-7%2C9.8-8.7%2C16c-12.4%2C14-32.2%2C22.5-22.3%2C0.8%0A%09%09%09l0.2-0.2l42.1-72.7c10.2-17.6%2C7.7-27-4.6-32.7l-12.2%2C21.4l-45.2%2C78.1c-0.9%2C1.5-1.9%2C3.6-2.9%2C5.8c-12.5%2C13.6-31.5%2C21.5-21.7%2C0.2%0A%09%09%09l0.2-0.2l9.7-16.6c10.2-17.6%2C7.7-27.1-4.6-32.7l-11.8%2C20.7c-7.4-32.8-52.3-13.2-64.6%2C23.1c-8.5%2C11.6-24.4%2C21.2-29.4%2C18.4%0A%09%09%09c5.8-11.4%2C12.6-24.7%2C18.6-37.9c3.3-6.6%2C4.4-10%2C4.1-13.3c-0.8-8.5-10.8-11-10.8-11l-2.3%2C3.9c-3.1%2C4.6-6.2%2C10.1-9.5%2C16%0A%09%09%09c-8-31.6-52.4-11.8-64.5%2C24.4c-11.7%2C16.4-37%2C29.2-26%2C5.4l0.2-0.2c6.2-11.6%2C12.6-22.4%2C8.7-35c-2.5-8.1-11-12-18.6-12%0A%09%09%09c-6.6%2C0-12.8%2C3.9-18.4%2C9.5c-0.2-0.4-0.2-0.6-0.2-1c-0.8-8.5-10.8-11-10.8-11l-12.2%2C21.4l-6.7%2C11.3c0-0.1%2C0-0.2-0.1-0.3%0A%09%09%09c-0.3%2C0.8-0.7%2C1.4-1%2C2.1l-5.3%2C8.9c-0.7%2C1.1-1.2%2C2.3-1.8%2C3.5c-19.6%2C27.2-47.9%2C21.7-45%2C0.2c16.2%2C6.2%2C39-10%2C36.9-30.1%0A%09%09%09c-1-7.5-7-11.6-14.9-12.8c-9.1-1.3-21.1%2C4.6-30.3%2C15.1c-19.5%2C21.6-22.8%2C65.3%2C13.1%2C65.3c9.3%2C0%2C22.3-3.5%2C33.9-16.9%0A%09%09%09c-0.3%2C10.2%2C4.9%2C17.5%2C19.6%2C15.8c0.2-7.1%2C1.7-13.7%2C3.7-19.7c2.9-6.4%2C26.7-57.8%2C39.4-52c4.6%2C2.9%2C0.4%2C10.6-0.6%2C12.4%0A%09%09%09c-9.5%2C18-29.8%2C45.2-9.7%2C57.6c13.6%2C8.1%2C32.3-8%2C43.2-24.3c-1%2C14.9%2C7.5%2C26.8%2C22.4%2C26.8c4.1%2C0%2C7.7-1%2C11.4-2.7l-5.4%2C8.9%0A%09%09%09c-22.2%2C36.1-41.4%2C26.1-74.6%2C12.2c-13.5-5.6-24.5-6.6-32.7-4.2c-17.2%2C4.6-22.2%2C22.4-15.5%2C32.8c15.5-23%2C44.4-9.7%2C71.1-3.1%0A%09%09%09c45.2%2C11.2%2C61.1-11.6%2C82.1-50.1c12.1%2C4.2%2C26-7%2C34.8-19.7c-0.5%2C14.4%2C7.9%2C25.7%2C22.5%2C25.7c9.9%2C0%2C18.6-5.8%2C25.5-12.8%0A%09%09%09c1.2%2C3.9%2C3.7%2C7.5%2C8.3%2C10.2c11.1%2C6.6%2C25-2.8%2C35.3-15.4c0.2%2C5.7%2C2.4%2C11.3%2C9%2C15.4c12.4%2C7.4%2C28.2-5.2%2C38.6-19.7%0A%09%09%09c0.4%2C13.6%2C7%2C25.9%2C21.7%2C25.9c2.3%2C0%2C5.2-0.4%2C7.7-1.2c6.6-1.9%2C11.6-5.4%2C15.3-10.2c6.4-3.1%2C12.6-8.9%2C17.5-15.3%0A%09%09%09c-2.1%2C56.5-102.2%2C36-171.1%2C36c-34%2C0-62.4-3.3-58.9%2C32.7c50.6-35.8%2C236.1%2C13.5%2C239-66.1c0.2-3.5%2C0.2-7.3-0.2-11.4%0A%09%09%09C1270.3%2C102.8%2C1263.9%2C92%2C1256.4%2C92z%20M830.9%2C91c6.8-7.5%2C11.6-5.2%2C12-1c0.6%2C11.6-16%2C23-24.2%2C19.7C820.8%2C104.4%2C824.7%2C98%2C830.9%2C91z%0A%09%09%09%20M1009.9%2C105.7l-3.1%2C6.4c-7.1%2C3.3-10.6%2C8.3-11.2%2C13.7c-4.3%2C3.5-9.7%2C6-15.9%2C6c-8.5%2C0-5.6-10.6-3.7-15.5%0A%09%09%09C984%2C94.1%2C1018.9%2C62.6%2C1009.9%2C105.7z%20M1103.8%2C104.9l-3.3%2C5.6c0%2C0-0.2%2C0.2-0.2%2C0.4l-0.8%2C1.3l-1.7%2C3.1c-3.9%2C6.2-12%2C16.2-24.3%2C16.2%0A%09%09%09c-8.5%2C0-5.6-10.6-3.7-15.5C1077.7%2C94.1%2C1112.5%2C62.8%2C1103.8%2C104.9z%22%2F%3E%0A%09%3C%2Fg%3E%0A%3C%2Fg%3E%0A%3C%2Fsvg%3E%0A)
Mired in a brutal stretch in which they had lost 12 of 13 games, the Detroit Tigers were in desperate need of some good news. They got it on Sunday, when Kerry Carpenter made a rather unexpected return from the injured list in time for the series finale against the Toronto Blue Jays.
Easily the Tigers' most dangerous left-handed bat, Carpenter had been on the IL since July 2 with a hamstring injury that had clearly been plaguing him for a while. Even before his IL stint, he hadn't drawn a walk since May and was hitting just .194 after June 3. Once he was out of the lineup, things got progressively worse for the Tigers.
Carpenter started in right field Sunday against Toronto, going 0-for-3 with a pair of strikeouts in the Tigers' 10-4 win. Even though he didn't contribute offensively, his presence alone seemed to spark something in the rest of his teammates.
Jack Flaherty was throwing gas, shutting down the Blue Jays' offense with six scoreless innings after he had lasted just three frames in his previous start. Gleyber Torres broke out of an 0-for-16 slump with a three-run bomb in the third inning. The Tigers scored seven runs in the eighth inning, six of which came with two outs.
Only Trent Grisham and Kerry Carpenter have been making contact with the baseball at a deeper point of the plate than Mike Trout in 2025...@markdero7 dives into some of the subtle differences the @Angels superstar has made with his swing dating back to last season. https://t.co/mduthY2yER pic.twitter.com/P3HPuEIumg
— MLB Network (@MLBNetwork) July 28, 2025
The Tigers now know who their offensive X-factor is after IL return, recent surge
The lefty-hitting Carpenter, who will routinely be held out of the starting lineup against left-handed pitchers, got a day off for Monday's series opener off while southpaw Eduardo Rodriguez got the start for the Arizona Diamondbacks. Carpenter was back in the Tigers' lineup as the designated hitter for Tuesday's game against Arizona and smoked the cover off the ball, going 3-for-5 with a pair of runs scored in the Tigers' overwhelming 12-2 victory.
Since Carpenter's return from the IL on Sunday, the Tigers have gone 3-0 and outscored opponents 27-7 – and it hardly feels like a coincidence. As Carpenter goes, so go the Tigers, and his return will undoubtedly play a major role in helping them get back to their winning identity as they pursue their first division title in more than a decade.
More Tigers content from Motor City Bengals