Tigers have ALDS roster dilemma on their hands after slew of last-minute updates

The Detroit Tigers took down the Cleveland Guardians in the American League Wild Card series, punching their ticket to the AL Division series and securing a best-of-five showdown with the Seattle Mariners.

One of the biggest storylines around the Tigers heading into the ALDS is the potential return of Colt Keith from the injured list. Keith, who hasn't appeared in a game for Detroit since Sept. 18, was left off the Tigers' AL Wild Card roster as he continues to recover from right ribcage inflammation.

Keith is reportedly progressing well in his injury rehab and could be available to join the Tigers for the ALDS if he is healthy enough to play. This is great news for a Detroit lineup whose bats have gone awfully cold since September, despite Thursday's 6-3 win over the Guardians.

Keith hit .256 with a .746 OPS, 13 home runs, 48 walks and 102 strikeouts across 137 games during the 2025 season and would be a welcome addition to the Tigers' postseason lineup if available. But whose spot will he take?

Colt Keith’s potential ALDS return creates more roster questions for Tigers

Detroit's ALDS roster must be submitted by Saturday morning before Game 1 and carry the standard postseason limit of 26 active players with a maximum of 14 pitchers. In other words, if Keith is healthy enough to be added to the roster, one player from the Wild Card team is going to have to give up his spot.

There's no one, obvious candidate to remove from the roster, but perhaps one of Detroit's bench bats – Andy Ibáñez, Justyn-Henry Malloy and playoff-clinching hero Jahmai Jones – would make the most sense. None recorded a hit in a limited showing during the Wild Card series, with both Jones and Malloy striking out in their lone at-bats. Of the three, Ibáñez is the only infielder, so he could be the one to get the boot if Keith returns to eliminate any redundancy.

Potentially further complicating the Tigers' roster decisions is Friday's report from Cody Stavenhagen of The Athletic that utility man Matt Vierling and lefty reliever Bailey Horn had joined the team in Seattle, along with Keith, who was expected to take BP that day.

Vierling, who had to be pulled off a rehab assignment when he suffered a setback in his recovery from a left oblique strain in mid-September, began a hitting progression last week but has been limited to just 31 games this season due to various injuries, which could give the Tigers pause when considering his potential playoff role.

Horn can give the Tigers another lefty bullpen arm, but it's unclear why they'd need him with Tyler Holton and Brant Hurter as superior options (with both just being on the Wild Card roster). Detroit doesn't need another lefty with Seattle sporting mostly righties and switch hitters. Horn, now out of the option cycle, also hasn't appeared in a game since Sept. 17, so we're not sure that would be wise.

But the Tigers have created the speculation, so we'll see what Scott Harris and AJ Hinch decide Saturday morning.