The Tigers look to make a hard push heading into the Midsummer Classic, as they hope to stay at the top of the Major League Baseball standings before Monday. They are riding high thanks to a stretch of good play, having swept the Cleveland Guardians, on the road, last weekend, before taking two of three from the Tampa Bay Rays earlier in the week.

The Detroit Tigers and Cy Young contender Tarik Skubal kick off a three-game series against the Seattle Mariners with a Friday night matchup at Comerica Park.

This year's AL All-Star manager Aaron Boone could've chosen his own ace over Skubal, and Fried's had an admirable year in his own right. But Fried just bowed out for unspecified reasons (probably because they Yankees don't want to risk their best pitcher) and was replaced by another Yankee in Carlos Rodón.

About the moment Tigers manager AJ Hinch signs his lineup card on a given game-day in 2025, and about the time it’s understood that for the past 11 months the Tigers have had MLB’s best record, a roster reality becomes clearer.