With just under a month to go in the regular season, the Detroit Tigers are set to kick off a three-game series with the division rival Minnesota Twins on Monday night at Target Field.
After valiant efforts on both sides, each club has effectively bowed out of the American League Central race. The Tigers (63–73, 4th AL Central) have dropped 12 of their last 15 games and sit 5.5 games out of a Wild Card spot. Not much better, the Twins (65–72, 3rd AL Central) have lost 10 of their last 15 and find themselves a distant four games out of the Wild Card.
The teams have met seven times so far in 2026, with the Twins leading 5–2.
Looking at the pitching probables, we’ve got Detroit southpaw Jackson Jobe (1–1, 3.93 ERA) taking on Minnesota right-hander Taj Bradley (9–6, 3.97 ERA).
First pitch is at 7:40 p.m. ET. The Twins enter as 1.5-run home favorites with -118 moneyline odds on DraftKings Sportsbook. The Tigers are +110 underdogs, with the game total set at O/U nine runs.
Tigers vs. Twins Preview
Detroit Tigers
Roughly two weeks ago, a well-timed surge propelled the Tigers into the third Wild Card spot of a wide-open American League. The franchise, which all but waved the white flag at the trade deadline, had somehow retained a legitimate shot at making the playoffs. But unfortunately, it’s been all downhill ever since.
Detroit has gone a miserable 3–12 since August 14, the worst record in baseball over that span. During that stretch, the offense — playing without Kerry Carpenter and Riley Greene — anchors MLB in batting average (.199), on-base percentage (.271), slugging percentage (.320), OPS (.591), wOBA (.264), and wRC+ (64).
The Tigers’ struggles have festered into the pitching staff as well, with the club placing 20th in ERA (4.48) and 28th in xERA (4.76) in that time. Detroit will lean on young starter Jackson Jobe on Monday night to help brace the rotation. The right-handed fireballer, 24, has shown decent upside in limited action this year, allowing no more than one earned run in three of his four starts. But the lone outlier? Six earned runs over 3.2 innings against the White Sox on August 14, yielding a 9–5 loss at the outset of Detroit’s tailspin.
Minnesota Twins
An unexpectedly strong first half of the year gave Minnesota a fighting chance at challenging for its first AL Central crown since 2023. However, much like Detroit, things have continued to spiral in the following weeks.
The Twins have dropped 10 of their last 15 games since August 13, fourth-worst in MLB during that stretch. The issues haven’t necessarily stemmed from the offense, which ranks 12th in wRC+ (99), 12th in wOBA (.312), and fifth in xwOBA (.324) over that span. Still, Byron Buxton’s inability to stay healthy — landing on the 10-day injured list on August 25 — places a significant limitation on the lineup’s overall production.
Even so, it’s the pitching staff that has been the primary cause for concern. With ace Joe Ryan shelved, Minnesota has posted the sixth-highest ERA (5.12) in MLB over its last 15 contests. Monday’s starter, right-hander Taj Bradley, has struggled to help steady the ship in Ryan’s absence; the 25-year-old is saddled with a 5.40 ERA across five August starts (26.2 IP). And while Bradley was brilliant in his first meeting with Detroit this year, he got knocked around in the rematch for five earned runs over 4.1 frames en route to a 10–4 loss on June 9.
Tigers vs. Twins Pick, Best Bet
While Taj Bradley has struggled of late, he seems well-positioned for a bounce-back outing against the lifeless Tigers offense. Meanwhile, Minnesota’s formidable lineup has the tools to capitalize against the promising yet hittable Jackson Jobe. Neither of these teams is going anywhere in October, but the Twins should get the best of their AL Central rival in Monday’s series opener at Target Field.
