If the Detroit Tigers defeat the Cleveland Guardians in Thursday’s pivotal Game 3 of the American League Wild Card Series, they may face more than just the Seattle Mariners on the other side.
Colt Keith, the Tigers’ infielder who hasn’t played since September 18 and was left off the AL Wild Card roster due to right rib cage irritation, is making good progress in his rehabilitation and should be ready to join the team for the ALDS, which begins Saturday.
According to Evan Petzold of the Detroit Free Press, Keith practiced catch in right field with assistant performance coach Drew Heithoff and went through other exercises without showing any symptoms of difficulty before Wednesday’s Game 2 against Cleveland.
Healthy Colt Keith could provide major boost to Tigers’ ALDS lineup
“He took a step forward over the last 24 hours, which is good,” manager A.J. Hinch remarked (via Petzold) before Wednesday’s game. “I’m not sure what this signifies yet… Good indicators, but I’m not sure what can be inferred from them just yet.
Keith’s injury coincided with the Tigers’ devastating September slump, during which they lost their enormous lead in the AL Central to none other than the Guardians.
The Tigers defeated Cleveland in Game 1 of the Wild Card on Tuesday because to a brilliant performance from Tarik Skubal, but their offense squandered several opportunities in Game 2 until the Guardians eventually capitalized and exploded for five runs in the eighth inning to claim a 6-1 victory.
All of this suggests that the Tigers might considerably benefit from Keith’s return to the lineup. Over 137 games in 2025, he batted.256 with a.746 OPS, 13 home runs, 48 walks, and 102 strikeouts.