Unlock the latest Detroit Tigers news — direct to your inbox. By Cole Sullivan Updated Aug 24, 2026 at 3:07pm The Detroit Tigers have lost eight of their last nine games, including five straight after getting swept by the Kansas City Royals over the weekend. They fell 11-7 in a high-scoring game Sunday, but catcher Dillon Dingler did not play in the series finale. Ahead of Monday night’s series opener against the Tampa Bay Rays , Tigers manager A.J. Hinch made some changes to his lineup with right-hander Framber Valdez facing Rays ace Drew Rasmussen . Tigers Announce Dingler Decision Sunday simply gave Dingler a much-needed day off despite the Tigers’ recent struggles. He’ll return to the starting lineup Monday night behind the plate and bat cleanup. Eduardo Valencia started in Dingler’s place Sunday and went 1-for-5 against the Royals. Here’s the full Tigers lineup: Via Underdog MLB : “Tigers 8/24 C. Keith DH H. Lee 2B K. McGonigle 3B D. Dingler C B. Callahan LF Z. McKinstry RF S. Torkelson 1B M. Clark CF J. Báez SS F. Valdez SP.”

C. Keith DH H. Lee 2B K. McGonigle 3B D. Dingler C B. Callahan LF Z. McKinstry RF S. Torkelson 1B M. Clark CF J. Báez SS — Underdog MLB (@UnderdogMLB) August 24, 2026 Dingler’s 2026 Season Dingler is in his third season with the Tigers and earned his first All-Star selection this year. He’s appeared in 120 games and recorded 65 runs, 116 hits, 26 home runs and 82 RBIs across 459 at-bats. He’s also batting .253 with a .484 slugging percentage and a .801 OPS. Tigers Right Now Detroit enters Monday at 61-69 after its recent skid. The Tigers sit 7.0 games back in the AL Central and just 3.5 games out of a Wild Card spot. Detroit will face the Rays in a three-game series before hosting the Los Angeles Dodgers over the weekend. Tampa Bay owns the best record in the American League, while Los Angeles has the second-best record in the National League. Cole Sullivan Cole Sullivan is a sports journalist for Heavy.com covering the NFL, NBA, college football, and college basketball. A member of the United States Basketball Writers Association, he has written for FanSided, Athlon Sports, The Sporting News, and Newsweek. Sullivan earned an Associate degree from Franklin Pierce University and a Bachelor's degree from Lynn University, where he studied Communications and Media Studies with a focus on Sports Journalism. More about Cole Sullivan Detroit Tigers Announce Dillon Dingler Decision Before Rays Series More Heavy on Tigers