Detroit, MI

Five key Detroit Tigers questions ahead of the postseason

Published

2 years ago

September 29, 2024

Five key Detroit Tigers questions ahead of the postseason

DETROIT — A.J. Hinch still had not gone through all the unread congratulatory texts on his phone when the Detroit Tigers’ preparation for the proverbial “hangover game” began.

After so much excitement the night before, this day was dark and dreary. “Borderline Gotham City,” Hinch said. There was a lengthy delay, and after nearly two months of adrenaline, a slow nine-inning slog.

The Tigers lost to the Chicago White Sox 4-0 in the penultimate game of the regular season. Sunday is the finale. Their postseason opponent is still to be decided. They will play either the Orioles in Baltimore or the Astros in Houston.

So with the postseason now a reality, here’s a preview of the team’s biggest questions and decision points.

How many pitchers for the wild-card round?

Because the wild-card round is only three games max, there’s a strong chance the Tigers will have only 12 pitchers active for the series. Some teams have even used as few as 11 in shortened series. The Tigers already have to cut the roster from 28 to 26. Going with only 12 pitchers would allow the Tigers to retain Justyn-Henry Malloy and Jace Jung for help against left-handed pitching.

For now, the Tigers are leaning toward carrying an extra bench bat rather than an extraneous arm they’d prefer to stay away from anyway.

But a disclaimer: Never rule out a surprise with Hinch and Scott Harris making these maneuvers.

Where does Jackson Jobe fit in the puzzle?

Although he’s one of only two Tigers players with playoff experience, Kenta Maeda is the likely choice to be the first pitcher left off the roster.

But what other pitcher could miss the wild-card round? That’ll be an interesting one, and likely Detroit’s toughest decision. Casey Mize is one player at risk. He’s not going to work as a starter, and he’s only pitched once so far out of the bullpen, where his stuff did not tick up. Ty Madden, who has a 4.30 ERA and was not effective Saturday, could be an even more probable option.

The real question in all this is what the Tigers will do with Jackson Jobe. Would they really throw the rookie into a pressure-packed situation in the playoffs? Jobe has only pitched twice since his promotion, neither in a true leverage setting. He has never entered a game with runners on base. But he does have the capability to miss bats, and he did shut down the White Sox on Saturday, going three innings and allowing no hits and a walk while striking out two batters. (And for the record, Jobe did not actually have to clean up the entire Tigers clubhouse after Friday’s postgame celebration. “Everyone was just messing around,” he said.)

First Major League strikeout for Jackson Jobe! #RepDetroit @jacksonwjobe pic.twitter.com/svYdoYkL9k
— Detroit Tigers (@tigers) September 28, 2024

The Tigers are 21-12 against left-handed starters this year, but they haven’t exactly fared well against lefties in recent days. Since the Tigers’ hot streak intensified Aug. 13, Detroit has only a .648 OPS against left-handed pitching compared with a .749 OPS against right-handed pitching.

A big part of the concern has been the slumping Andy Ibáñez. A bona fide lefty killer for the first half of the year, Ibáñez is hitting only .165 with just three extra-base hits since July 21. The Tigers hit him leadoff Thursday and Friday to get him reps and jump-start his bat. Ibáñez finally responded with a double Friday.

Despite his struggles, Ibáñez is likely a lock for the playoff roster. He still has huge upside against lefties and remains a chess piece opposing managers have to be cognizant of in late-game situations.

The Tigers just need to hope they can get Ibáñez to settle down in the box and reclaim his first-half form.

“He wants it so badly when he’s in there, and sometimes that makes him a bit over-anxious, maybe swinging too much,” Hinch said. “Nobody is more prepared than him, and no one has more energy in their at-bats than Andy.”

What will the pitching look like?

Tarik Skubal is starting Game 1 on Tuesday. Signed, sealed, delivered.

“Getting him in Game 1 is pretty awesome,” Hinch said.

But after that?

Expect more of the same pitching shenanigans we’ve witnessed each of the past two months. Reese Olson and Keider Montero are candidates to work as starters. It’s just as likely the Tigers will opt for openers and bulk relievers as they have so often in their miraculous run. Trying to map out whom the Tigers will throw is a fool’s errand. And might that be to their advantage?

“Even given my experience, I’ve never done the opener in the postseason, and we haven’t even had our full personnel meeting on how we’re going to attack whoever we play,” Hinch said. “I’m going to try to keep everybody guessing just as much as I have with you guys for the last two months.”

Can the magic continue?

The question was asked about a million times in the midst of Friday’s postgame celebration. Asked Thursday whether the Tigers’ play as of late was magic or something else, Hinch said, “I don’t know, but if so, bottle it up and keep bringing it to the ballpark. … Getting to the ballpark every day, there’s a renewed energy every single day. Whether that’s magic, whether that’s momentum, whether that’s vibe, whatever, we love it and we want more of it.”

Then Friday night came more quotes.

“Now it’s a playoff-bound team,” Hinch said. “We checkmarked that box, and now we can try to stack more and more wins to create an even more special summer.”

“I’m just excited that we got in,” Harris said. “Hopefully, we can do some damage in October.”

How far could they go?

“As far as it takes us,” Riley Greene said. “We’re gonna keep believing until it happens.”

(Photo: David Rodriguez Munoz / USA Today Network via Imagn Images)

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Detroit, MI

Best barbershop in Metro Detroit: Finalists for this year’s Vote 4 The Best

Published

9 hours ago

June 19, 2026

Press Room

Best barbershop in Metro Detroit: Finalists for this year’s Vote 4 The Best

Voting on finalists open from June 22 through July 20

What is the barbershop in Metro Detroit? We’ve got our finalists for this year’s Vote 4 The Best category for best barbershop.

Here are this year’s finalists:

Andino’s Barbershop in St. Clair Shores
Bennies Barbershop in Trenton
Chivalry Barber Co. in Royal Oak
The Garage Cuts and Coffee in Plymouth
Walter T’s Grooming Company in Waterford Township

We received more than 16,700 nominations across our 80 Vote 4 The Best categories this year. Each category was then narrowed down to five finalists.

Click here to view the full list of finalists.

Now that nominations are over, voting on finalists can begin. Voting is open from June 22 through July 20, and you can vote for each category once per day during that time.

Click here to vote for finalists in all 80 categories.

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Detroit, MI

Top 10 ‘Hour Detroit’ Covers, As Voted By Readers

Published

19 hours ago

June 19, 2026

Press Room

Top 10 ‘Hour Detroit’ Covers, As Voted By Readers

As part of our 30th anniversary celebration last month, we asked Hour Detroit readers to vote for their favorite covers from the magazine’s history. With all votes tabulated, here are the top 10 Hour Detroit covers, as voted by our loyal readers.

10. May 2022

Our May 2022 cover story by Nolan Bianhi highlighted the rise of Detroit City Football Club. The cover itself, photographed by Sal Rodriguez and featuring DCFC’s rabid Northern Guard Supporters, also birthed the very funny #EdDuckerForever social media trend.

As explained by Editor-In-Chief Kate Walsh in her Editor’s Letter in the June 2022 issue, “When the DCFC fans noticed a fan holding a scarf that said “Ed Ducker Forever,” some were left scratching their heads…Most people figured out that Ed Ducker was born to cover a profanity front and center on our cover, but they didn’t leave it at that. #EdDuckerForever became a thing on Twitter, with DCFC fans and others creating a backstory for this fictional character, including tales of his prowess on the pitch and in the sheets, saving (or dropping) babies, his love of beer, etc.”

Truthfully, the whole incident is symbolic of the overall vibe at any DCFC match. If you’ve never attended one yet, what are you waiting for?

Another piece of trivia: former Hour Detroit digital editor Christina Clark is among the group of fans — she’s the one with pink hair. Coincidentally, the photo was taken before she joined the magazine.

9. July 2023

Featuring a stunning aerial photograph by William Cunningham, the cover for the July 2023 issue of Hour Detroit just draws you in with its beauty. The cover story by Kate Townley chronicled the many reasons (65, to be exact) why the Great Lakes are so great. Frankly, there are plenty more reasons to add to this already extensive list.

Hour Detroit's July 2023 cover featuring an aerial shot of one of the Great Lakes

8. April 2024

Like the DCFC cover, the cover for the April 2024 issue, created by Ryan Olbrysh, has an incredible kinetic energy. Based around Detroit hosting the NFL Draft, the “City Guide” cover story explored all of the details any visitor to metro Detroit should know and featured contributions from Bill Dow, Dana White, Juliana Lumaj, Mickey Lyons, and Jack Thomas.

Hour Detroit's April 2024 cover featuring fans gathered in the city of the 2024 NFL Draft

7. May 2020

For the May 2020 issue, Hour Detroit chronicled the impact of COVID-19 on metro Detroit in a nine-page special report by Steve Friess, Amy Haimerl, Joanne C. Gerstner, and Ashley Winn. The cover depicts the Spirit of Detroit monument wearing a mask and hospital scrubs. The poignant image is an original oil painting by Luke Mack for Hour Detroit.

Hour Detroit's May 2020 featuring a rendering of the Spirit of Detroit statue wearing a mask

6. January 2018

Abdul El-Sayed graced the January 2018 cover of Hour Detroit, was profiled by Lou Blouin, and photographed by Matthew LaVere. At that time, he was a 33-year-old Michigan gubernatorial candidate gaining lots of attention for his rising grassroots campaign.

The former director of the Detroit Health Department lost the Democratic nomination to Gretchen Whitmer. However, the man some thought could be the first Muslim governor in the United States now has a chance at becoming the first Muslim person elected to the United States Senate. El-Sayed, now 41, is in a very competitive 2026 Democratic primary race against Rep. Haley Stevens and State Sen. Mallory McMorrow. Primary elections for the open Michigan Senate seat vacated by a retiring Sen. Gary Peters will take place on Aug. 4, with the Democratic and Republican primary winners facing off in the midterm elections on Nov. 3.

Hour Detroit's January 2018 issue featuring Abdul El-Sayed

5. February 2021

On this cover photographed by Julia Pickett, contributor Steve Friess summed up Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s 2020 rather perfectly: “A pandemic. An ‘SNL’ parody. A kidnapping plot. And mean tweets from the president. Did anyone have a more bizarre and intense 2020 than ’the woman in Michigan’?” Friess’ cover story on Whitmer explored her 2020 experiences and describing them as “surreal” could be the most apt use of that word ever.

Hour Detroit's February 2021 cover featuring Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer

4. January 2024

Detroit Lions head coach Dan Campbell headlined our annual “Detroiters” list in 2024, which highlights the people making unique impacts on metro Detroit. His striking portrait, courtesy of the Detroit Lions, appeared on the cover, with contributor Jim McFarlin detailing the rise of Campbell becoming one of the most beloved Detroit sports figures in recent history.

Hour Detroit's January 2024 cover featuring Detroit Lions head coach Dan Campbell

3. June 2005

Detroit has been very fortunate to have some incredible local news anchors over the years. WDIV-TV’s Carmen Harlan is certainly among the most iconic. A Detroit native, Harlan joined WDIV-TV in 1978 as a general assignment reporter. Three years later, she became an anchor. Paired with Mort Crim, another legendary Detroit news anchor, Harlan continued to serve as anchor until her retirement in 2016. Photographed by Roy Ritchie, Harlan appeared on the cover of Hour Detroit in June 2005 for our “Best of Detroit” issue. In the 2005 edition of our readers’ poll, Harlan won three honors: Best local TV anchor, best TV hairdo (female), and best-looking TV personality.

Hour Detroit's June 2005 cover featuring legendary WDIV-TV anchor Carmen Harlan

2. April 2026

Our latest “City Guide” feature took on the theme of “Hidden Detroit.” In it, we examined lesser-known aspects and treasures in metro Detroit. The cover was of Tintoretto’s “The Dreams of Men,” which is featured in the Detroit Institute of Arts, but it’s in a surprising location. If you’re looking to find out where to spot this gorgeous painting, Jack Thomas and Kate Walsh share its location in their piece appropriately titled “Things You May Have Missed at the Detroit Institute of Arts.”

Hour Detroit's April 2026 cover featuring Tintoretto's 'The Dreams of Men,' which can be found on the ceiling at the DIA

1. June 2019

The 2019 “Best of Detroit” list served as a tribute to Aretha Franklin, who passed away in Aug. 2018 at age 76. Not only did the “Queen of Soul” win the honor of “Detroit Legend,” but she appeared on the cover via an original oil painting by Kim Frank Fujiwara. (Fujiwara won in the category of “Best Fine Artist.”) Simply put: This is a breathtaking cover. We admire and agree with our readers’ outstanding taste in their choice for the best Hour Detroit cover.

Hour Detroit's June 2019 cover featuring an original oil painting of Aretha Franklin by Kim Frank Fujiwara

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Detroit, MI

First responders honored after rescuing 12 people from capsized sailboats near Belle Isle

Published

1 day ago

June 19, 2026

Press Room

First responders honored after rescuing 12 people from capsized sailboats near Belle Isle

DETROIT – Detroit first responders and several private citizens are being credited with helping rescue a dozen people after multiple sailboats capsized in the Detroit River near Belle Isle during severe weather last week.

The incident occurred shortly after 7:30 p.m. on June 10 as a line of thunderstorms moved through southeast Michigan, bringing strong winds to the area.

According to the Detroit Fire Department, crews were dispatched to Belle Isle near the beach following reports of overturned boats and people in the water.

Firefighters, EMS personnel, Engine 27, and Fireboat 2, known as the Sivad Johnson, responded to the scene.

When crews arrived, they found multiple small sailboats overturned in the river.

Officials said 20 people aboard seven sailboats were involved in the incident.

Twelve people were rescued from the water, while eight others safely returned aboard two boats that remained upright.

Fireboat 2 rescued four people from the water.

The Detroit Police Department Harbormaster rescued two more, while a private boater assisted three people. Another three were brought to safety by a nearby boat club vessel.

The operator of the sailing group said as many as 26 people were on the water before the storm arrived, with six making it back to shore on their own before rescue efforts began.

Despite the dangerous conditions, no serious injuries were reported. Officials said all rescued individuals declined medical treatment.

Authorities praised the coordinated response among firefighters, police officers, boat club members, and private boaters who assisted during the emergency.

“Be aware of your surroundings,” said Detroit Fire Department Fireboat Operator Daniel Familant. “To be honest, we do make a lot of the saves by the private boaters out there that are fishing or just having a good time, and people were out there screaming, ‘Help, help,’ and there they go, so everyone helps out. It’s an all-hands effort.”

Emergency crews remained on scene until everyone involved was accounted for.

Officials noted that one member of the Fireboat 2 crew was serving on the vessel for the first time during the rescue operation.

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