The Detroit Tigers were officially eliminated from the postseason over the weekend after making it in each of the last two seasons.
It was simply an underwhelming 2026 campaign for them, and on Monday night, they’ll begin a series against the Washington Nationals as they wind down the regular season.
Ahead of the matchup, Tigers manager A.J. Hinch decided to make a notable move with his starting lineup.
Tigers Announce Sudden Max Clark Move
After his recent stretch of success, which saw him record a hit in 10 of his last 11 games, Hinch decided to keep rookie outfielder Max Clark on the bench for the series opener.
Clark started in center field and hit sixth in the order on Sunday, but with the playoffs no longer feasible, Hinch is giving the youngster the day off.
Veteran Javier Baez will start in center field in his place. Baez has spent the season in a platoon role with Detroit since returning from the IL.
Here’s the full Tigers starting lineup:
Via Underdog MLB: “Tigers 9/21 G. Torres 2B H. Lee 3B R. Greene LF E. Valencia DH B. Malgeri RF D. Dingler C S. Torkelson 1B J. Báez CF J. Peck SS R. Ryan SP.”
Tigers 9/21
G. Torres 2B
H. Lee 3B
R. Greene LF
E. Valencia DH
B. Malgeri RF
D. Dingler C
S. Torkelson 1B
J. Báez CF
J. Peck SSR. Ryan SP
— Underdog MLB (@UnderdogMLB) September 21, 2026
Clark’s Rookie Campaign With Tigers
Detroit called Clark up in July, and he’s been as good as advertised since joining the team, which drafted him third overall in 2023.
Through 46 games and 160 at-bats, Clark is hitting .275 with 26 runs, 44 hits, three home runs, 23 RBIs, and five stolen bases while slugging .431 with a .788 OPS.
Not to mention, he’s been extremely effective defensively as well, leading the Tigers’ outfield now and likely for many years to come.
Detroit Tigers Announce Sudden Max Clark Move Before Nationals Series