The Detroit Tigers are scheduled to begin the series finale of a three-game series against the Athletics at Comerica Park at 6:40 p.m. EDT on Thursday.
The Tigers won Games 1 and 2 of the series.
Ahead of the game, the Tigers announced a roster move.
Detroit Tigers Make Official Roster Move On 6-Year MLB Player
GettyPhoto by Duane Burleson/Getty Images
The Tigers have designated outfielder Jahmai Jones for assignment, according to the team’s transaction log on MLB.com.
Detroit DFA’d Jones to clear space for catcher/first baseman Eduardo Valencia, whom the Tigers just recalled.
Jones has struggled significantly this year, worth -1.2 fWAR with a rough .137/.219/.221 (25 wRC+) slash line in 57 games.
Jones has appeared in 198 games throughout his MLB career. He made his MLB debut with the Los Angeles Angels in 2020, appearing in just 22 games. He then appeared in 26 games with the Baltimore Orioles in 2021.
Jones didn’t play in the majors at all in 2022 and then appeared in seven games with the Milwaukee Brewers in 2023. After that, the outfielder appeared in 33 games with the New York Yankees in 2024 and 129 games with the Tigers over the past two seasons.
In 198 career games, Jones has been worth -0.9 fWAR with a .214/.297/.363 (85 wRC+) slash line, 10 home runs and 41 RBI.
Jones played for Team Korea during the 2026 World Baseball Classic. He went 5-for-21 with one home run, one double, one walk and two RBI.
Valencia has yet to make his MLB debut. He has slashed .267/.353/.486 with 16 home runs and 49 RBI across 76 games for Triple-A Toledo this season. In 439 minor-league games dating back to 2018, Valencia has hit .273/.350/.432 with 52 home runs and 262 RBI.
Valencia, 26, is the Tigers’ No. 21 overall prospect per MLB Pipeline. He signed with the Tigers for a $10,000 bonus as an international free agent in 2018.
Tigers catcher Dillon Dingler fouled a ball off his hand on Wednesday, which is likely why Detroit promoted Valencia. The X-rays on Dingler’s hand came back negative, per The Athletic’s Cody Stavenhagen.
The Tigers clearly don’t want to place Dingler on the IL, but he probably will miss at least a game or two. Calling up Valencia ensures the Tigers have a backup catcher until Dingler returns.
Detroit Tigers Right Now
After an abysmal start to the season, the Tigers, who have won four games in a row and seven of their last 10, appear to be right back in the postseason race.
Detroit, which many viewed as the AL Central favorites heading into the season, is just four games back of the Texas Rangers for the third AL Wild Card spot and 5 1/2 games back of the Chicago White Sox for first place in the AL Central.
While the Tigers’ 42-50 record suggests the team may sell at the trade deadline, their strong stretch could mean they will instead attempt to return to the postseason. Left-hander Tarik Skubal, the back-to-back AL Cy Young Award winner, is in the final year of his contract, creating an interesting situation for Detroit.
Keeping Skubal and missing the postseason would be the worst-case scenario for the Tigers. How the team plays over the next few weeks will decide how they operate at the deadline.
Detroit Tigers Make Official Roster Move On 6-Year MLB Player Before Athletics Game