LAKELAND, Fla. – Kerry Carpenter’s explosive swing allows him to see a pitch a split-second longer and react. But his ability to read pitchers and anticipate a pitch is just about as fascinating.
“The swing decisions are helped by the more I see [pitchers],” Carpenter explained Monday. “The more I saw them, the better I could make decisions. … I focus on where the ball needs to come out of his hand to be a strike or not. It's kind of like a guess sometimes [against lefties], whereas from the right side, I pretty much know whatever release angle or height or movement, I can pretty much picture it before I even go up there.”
When Carpenter stepped to the plate against Mariners lefty Justin Speier in Game 5 of the ALDS in October, he had seen the southpaw three times already in the series. He had also seen three left-handed relievers from the Guardians in the Wild Card Series that preceded it.
“Once I saw Speier multiple times, I felt really good against him,” Carpenter said. “I knew I could put a good at-bat together.”
Carpenter’s ensuing home run off Speier earned the Tigers their only lead -- and only runs -- of the game, putting Detroit nine outs away from a berth in the ALCS. Despite the heartbreak that followed, it’s one of the more dramatic home runs in Tigers postseason history.
Four months later, it’s still a fascinating discussion, and it puts a slight twist on what has become an annual spring debate: Is this the year Carpenter earns more at-bats against lefties?
Even Carpenter gets a Groundhog Day feel for the question.
“I've shown that I can do it,” he said. “I understand why they want [to pinch-hit with right-handed hitters]. I mean, Jahmai [Jones] was amazing last year. But I totally understand why they make the decisions they make. But yeah, I mean, every Spring Training everyone talks about it, and we talk about it together.”
Carpenter is a .207 career hitter against lefties in the regular season, including .217 (13-for-60) with 14 strikeouts last season. Three of those 13 hits were home runs -- two in early April, then a Sept. 10 drive off Tim Hill at Yankee Stadium.
The home run off Speier arguably changes the narrative around Carpenter, and raises the question again. But what hasn’t changed is the strength of the right-handed batters the Tigers have available to pinch-hit.
“The pinch-hitting, again, I reiterate: It's always been about the strength of the guy coming off the bench,” manager A.J. Hinch said. “And we've seen Jahmai be really good, Andy [Ibáñez], [Matt] Vierling, [Justyn-Henry] Malloy, the guys that we had trying to put them in a position, and putting the dilemma in the other manager's hands. But certainly, [Carpenter is] working hard toward wanting and staying in the game. …
“It's not about one swing. It's not about one matchup. The game situation dictates that. Do I have a strength or a massive strength on the bench? Where are we in the game? What do we need -- a single, homer, walk? I mean, I could go on forever on the things that go through my head leading up to that situation.”
Ibáñez and Malloy are gone, but Jones and Vierling are back, the latter healthy after an injury-shortened 2025 season. The Tigers brought in Austin Slater as a non-roster invite to provide veteran depth, and have two righty-hitting prospects who crushed lefties at Triple-A Toledo last season in Hao-Yu Lee (the Tigers' No. 6 prospect, per MLB Pipeline) and Max Anderson (No. 9).
Carpenter’s success provides a wrinkle of unpredictability, one in which Hinch can leave Carpenter in a game against a lefty reliever early to set up big opportunities late. Also working in Carpenter’s favor is his improved comfort level in the outfield, though it didn’t show in his regular-season metric.
“He really wants to get more time on the field, and he did last year at the end of the season,” Hinch said. “Colt [Keith] was hurt, and when Colt DHed in the playoffs, it pushed Kerry to right field. In order for him to do that and get more time on the field, he took ownership to get himself into camp in a really good spot.”
Carpenter will get time in both outfield corners to be ready in the field. He hopes to get some looks against lefties in Spring Training to prepare at the plate.
“I'll be asking for them for sure,” he said. “Even if a lefty's throwing in a Spring Training game, I hope they get me in that one just to see, just to get at-bats. I feel like I can earn some more opportunity, I hope. We'll see how it goes, but I'd like to get as many as possible.”