Claim OwnershipDays of Roar: A Free Press Sports Detroit Tigers Podcast
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Hosted by Evan Petzold of the Detroit Free Press. Days of Roar can generally be found every Monday wherever you listen to podcasts. Tune in to listen to engaging conversations and unique perspectives on your Detroit Tigers. Evan brings insider insights and analysis as a Tigers beat writer. Days of Roar is your go-to Tigers podcast for all the best news, analysis, insights and opinions on the team.
164 Episodes
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There are 15 days until Detroit Tigers pitchers and catchers report to spring training in Lakeland, Florida. On "Days of Roar," Evan Petzold and Chris Brown react to the Tigers signing outfielder Corey Julks to a minor-league contract, evaluating if Julks could unseat Jahmai Jones as the right-handed-hitting outfielder who thrives against left-handed pitching. Evan and Chris debate whether targeting mid-tier starting pitchers in free agency is the best strategy for the Tigers — and who belongs on that list beyond Chris Bassitt, then Chris takes a deep dive into the Tigers' four consensus top-100 prospects: Kevin McGonigle, Max Clark, Bryce Rainer and Josue Briceño, plus who might be the next prospect from the Tigers to join them. Former Tigers catcher/third baseman Brandon Inge joins the show for a 30-minute interview, discussing the opening of his Inge Performance Lab, the Hall of Fame electees (Carlos Beltrán and Andruw Jones) and memories from his Tigers career. Evan and Chris also take a listener question about when McGonigle and Clark could join the Tigers for their MLB debuts. Follow Evan on X/Twitter here. Read Evan's most recent work here
The 2026 international signing period is underway. On "Days of Roar," Evan Petzold and Chris Brown react to the Detroit Tigers signing three international prospects to seven-figure bonuses: catcher Manuel Bolivar, shortstop Oscar Tineo and outfielder Randy Santana — and debate which teenage prospect has the best chance to develop into a special player. We discuss the remaining free agents who fit the Tigers' roster and payroll, such as starter Chris Bassitt and reliever Seranthony Domínguez, then answer a listener question: If the Tigers don't make another move, is the current roster good enough to reach the postseason in 2026? Ben Badler of Baseball America joins the show for a deep dive into the 2026 international class, evaluating the Tigers' top signings and explaining how the Tigers can gain an edge in the international market moving forward. He also provides an update on record-breaking signee Cris Rodriguez from the 2025 international class after his standout performance in the Dominican Summer League. There's more Tarik Skubal vs. Tigers discussion, as we try to figure out if the salary arbitration showdown is really just a Scott Harris vs. Scott Boras battle (or an owners vs. union battle) — and whether there's a path for both sides to walk away satisfied. Follow Evan on X/Twitter here. Read Evan's most recent work here
The Tarik Skubal-Detroit Tigers showdown is officially underway. The Tigers and the back-to-back American League Cy Young winner failed to reach an agreement before the arbitration deadline, filing $13 million apart: the Tigers at $19 million; Skubal at $32 million — setting up the most significant arbitration hearing in MLB history. On "Days of Roar," Evan Petzold and Chris Brown react to the massive gap, explain the importance of the $25.5 million midpoint and debate about who will win the case. We also discuss Alex Bregman signing with the Chicago Cubs — and what it means for the Tigers at third base. Evan Drellich, senior writer for The Athletic, joins the show for an in-depth interview about his expertise: labor and business in baseball. He breaks down Skubal's unprecedented arbitration case and impending free agency, looming collective bargaining agreement tensions, the possibility of another lockout and the collapse of regional sports networks. Follow Evan on X/Twitter here. Read Evan's most recent work here
In this holiday edition of "Days of Roar," Evan Petzold and Chris Brown dive into the latest news about the Detroit Tigers, including more pitchers being signed to minor-league contracts — and why outfielder Randal Grichuk could be a good fit for the Tigers as a Jahmai Jones backup plan, as long as he's willing to sign a minor-league deal. In the Big 2, Evan and Chris outline their New Year's resolutions for the Tigers in the 2026 calendar year: sign George Springer, extend Kevin McGonigle, prepare for life after Tarik Skubal, find a true No. 2 starter, create stability on the left side of the infield and make a splash via free agency or trade. Los Angeles Angels beat writer Jeff Fletcher, from the Orange County Register, joins the show to share insight about new Tigers reliever Kenley Jansen, providing key information about his presence in the clubhouse as a leader and a personal reason for why his underlying metrics dipped last season. To wrap up, Chris shares six under-the-radar prospects who could break out in 2026: John Peck, Jackson Strong, Angel De Los Santos, Kelvis Salcedo, Cale Wetwiska and Jhonan Coba. Follow Evan on X/Twitter here. Read Evan's most recent work here
In a Christmas edition, Evan Petzold and Chris Brown react to the Detroit Tigers designating Justyn-Henry Malloy for assignment, resetting the 40-man roster after adding newcomers Drew Anderson, Kenley Jansen and Kyle Finnegan. We also discuss the signings of several pitchers to minor-league contracts with non-roster invitations to spring training, including Tyler Mattison. For the Big 2, the "Days of Roar" podcast examines Tarik Skubal's visit to Detroit for a weekend of sports and builds a wish list to Santa from the Tigers, featuring a stocking stuffer, a big gift and a Christmas miracle — plus an Alex Bregman update. FanGraphs senior writer Dan Szymborski joins the show to break down the ZiPS projections for the 2026 Tigers, including the rotation, bullpen and offense, with an emphasis on the recent signings to the bullpen, the chances of internal improvement on offense and the future of Kevin McGonigle and Max Clark as top prospects. We close by reviewing Scott Harris' comments about the plan for the offense. Are the Tigers taking the best approach to roster building? Follow Evan on X/Twitter here. Read Evan's most recent work here
1With the Winter Meetings in the books, Evan Petzold and Chris Brown break down on "Days of Roar" the Detroit Tigers' bullpen upgrades, signing Kyle Finnegan to a two-year contract and Kenley Jansen to a one-year contract with a club option. Can both veteran relievers maintain their past success in the 2026 season? There are reasons for confidence — and reasons for concerns. We also add context to the Drew Anderson signing, then debate the next player to lose a spot on the 40-man roster: Justyn-Henry Malloy or Bailey Horn? Baseball America prospects writer Geoff Pontes joins the show to analyze the Tigers' farm system, including the loss of RJ Petit in the Rule 5 draft, the acquisition of Johan Simon from the Toronto Blue Jays in the Chase Lee trade and the Tigers' updated top-10 prospect rankings, featuring Kevin McGonigle, Max Clark, Hao-Yu Lee and Max Anderson, among others — but not Thayron Liranzo. To wrap up, Petzold and Brown evaluate the starting rotation, including the trade rumors surrounding Tarik Skubal and whether the Tigers are making a mistake by not pursuing frontline starters. Follow Evan on X/Twitter here. Read Evan's most recent work here
In this special "Days of Roar" bonus episode, Evan Petzold welcomes USA TODAY Sports MLB columnist and insider Bob Nightengale to recap MLB's Winter Meetings in Orlando. Evan and Bob discuss the biggest storyline of the 2025-26 offseason: Will the Detroit Tigers trade Tarik Skubal, and if not, where will the back-to-back American League Cy Young winner sign after the 2026 season — with 10 years, $450 million as the expectation? Do the Tigers have a chance to sign Alex Bregman if his market collapses again, or is he destined to return to the Boston Red Sox, even on another short-term contract? At the Winter Meetings, Kyle Schwarber signed with the Philadelphia Phillies, Edwin Díaz signed with the Los Angeles Dodgers and Pete Alonso signed with the Baltimore Orioles. What happens to free-agent position players such as Kyle Tucker, Cody Bellinger, Bo Bichette, and what about free-agent pitchers like Framber Valdez, Tatsuya Imai and Ranger Suarez? For more on the Tigers, Evan and Bob discuss the chances of the Tigers winning the AL Central in 2026 — and what moves the Tigers need to have a chance to win the World Series. Follow Evan on X/Twitter here. Read Evan's most recent work here
The Winter Meetings are underway in Orlando, and the Detroit Tigers arrive with several storylines to follow. On "Days of Roar," Evan Petzold and Chris Brown discuss the signing of right-hander Drew Anderson to a one-year contract. He will show up to spring training as a starter, but will he ultimately become a reliever? We break down what to watch with the Tigers at the Winter Meetings, including big updates on Alex Bregman's free agency and Tarik Skubal's trade situation. Other topics about the Tigers include the pursuit of another starter for the rotation and the remaining high-leverage relievers to upgrade the bullpen. Boston Red Sox radio voice Will Flemming joins the show to discuss Bregman's market, his impact in Boston's clubhouse in 2025 and whether a reunion with the Red Sox is the most likely outcome. He also endorses an all-in Skubal trade for the Red Sox, even though Skubal is set to become a free agent after the 2026 season. To wrap up, Evan and Chris provide — and break down — mock trades for Skubal with the Red Sox, Los Angeles Dodgers, New York Mets, Baltimore Orioles and New York Yankees. Follow Evan on X/Twitter here. Read Evan's most recent work here
On "Days of Roar," Evan Petzold and Chris Brown evaluate the Detroit Tigers with one week until MLB's Winter Meetings. Right-hander Dylan Cease kicked off free agency this offseason with a seven-year, $210 million contract from the Toronto Blue Jays, raising questions about left-hander Tarik Skubal's market next offseason. We break down agent Scott Boras' latest comments about third baseman Alex Bregman — and whether the Tigers truly need his leadership. We dig into the Tigers' interest in right-hander Michael King in free agency, then break down how president of baseball operations Scott Harris should spend his remaining $35 million (if the payroll target is $175 million). Greg Jewett, a bullpen expert, joins the show to analyze the relievers on the free agent and trade markets, including the best fits for the Tigers. He discusses everything from top-tier options to under-the-radar candidates, plus he reacts to the breaking news of right-handed reliever Devin Williams signing with the New York Mets. To wrap up, Brown digs into a bigger-picture organizational question: Do the Tigers have a pitching problem? Follow Evan on X/Twitter here. Read Evan's most recent work here
The Detroit Tigers continue shaping their roster for the 2026 season, headlined by Gleyber Torres accepting the one-year, $22.025 million qualifying offer. On "Days of Roar," Evan Petzold and Chris Brown break down how Torres' return impacts the offseason plan, what the infield looks like with him locked in at second base and where top prospect Kevin McGonigle fits into the picture. Rogelio Castillo from "Tigers Minor League Report" joins to discuss the five prospects protected by the Tigers from the Rule 5 draft: Trei Cruz, Hao-Yu Lee, Jake Miller, Thayron Liranzo and Eduardo Valencia. Those five players are the newest members of the 40-man roster. We also discuss the Tigers' decision to non-tender Andy Ibáñez while tendering contracts to the other 11 arbitration-eligible players, including avoiding arbitration with guaranteed contracts for Matt Vierling, Jake Rogers and Beau Brieske. Follow Evan on X/Twitter here. Read Evan's most recent work here
On "Days of Roar," Evan Petzold and Chris Brown recap a busy week of offseason news for the Detroit Tigers and look ahead to some big decisions, including Tarik Skubal winning the 2025 American League Cy Young Award (becoming the first AL back-to-back winner in the 21st century) and Gleyber Torres preparing to decide whether to accept or decline the one-year, $22.025 million qualifying offer. We focus on the latest information about Skubal's future, plus we unpack everything we learned from general manager Jeff Greenberg about the Tigers' plan for free agency and trades. New Tigers reliever Dugan Darnell — a Michigan native — joins the show to discuss being claimed off waivers, his journey from Adrian College, his memorable MLB debut with the Colorado Rockies and his recovery timeline after hip surgery. We also analyze top prospect Kevin McGonigle after he won the Arizona Fall League MVP. The No. 1 question: Will McGonigle make the 2026 Opening Day roster? Follow Evan on X/Twitter here. Read Evan's most recent work here
The Detroit Tigers are gearing up to make moves in the 2025-26 offseason as the general manager meetings get underway in Las Vegas. On "Days of Roar," Evan Petzold and Chris Brown break down whether Gleyber Torres will accept or decline the qualifying offer, the biggest needs to improve the roster, the shopping list in free agency and the projected payroll, including how much money the Tigers could spend. Later, former MLB general manager Jim Duquette joins the show to discuss the biggest story in baseball: Tarik Skubal. What should the Tigers do: extend him, trade him, keep him? Duquette offers insight into dealing with agent Scott Boras, Skubal's potential free-agent value, Jack Flaherty's decision to accept his $20 million player option, Torres' qualifying offer and the Alex Bregman saga. Evan and Chris also look ahead to the 2026 season, picking three pitchers and three position players they're most confident in — and the three pitchers and three position players they're least confident in. Follow Evan on X/Twitter here. Read Evan's most recent work here
The Detroit Tigers' offseason is officially in motion after the Los Angeles Dodgers won the 2025 World Series. On "Days of Roar," Evan Petzold and Chris Brown ("Tigers Minor League Report") react to coaching staff changes, Jack Flaherty's decision to accept his $20 million player option and Dillon Dingler becoming the Tigers' first Gold Glove winner since 2016. Lance Parrish — an eight-time All-Star, six-time Silver Slugger and three-time Gold Glove winner — joins the show to discuss several topics, including the direction of the Tigers, Dingler becoming the No. 1 catcher, the origin of his "Big Wheel" nickname and Lou Whitaker not being in the Hall of Fame. We also analyze if the Tigers will extend the qualifying offer to Gleyber Torres, and if so, will Torres accept? Follow Evan on X/Twitter here. Read Evan's most recent work here
The 2025 season is in the books for the Detroit Tigers, but the 2025-26 offseason is about to get underway. On "Days of Roar," Evan Petzold and Chris Brown ("Tigers Minor League Report") share their final grades for the Tigers – breaking down pitching, hitting, defense and coaching. We also share three key lessons from 2025, along with what those lessons mean for 2026. Dan Dickerson – the radio voice of the Tigers – joins the show to recap the season, talk about Tarik Skubal's future and outline the offseason plan to build a World Series champion. Dickerson also provides his evaluations of several key players, including Riley Greene, Dillon Dingler and Troy Melton. Follow Evan on X/Twitter here. Read Evan's most recent work here
The Detroit Tigers are officially in offseason mode with big questions looming. On "Days of Roar," Evan Petzold and Chris Brown ("Tigers Minor League Report") dive into two of the biggest questions: Are the Tigers and Tarik Skubal really $250 million apart in contract talks? Will the Tigers try to sign Alex Bregman again in free agency? Later, Mike Ferrin, co-host of "Power Alley" on MLB Network Radio, joins the show to preview the World Series between the Los Angeles Dodgers and Toronto Blue Jays, along with sharing all of his thoughts on the Tigers. We also take a look at the Tigers' free agents, the upcoming Jack Flaherty and Gleyber Torres decisions, and what manager A.J. Hinch meant when he said the Tigers won't "just run it back" in 2026. Could the Tigers trade one of their core players? Follow Evan on X/Twitter here. Read Evan's most recent work here
The 2025 season is over for the Detroit Tigers after a heartbreaking 15-inning loss to the Seattle Mariners in Game 5 of the ALDS, which eliminated the Tigers from the MLB postseason. The Tigers have been knocked out of the playoffs in Game 5 of the ALDS in each of the past two seasons. On "Days of Roar," Evan Petzold and Chris Brown ("Tigers Minor League Report") share takeaways from the Tigers' postseason run and discuss the big offseason topic. What happened to the Tigers in Game 5 of the ALDS? Should the Tigers trade Tarik Skubal this offseason? We also react to what president of baseball operations Scott Harris and manager A.J. Hinch outlined during the end-of-season press conference, with Harris putting the blame on the offense. If the offense is the problem, then what's the plan to fix the offense ahead of the 2026 season? We look into Hinch's contract extension, plus what the Tigers need most in the offseason. Follow Evan on X/Twitter here. Read Evan's most recent work here
The Detroit Tigers are still playing postseason baseball — and they're finally home. The Tigers split the first two games of the ALDS against the Seattle Mariners after taking down the Cleveland Guardians in the AL wild-card series. On "Days of Roar," Evan Petzold and Chris Brown ("Tigers Minor League Report") discuss overcoming the Guardians, the better ALCS matchup for the Tigers (Toronto Blue Jays or New York Yankees), the offense with runners in scoring position and the bullpen needing to be lights out without run support. To help break down the ALDS, Ryan Divish — the Mariners beat writer for the Seattle Times — provides insight into the Mariners, including AL MVP candidate Cal Raleigh. For Game 3 of the ALDS, the Tigers selected Jack Flaherty as their starting pitcher. Should it have been Casey Mize? Colt Keith returned for the ALDS after missing two weeks with an injury. When will we see injured players Matt Vierling and Reese Olson join the Tigers? Follow Evan on X/Twitter here. Read Evan's most recent work here
The Detroit Tigers punched their ticket to the postseason with an 87-75 record in the regular season, earning the third and final American League wild-card spot and setting up a best-of-three wild-card series against the Cleveland Guardians at Progressive Field. On "Days of Roar," Evan Petzold and Chris Brown ("Tigers Minor League Report") evaluate if the end-of-season struggles will impact the Tigers heading into October. We debate whether the Tigers should have pushed to win the AL Central in the final game, preview the Tarik Skubal vs. Gavin Williams matchup in Game 1, discuss X factors, who should start Game 2 for the Tigers and share the latest on Colt Keith's injury. Plus, Tigers radio analyst Bobby Scales joins the show. Follow Evan on X/Twitter here. Read Evan's most recent work here
The Detroit Tigers lost all six games on their final homestand of the 2025 season, dropping their lead in the American League Central to one game. On "Days of Roar," Evan Petzold and Chris Brown ("Tigers Minor League Report") answer the big-picture question: Who deserves blame for this collapse — owner Christopher Ilitch, president of baseball operations Scott Harris, manager A.J. Hinch or the players? We also preview the upcoming three-game series against the Cleveland Guardians in a battle for the AL Central with postseason implications, including insight from Guardians beat writer Paul Hoynes. We dive into Colt Keith's injury, the decision to cut Charlie Morton and what playoff scenarios could await the Tigers. Follow Evan on X/Twitter here. Read Evan's most recent work here
The Detroit Tigers turned in a 3-3 record on their six-game road trip against the New York Yankees and Miami Marlins, but the focus has already shifted to an important stretch: six games in 10 days against the Cleveland Guardians with the American League Central on the line. On "Days of Roar," Evan Petzold and Chris Brown (from "Tigers Minor League Report") share what they need to see from the Tigers in the upcoming games against the Guardians. To break down the matchup, Guardians beat writer Paul Hoynes joins the show to talk about the starting rotation, bullpen and offense in Cleveland, led by superstar José Ramírez. We dive into the seven prospects the Tigers are sending to the Arizona Fall League, plus our expectations as Paul Sewald prepares to join the Tigers' bullpen. We also give injury updates on Kyle Finnegan, Matt Vierling and Brant Hurter. Follow Evan on X/Twitter here. Read Evan's most recent work here
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I'm calling it now, Tigers sign Bregman 216 for 8 years.
Nightingale is so full of shit. Lol