Hobbled Carpenter clutch again early, but can't convert late

CLEVELAND -- On Saturday morning, Kerry Carpenter hobbled from the Tigers’ clubhouse to the batting cages at Progressive Field ahead of Game 5 of the American League Division Series.

Just hours before first pitch, Carpenter and the Tigers were unsure if he would be available for the deciding game after he left Game 4 with a tweaked left hamstring.

The hero of Game 2 after hitting a decisive go-ahead homer in the ninth inning off All-Star closer Emmanuel Clase, Carpenter mashes right-handed pitching and would not have been in the starting lineup against Cleveland lefty Matthew Boyd in Game 5 anyway. But Detroit manager A.J. Hinch utilizes pinch-hitters more than anybody. Even a one-legged Carpenter could be a weapon off the bench.

After a “tough 24 hours,” Carpenter said, that’s exactly what happened. Carpenter pinch-hit for designated hitter Justyn-Henry Malloy in the fifth inning, staying in that spot and participating in three key at-bats in the Tigers’ eventual 7-3 loss to the Guardians.

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“Yes, I knew he was able to do one of two things,” Hinch said. “If I got him in the DH spot, he could stay in the DH spot and go base to base, albeit uncomfortably. If I hit him in a different spot, then his day was over.

“So the debate in my head going into the game was where is the big at-bat going to come where you either need to extend your lead, get a lead, come from behind or whatever. And then when [Trey] Sweeney led off with a walk, that's as good a time as ever in the DH spot, which now I knew I was going to get a couple spots [and] hopefully get a couple at-bats out of [Carpenter].”

Carpenter did what was expected of him in the first, knocking in a 370-foot RBI single to break a scoreless tie. He limped as he made his turn around first base, not even attempting to take two on what could have been a stand-up double.

That marked the third pinch-hit go-ahead RBI for the Tigers this postseason, joining Wenceel Pérez in Game 4 of the ALDS and Andy Ibáñez in Game 2 of the Wild Card Series against the Astros. Prior to 2024, Detroit had just one such RBI: Rusty Kuntz in Game 5 of the 1984 World Series.

“These guys in the clubhouse are pretty much who I fight for,” Carpenter said. “So yeah, if I could go, I wanted to go for them. I wanted to be here for this team if I could contribute. It's super gratifying and such a blessing. They deserve my best, and so that's what I try to give them. I had a lot of adrenaline, so I was basically giving it everything I got. I was looking for one spot, and I got it. I wanted to take my shot.”

Cleveland roared back to take the lead in the bottom of the fifth thanks to a Lane Thomas grand slam, but Carpenter came up with the chance to be the hero once again.

Lightning didn't strike twice.

Carpenter struck out with the bases loaded in the sixth inning, halting a potential comeback attempt for the Tigers. He struck out again in a rematch with Clase in the eighth, no doubt swinging for the fences to avoid a potential sprint.

“I know how uncomfortable it was for him,” Hinch said. “He came up really big with that spot and [we were] able to squeeze three at-bats from him on a day where, when I got to the ballpark, I didn't know if he would do anything. And so for that, our training staff did an incredible job. Carp gutted it out and was available for how I used him.”

Carpenter entered the day having gone 4-for-16 with one home run and one walk this postseason. He’s as important to Detroit's lineup as anybody. His ability to play through a nagging injury epitomizes this gritty Tigers team, which has propelled itself into the national spotlight over the past two months.

“It was awesome,” first baseman Spencer Torkelson said of Carpenter. “He’s resilient. He’s unbelievable.”

Despite the grit and resilience, Carpenter’s moment -- like the Tigers' -- came to an end. Detroit was unable to put together another comeback victory, and the one-legged Carpenter couldn’t scratch across another hit.

Hinch’s club put together a run that no one outside of Detroit expected. The Tigers are confident they can do it again.

"I think we’re here to stay,” Carpenter said. “We have a bunch of young guys, and a bunch of people who want to get better. I think everybody in this organization is really excited. We put the world on notice that we can do big things in this clubhouse with these guys."