Carpenter went 0-for-3 with two walks and a run scored in Friday's 5-2 win over the Padres.

EDGE Analysis

For the second game in a row to start the year, Carpenter found himself in the leadoff spot for Detroit. He's yet to get a hit while striking out five times, but the Tigers clearly have confidence in the 28-year-old as a key offensive catalyst. Carpenter batted leadoff 41 times for Detroit during the 2025 regular season, though he most frequently batted third. A regular switch to the No. 1 spot could allow the outfielder to score more runs but might also reduce his RBI output.

Carpenter went 1-for-3 with a solo home run in an exhibition game versus Team Panama on Wednesday.

EDGE Analysis

Carpenter went deep against Kenny Hernandez, a 27-year-old who has bounced around independent baseball the past few seasons. Of greater significance is the fact that Hernandez is left-handed. While Carpenter will face higher-quality pitching moving forward, his ability to produce against southpaws will go a long way toward determining his fantasy value in 2026. There's been talk in camp that Carpenter could receive more opportunities against lefties after logging only 60 at-bats against them last season. The 28-year-old regularly rakes against righties, but his ceiling has been capped in the past due to being mostly a strong-side platoon player.

Carpenter only logged 60 at-bats against left-handed pitchers last season, but he could see more opportunities in 2026, Jason Beck of MLB.com reports.

EDGE Analysis

Carpenter is just a .207 career hitter against lefties in the regular season, and he batted .217 (13-for-60) with 14 strikeouts against same-handed pitching last year, though three of those hits left the yard. It's that power potential that could keep the 28-year-old on the field against southpaws, and he's been an elite offensive weapon against righties throughout his career. When the Tigers do decide to bench Carpenter against lefties, Jahmai Jones, Matt Vierling and Austin Slater are among the top options to receive at-bats. More playing time against southpaws could raise Carpenter's fantasy ceiling in 2026, at least in terms of home runs and other counting stats, though his batting average may suffer.

Carpenter agreed to a one-year, $3.275 million contract with the Tigers on Thursday to avoid arbitration, Evan Petzold of the Detroit Free Press reports.

EDGE Analysis

Carpenter didn't maintain the same efficiency in 2025 (.788 OPS) that he displayed during his injury-plagued 2024 campaign (.932), but he still managed to set a new career high with 26 homers this past season while driving in 62 RBI and scoring 66 runs himself. The 28-year-old outfielder holds value as a home-run threat against right-handed pitchers but is likely to ride the bench when matched up against a lefty starter.

Carpenter went 1-for-5 with a two-run home run in Saturday's extra-innings win over the Mariners in Game 1 of the American League Division Series.

EDGE Analysis

Carpenter was the one to break through against Seattle starter George Kirby with a two-run shot in the fifth inning, continuing his career mastery over Kirby (4-for-8 with four homers). The 28-year-old Carpenter has hit safely in all four postseason games so far.

Carpenter appeared as a pinch hitter and went 1-for-1 with a solo home run in Tuesday's 7-5, 10-inning loss to the Guardians.

EDGE Analysis

Carpenter didn't get the start with Cleveland sending lefty Joey Cantillo to the mound, but the former still managed to have an impact. Appearing as a pinch hitter in the bottom of the ninth inning, the Detroit outfielder went deep to tie the game at 3-3 and force extra innings. Carpenter has been in a nice power groove recently with four long balls in his last 10 games, and he's already set a new career high with 26 home runs this season.

Carpenter went 2-for-5 with a two-run home run in Saturday's 6-4 extra-innings loss to the Marlins.

EDGE Analysis

The 28-year-old slugger tied the game at 2-2 when he took Janson Junk deep in the third inning. Carpenter went through a bit of a power drought in the second half of August, but over his last eight games he's left the yard three times, giving him 25 homers on the season -- the first time in his career he's reached that milestone. During that eight-game stretch, Carpenter's batting .296 (8-for-27) with nine RBI.

Carpenter went 1-for-2 with a two-run home run in Wednesday's 11-1 win over the Yankees.

EDGE Analysis

Carpenter began the game on the bench with New York starting lefty Carlos Rodon, but the former entered the game in the seventh inning and made his mark late. The Detroit outfielder has gone deep twice in his last five games, and he's up to 24 home runs for the season. That's a new career high for Carpenter, and he's five RBI from tying his career high in that category, which is 64.

Carpenter is out of the lineup for Wednesday's game against the Yankees, Chris McCosky of The Detroit News reports.

EDGE Analysis

As per usual, the left-handed-hitting Carpenter will take a seat while the Tigers face off against a lefty starter (Carlos Rodon) in Wednesday's tilt. With Carpenter on the bench, the Tigers will go with Jahmai Jones as their designated hitter.

Carpenter went 1-for-5 with a triple, a run scored and two RBI in Tuesday's 12-2 win over the Yankees.

EDGE Analysis

Carpenter's eighth-inning triple, his fifth of the season, helped truly break the game open by plating two runs and increasing Detroit's lead to 10-2. The outfielder isn't a huge speed threat with the five triples and just one stolen base this year in two attempts, but he has made his mark with 23 home runs and an .801 OPS across 114 games. Carpenter remains vulnerable versus left-handed pitching while he mashes against righties. He could find himself on the bench to begin Wednesday's contest with New York starting southpaw Carlos Rodon.