It’s not that the Tigers played poorly, it’s just that they can’t quite make the pitch when they need it ... or get the hit when they need it.

Detroit Tigers vs. Boston Red Sox Time/Place: 7:10 p.m., Fenway ParkSB Nation Site: Over the MonsterMedia: FanDuel Sports Detroit, MLB.TV, Tigers Radio NetworkPitching Matchup: TBD vs. TBD

The Detroit Tigers face the Boston Red Sox on Friday, Sept. 26, 2025 (9/26/25) in a regular season MLB game at Fenway Park.

While the Astros fly to Anaheim to face an Angels team with the third-worst record in baseball since the break, the Tigers travel to Boston to face a Red Sox team still trying to cement a spot in the postseason. The Guardians, meanwhile, host a Rangers team that’s already been eliminated.

USA TODAY Sports will provide updates and highlights from Friday night's Tigers-Red Sox game: Friday's game at Fenway Park will air exclusively on Apple TV+ with first pitch scheduled for 7:10 p.m. ET. The 12-team Major League Baseball playoffs start on Tuesday, Sept. 30 and can continue into November if the World Series goes to seven games.

If the Tigers want to make the playoffs, they’re almost certainly going to have to win two out of three both in Cleveland and in Boston this week. Heading into the series at Cleveland, the Tigers lead the Guardians by one game in the standings. But really, they have to look at it as if the division is tied.

This is not how the Detroit Tigers drew it up at the beginning of the season. After leading the American League Central for the better part of the past five months, the Tigers’ playoff hopes and the outcome of the division come down to one weekend in Boston.

The Detroit Tigers are limping into the postseason, but the team could go on a deep playoff run if its key players come through.