The Detroit Tigers just pulled off something kind of ridiculous. If you were watching the early window today, January 13, 2026, you saw the Tigers claw back from a four-run deficit to beat the Los Angeles Dodgers 6-5 in ten innings. It wasn't pretty. Actually, for the first six innings, it was downright painful if you’re a fan of the Old English D. But that's the thing about January baseball in the Caribbean Series exhibition slate—momentum is a fickle beast.
Detroit stayed patient. They stopped chasing the high heat.
When people ask who won today baseball game, they usually expect a simple scoreline, but the box score doesn't tell you how Riley Greene basically willed that tenth inning into existence. With the ghost runner on second, Greene didn't try to be a hero. He just poked a sinker into right field, moving the runner over, which set the stage for a wild pitch that ended the whole thing. It was a messy, high-stakes ending to a game that felt way more important than a mid-January exhibition should.
The Turning Point in the Seventh
The Dodgers looked like they had this one in the bag. Yoshinobu Yamamoto was dealing, sitting at 97 mph with a splitter that looked like it was falling off a table. He went five scoreless. Honestly, the Tigers' hitters looked lost. You could see the frustration in the dugout; bats were being tossed, and guys were staring at the iPad screens like they were trying to solve a Rubik's Cube.
Then the bullpen happened.
Los Angeles turned to their middle relief, and the wheels just kind of fell off. It started with a lead-off walk. Then a hit batter. Suddenly, the bases were loaded for Spencer Torkelson. He’s been under a microscope lately because of his swing plane adjustments, but he didn't overthink it today. He drove a 2-1 fastball into the gap. Three runs scored. The stadium—even though it was a neutral site—went absolutely ballistic.
Why the Pitching Changes Mattered
Pitching depth is the big story of 2026 so far. The Dodgers are experimenting with a six-man rotation, and you could tell the rhythm was a little funky. Their relief core looked tired. It’s early in the year, sure, but fatigue in the high-leverage spots is already showing.
Detroit, on the other hand, used seven different arms.
It was a "bullpen game" by design. They wanted to see how their young guys handled the heart of the Dodgers' order. Jackson Jobe came in for the eighth and looked like a future Cy Young winner, striking out the side on 14 pitches. He’s got this new cutter that is basically unhittable when he locates it on the hands of righties. That’s the real answer to who won today baseball game—it wasn't just the hitters; it was the Tigers' ability to shut down the most expensive lineup in sports for the final four frames.
Keeping Track of the Standings
- Detroit Tigers (Exhibition Record: 4-2)
- Los Angeles Dodgers (Exhibition Record: 3-3)
- Atlanta Braves (In progress)
The Dodgers are still the favorites for the NL West, obviously. One loss in January doesn't change the fact that their roster is a video game fever dream. But the Tigers showing this kind of grit? That matters for a team trying to prove 2025 wasn't a fluke.
A Look at the Advanced Analytics
If you dig into the Statcast data from this afternoon, the exit velocities tell a weird story. The Dodgers actually had more "hard-hit" balls (95 mph or higher) than the Tigers. Usually, that means you win. Baseball is cruel though. The Dodgers kept hitting line drives right at people. Shohei Ohtani smoked a ball 112 mph in the fourth, and it resulted in a double play.
Sometimes the ball just doesn't find the grass.
Detroit’s Expected Weighted On-Base Average (xwOBA) was actually lower than LA's for most of the game. But they excelled in "Clutch Weighted Hits," a metric that local analysts have been obsessing over this season. They capitalized when runners were in scoring position, while the Dodgers left eleven men on base. Eleven! You can't do that against a professional ball club and expect to fly home with a "W."
Key Performances to Note
- Riley Greene: 2-for-4, 1 RBI, 1 Walk (The anchor of the lineup).
- Yoshinobu Yamamoto: 5 IP, 0 ER, 8 K (Utter dominance before the collapse).
- Tarik Skubal: 3 IP, 2 ER, 4 K (A bit shaky but settled in).
- The Dodgers Defense: Two errors in the ninth. Gross.
What This Means for the Rest of the Week
Tomorrow is a rest day for Detroit, but the Dodgers have to turn around and play the Mets. That’s going to be a fatigue test. If you're betting on these games—which, hey, be careful with January ball—watch the injury reports. Mookie Betts tweaked something on a slide into second today. He stayed in the game, but he looked a little ginger getting up.
The Tigers are heading back to Lakeland with a lot of confidence. Their manager mentioned in the post-game presser that he was mostly happy with the "intent" of the at-bats. That's manager-speak for "we got lucky, but I'll take it."
Misconceptions About January Baseball
A lot of casual fans think these games don't matter. They’re "just exhibitions," right? Wrong. In the 2026 landscape, these international series games determine roster spots. There are three guys on that Detroit bench who are fighting for a single utility role. Every swing is life or death for their careers.
When you look at who won today baseball game, you're seeing the result of guys playing for their lives while the superstars are just trying to get their cardio in. That’s why the Tigers won. They wanted it more. They were diving for balls in the dirt while the Dodgers’ veterans were playing it safe.
Moving Forward into the Regular Season
The regular season officially kicks off in a few weeks, and today was a preview of the parity we’re expecting. The gap between the "super teams" and the "scrappy builds" is closing. Coaching staff across the league are utilizing AI-driven defensive shifting more than ever, and we saw that today with how the Tigers positioned their outfield for Teoscar Hernández. They took away his favorite power alley, forcing him to try and slap the ball the other way, which isn't his game.
If the Tigers can keep this pitching rotation healthy, they’re a sleeper pick for the AL Central. The Dodgers will be fine, but they need to figure out their bridge to the closer.
Practical Steps for Following the Season
For those trying to keep up with the chaotic 2026 schedule, start by downloading the official MLB At Bat app, but turn off the generic notifications. They’ll drive you crazy. Instead, set custom alerts for "Lead Changes" and "Extra Innings."
Check the "Probable Pitchers" list every night at 9 PM EST. With the new six-man rotation trends, the guys you expect to see often get pushed back a day for "active recovery." If you’re tracking stats, focus on "Whiff Rate" rather than just strikeouts. It’s a much better indicator of who is actually fooling hitters and who is just getting lucky with umpire calls. Finally, keep an eye on the waiver wire. Today’s game showed that several "Triple-A" arms are more than ready for the big show, and roster churn is going to be at an all-time high this month.