Bligh Madris witnessed the heart-pounding Game 4 of ALDS between Cleveland Guardians and Detroit Tigers, from the electrifying environment of Comerica Park. He was accompanied by Akil Baddoo and Ryan Vilade in the stands. Madris described the pulsating playoff ambience at Detroit as nothing short of ‘extraordinary’. He was on the brink of playing in Game 5 after actively participating in 21 regular season games for the Tigers.
Despite securing 72 stints in his triple-year Major League Baseball (MLB) career, Madris wasn’t included in the Tigers’ post-season roster. However, he was among the dozen players enthusiastically engaged at the Triple-A Toledo alternate training site. The brigade at Fifth Third Field featured at least six position players, namely, Madris, Vilade, Baddoo, Liam Hicks, Ryan Kreidler, and Eddys Leonard.
The bullpen was bustling with a quintet of pitchers: Miguel Diaz, Mason Englert, Matt Manning, Bryan Sammons, and Ricky Vanasco. Evidently, the training site was brimming with skillful players, rendering the environment extremely competitive. Madris noted the exceptional camaraderie within the team that contributed to a healthy performance atmosphere.
The players and coaches travelled by bus from Toledo to Detroit to experience the thrill of Games 3 and 4 of ALDS, with Madris, Baddoo and Vilade cheering on from the bleachers. However, during Game 4, a predicament arose when Kerry Carpenter limped into the dugout, handicapped by a sudden left hamstring pull after tripping at third base.
Uncertainties loomed as the Tigers’ manager, A.J. Hinch, messaged Madris amidst the chaos. Madris was urged to accompany the team to Cleveland for Game 5 as a potentially necessary backfill for Carpenter. The whirlwind of events demanded Madris to hurriedly pack his gear in Toledo, take a car service to Detroit, and then fly to Cleveland early the next morning.
On reaching Cleveland, Madris joined the Tigers’ workout session. Meanwhile, Carpenter was monitored closely for his injury and went through several treatment procedures, rendering him absent from the following day’s practice session. With the Guardians revealing that left-hander Matthew Boyd would pitch against the Tigers, neither the injured Carpenter nor a fit Madris would be part of the starting lineup given their common left-hand batting stance.
The Tigers were faced with the predicament of post-season rules, which stated that an injured player would be barred from the ongoing series and the successive one if replaced. This potentially meant that Carpenter’s injury could cost him a slot in the ALCS. So the decision to include Madris as the potential replacement became a matter of a nail-biting game-time call for Game 5.
Madris went through his drills at the stadium that morning, preparing as if he’d be called in for pinch-hitting. However, he was informed he wouldn’t be part of the active squad nearly an hour before the game commenced. Carpenter pinch-hit for the Tigers but the team was defeated in a decisive ALDS Game 5 by the Guardians, thus concluding the Tigers’ memorable season that saw an unprecedented 31-11 run and a clean sweep of the Houston Astros during the wild-card series.
The magic seemed to have initiated on Aug. 11, when Madris first started at first base for the Tigers. Little did they know then, that they were geared towards an eventual playoff race. It was an exhilarating period, with the city of Detroit seeming to pulse with the team’s winning streak.
Madris recollected that the 2024 season was one of his most fruitful periods. With an average of .269, he achieved a home run, six walks, and 20 strikeouts in 21 games during his time as a part of the Tigers’ MLB lineup. He also maintained a .222 average with 19 home runs, 53 walks, and 111 strikeouts in 108 games for Triple-A Toledo, successfully stealing 21 bases out of 26 attempts.
His spectacular streak of 20 home runs and 21 stolen bases marked career milestones for Madris. He appreciated the indispensable input of the Triple-A hitting coach Mike Hessman and the MLB hitting coaches, especially their efforts in refining his strike selections thereby empowering him to leverage his full hitting potential.
He attributed his breakthrough to the blend of strategizing for different pitchers, adopting a new approach, and tweaking some techniques. He aimed to maintain this momentum and hit a lofty target of 30 home runs and steal 30 bases in the 2025 edition of Triple-A and MLB. Implementing smarter base running and score optimization, Madris aspires to keep the dazzling momentum of his career alive.
Post the 2024 season, Madris, a 28-year-old, became a free agent but promptly returned to the Tigers for the 2025 season, signing a minor league pact inclusive of an invitation to spring training. This marks his third consecutive engagement with the Tigers since his waiver claim in November 2022 and subsequent minor league contract in November 2023.
Having sailed through four different Major League teams, the left-handed batter Madris chose to return to Tigers due to comradery with the team members and the promising opportunities he saw for himself. He firmly believes in seizing the opportunities and accepting the challenges laid down in the quest of becoming a better player and individual.
Madris maintains an optimistic stance on the future, firmly believing that a continued good performance can pave the path for unfathomable opportunities. With an air of confidence, Madris imparts a strong message that in the realm of sports, it’s the grit and perseverance that dictate the outcome, and the future can always spring surprises.