Have A Seat with Jason Benetti and Dan Dickerson

Tigers’ outfielder Kerry Carpenter joins Jason and Dan to discuss his journey from being drafted in the 19th round to being a star slugger. Who pushed him to work as hard as he could? How did a slight adjustment help him find the power he has become known for? How did people telling him the truth help him grow? Carpenter shares not only stories of his career, but also stories from growing up and how his family and faith have shaped him. What does his family mean to him? How has his faith and family helped him through hard times? He shares insight into what goes through his mind during a home run, his love for being the hitter to “change the game”, and how he strives to be a great teammate every day.

Jason and Dan start off the season with the newest Tiger, shortstop Kevin McGonigle, to discuss the start of his rookie campaign. McGonigle dives into his hometown and growing up in Delaware County. He discusses the impact his family and friends have had on his career and life through his dad coaching him, his mom’s support and his best friends being there every step of the way, pushing each other to be their best. McGonigle gives insight into how he sees the game and how he views each at bat, with specifics on his elite pitch recognition that he has become known for. Hear all about his excitement to be a Detroit Tiger for the next nine years, his experiences as a Major Leaguer so far, and why the little things are so important to him.

Detroit Tigers President of Baseball Operations Scott Harris joins Dan and Jason to talk all things Tigers - from building the winningest team in baseball this year to the details that drive long-term success. Harris breaks down what goes into an MLB trade, how the front office balances decisions and non-decisions, and why applying pressure to opponents is a core priority. He also shares how the staff identifies adjustments for players and offers insights into the development paths of prospects like Colt Keith, Dillon Dingler, Troy Melton, and others. Harris explains how intentional feedback in the Minors translates to wins in the Majors, while also reflecting on life with his young daughter, what’s been most fun about this season, and how every player plays a role in pursuing the ultimate goal: a World Series title.

Tigers' rookie pitcher Troy Melton joins Dan and Jason to discuss the first month of his Major League career. Melton discusses his transition from a starting role to the bullpen and how he has approached every appearance. How does his confidence help him through outings? What makes his mentality fit so well with this Tigers pitching staff? How does a younger pitcher balance emotion? As a preferred walk-on at SDSU who didn’t start pitching until his collegiate career, Melton had his sights set on being a major league baseball player. How did he learn to adjust to a new position and new roles? What valuable lessons did he learn at SDSU about keeping his composure on the mound? How do you separate being a fan vs being a player? Melton shares stories of his childhood in California, his love for the sport of hockey as well as baseball, and how he navigated his time so far as a Tiger

All-Star second baseman Gleyber Torres joins Jason and Dan to discuss his journey from Venezuela to the MLB. What was it like to leave home at 13 and move to the U.S. at 16 for baseball? How did he navigate the transition? How does the importance of family drive success? Torres touches on the importance of appreciating every aspect of the game and embracing the opportunity to play baseball as he shares his journey through the Cubs and Yankees organizations. How has he viewed his experience in the postseason? What are his conversations with his teammates throughout the game? Torres shares how his maturity at the plate has grown, what he remembers from his 2018 and 2019 All-Star seasons, and his thoughts on this season’s Tigers team.

Tigers designated hitter Colt Keith joins Dan and Jason to discuss his childhood, while playing youth baseball. Keith dives into family road trips, how wrestling has impacted the way he plays baseball, and shows how many states he lived in growing up. How did he find baseball in a family of wrestlers? What was it like moving multiple times all over the country? Keith talks about his adjustments from year-to-year and learning to adapt when struggles come up. As a young player, what is his mindset like? What does he see in the batter's box? What was his experience coming up through the Tigers farm system? We also learn about the origin of the name Colt, his movie ranking list, and what his go-to wrestling move was.

Tigers Manager AJ Hinch sits down with Jason and Dan to discuss what makes this Tigers team so special. What are the methods behind moving player positions? How does a manager handle “pitching chaos”? How do you take player personalities and use them to maximize strengths? AJ dives into the mindset of the players and how they have all bought into the next man up mentality. We also hear about how clubhouse upgrades have helped the players, what AJ was like as a kid and hear questions from the clubhouse straight to the podcast.

Tigers pitcher Casey Mize sits down with Jason and Dan to discuss his strong start to the year. How has he changed? What did 2024 feel like coming back from injury vs. the start of the 2025 season? Casey talks about how challenging it was to not be able to compete for nearly two full seasons and his new perspective on the other side of adversity. He also shares his experience being drafted first overall, how his dad helped him develop his splitter and what he might want to do when he retires from baseball.

Tigers pitcher Tyler Holton sits down with Jason and Dan to discuss his impressive 2024 season. How did he make the transition to high-leverage reliever appear so seamless? Holton details the origins of his self-confidence and how it’s helped him be successful in several areas of life. Tyler also explains the building blocks behind creating a new pitch and the data he utilizes throughout that process. What is a “flow state” and how do high-performing players manage to channel it? Also in this episode, we learn about Tyler’s first job as a delivery driver, his love for all things Florida State, and which of his teammates is most vocal in the clubhouse after a win.

Tigers 2024 first round draft pick Bryce Rainer sits down with Jason and Dan to recount his journey from Harvard-Westlake standout to professional baseball player. The former two-way star explains why he ultimately made the decision to move away from pitching. How has Rainer’s swing evolved over time? What was his first visit to Detroit to like? Also in this episode, Bryce shares his hottest food takes, favorite home run memory, and recalls swimming in Vin Scully’s pool.

Detroit rookie Wenceel Pérez sits down with Jason and Dan to discuss his journey to the Big Leagues, one that began as a 16-year-old international free agent signing in 2016. What was it like moving to a foreign country at such a young age to pursue his dream? The Dominican Republic native recounts learning to switch-hit as a kid, as well as his recent transition from shortstop to outfielder. Manager A. J. Hinch describes Pérez as “fearless.” Where does his confidence and seemingly endless trove of joy come from? Also in this episode, we learn about what it’s like to face Aroldis Chapman, why triples are fun, and why we all need to try “La Bandera Dominicana.”

Tigers President of Baseball Operations, Scott Harris sits down with Jason and Dan to discuss the challenges facing hitters in MLB, and how players like Riley Greene have rebounded from early adversity. We’ve seen flashes of what the team can do offensively this season, but the goal is to create more consistent run support for Tigers starting pitching, Harris explains. How is the organization building Detroit into a destination, a place that players equate with continual improvement? Also in this episode, Harris delves into his process for evaluating decisions (and non-decisions), highlights several Tigers prospects, and explains why being a new dad will humble you in an instant.

From the top of the Green Monster at historic Fenway Park, Matt Vierling sits down with Jason and Dan to discuss his second season as a Detroit Tiger. The former t-ball line drive machine recounts his path to the Majors - from Notre Dame baseball to his time in Philly, to landing in the Motor City. What are the characteristics of a “glue guy”? And why, according to Matt, is the Tigers lineup full of them? Vierling explains some of the changes he’s made to tap into more power at the plate, and the challenge of making those tweaks without fundamentally altering his approach. What does it feel like to hit a walk-off home run at Comerica Park? Also in the episode, Matt recalls being fined by Andrew Chafin, glancing at Jason after an at-bat in Arizona, and does his best Boston accent