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The Tigers played their fourth-longest game of 2026 on Thursday night, clocking in at 3 hours, 14 minutes, in a 10-4 loss to the Texas Rangers in Arlington. It was their third-longest nine-game game of the season.
They now get the rare scheduled day off on a Friday during the regular season.
The Tigers and Rangers resume their three-game series on the holiday, with a 4:05 p.m. first pitch Saturday at Globe Life Field, before wrapping up the series with a 3:30 p.m. first pitch Sunday.
Major League Baseball teams rarely see a scheduled day off on a Friday during the regular season, unless it's one of those built-in gap days right after Opening Day (just in case Opening Day gets rained or snowed out).
But lately, there have been some of these unusual days off — all because of the World Cup.
The Tigers and Rangers are off on Friday because right next door to Globe Life Field, Australia and Egypt are playing in the World Cup at AT&T Stadium (or Dallas Stadium, as FIFA is calling it for the tournament). Baseball might be America's pastime, but soccer is the world's game, so MLB has deferred to the World Cup in situations like this, and with 90,000-plus expected for Australia and Egypt, the Tigers and Rangers are taking the day off.
I tried to research when the Tigers' last had a scheduled Friday off during the regular season (outside of that Opening weekend window), and, like the Tigers on Thursday night, I came up empty.
World Cup fans from all over the globe have become a viral sensation the last few weeks, and they've particularly been a hit at baseball games — most notably, Scotland's Tartan Army at Fenway Park in Boston and Norway's Viking row at Citi Field in New York.
On Thursday, Australian fans pre-partied at Globe Life Field, even caught a foul ball, and had a hilarious interview with Detroit SportsNet's Daniella Bruce.
[email protected]
@tonypaul1984
This article originally appeared on The Detroit News: A Friday off in MLB? Here's why Tigers, Rangers aren't playing tonight
Continue reading...
They now get the rare scheduled day off on a Friday during the regular season.
The Tigers and Rangers resume their three-game series on the holiday, with a 4:05 p.m. first pitch Saturday at Globe Life Field, before wrapping up the series with a 3:30 p.m. first pitch Sunday.
Come on Aussie!
A souvenir you don't have to return️ pic.twitter.com/xM6zBYcsJa
— Texas Rangers (@Rangers) July 3, 2026
Why are the Tigers not playing on a Friday?
Major League Baseball teams rarely see a scheduled day off on a Friday during the regular season, unless it's one of those built-in gap days right after Opening Day (just in case Opening Day gets rained or snowed out).
But lately, there have been some of these unusual days off — all because of the World Cup.
The Tigers and Rangers are off on Friday because right next door to Globe Life Field, Australia and Egypt are playing in the World Cup at AT&T Stadium (or Dallas Stadium, as FIFA is calling it for the tournament). Baseball might be America's pastime, but soccer is the world's game, so MLB has deferred to the World Cup in situations like this, and with 90,000-plus expected for Australia and Egypt, the Tigers and Rangers are taking the day off.
I tried to research when the Tigers' last had a scheduled Friday off during the regular season (outside of that Opening weekend window), and, like the Tigers on Thursday night, I came up empty.
World Cup fans are crashing MLB games
World Cup fans from all over the globe have become a viral sensation the last few weeks, and they've particularly been a hit at baseball games — most notably, Scotland's Tartan Army at Fenway Park in Boston and Norway's Viking row at Citi Field in New York.
On Thursday, Australian fans pre-partied at Globe Life Field, even caught a foul ball, and had a hilarious interview with Detroit SportsNet's Daniella Bruce.
[email protected]
@tonypaul1984
This article originally appeared on The Detroit News: A Friday off in MLB? Here's why Tigers, Rangers aren't playing tonight
Continue reading...
