Jason Benetti had a lot of fun celebrating Tigers playoff-clinching win

For the first time in a decade, the Detroit Tigers are going to the playoffs. Jason Benetti, in his first year calling games for the Tigers on Bally Sports Detroit, is soaking it all in — literally.

Friday’s win over the Chicago White Sox (who Benetti was the announcer for from 2016-2023) locked the Tigers into a playoff spot. This was certainly not expected from Detroit. The Tigers have largely struggled since winning four straight titles from 2011-2014. Detroit entered 2024 on a run of seven straight losing seasons. Moreover, the Tigers had a losing record into the final week of August 2024. So, this playoff trip was far from expected.

As the team was celebrating its trip to the playoffs, Benetti was in the clubhouse, interviewing some of the Tigers. While he was interviewing outfielder Riley Greene, some other Tigers brought Benetti into the traditional celebration by pouring beer on him.

“Oh, boy, here we go,” Benetti said when the pouring started. “The beer is cold. We’ve learned that beer is cold.”

That came minutes after Benetti shared a nice moment with analysts — and former Tiger players — Andy Dirks and Dan Petry, in the broadcast booth.

“I’m just struck that I’m sitting here with two generations of Tigers World Series visits in the booth,” he said. “And it is so cool to me. There’s always a connection to the next generation. I don’t know that either of you guys thought you were gonna be analysts when you finished playing. But people love you in this city and in this state for what you’ve done, like the guys on the left side of the screen might do here in the postseason. And to watch that rekindle in front of all these people is why baseball is so beautiful.

“So thank you guys for being here. Thanks to everybody at home for your hospitality for a newcomer like me with these gentlemen and Gibby and Carlos Peña and the entire crew here. This state and this city deserves this. And I’m glad to have shared it with you guys.”

“You’re a Detroiter now, man,” replied Dirks, who made postseason trips as a player with the Tigers from 2012-2013. “Once you’re in, you’re in. You’re official.”

“And that’s the thing,” added Petry, who was on Detroit’s last World Series-winning team in 1984 and returned to the playoffs with the Tigers in 1987. “You made a life-changing, career-changing decision to come here — and look at where the team goes.”

“This is in no way about me. I am simply saying that you guys, as part of the fabric of this organization, that dates back to 1901 in the American League, there’s always a connection. And so to have you guys here doing this is very special.”

[Photo Credit: Bally Sports Detroit]

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