The Detroit Tigers could not bounce back and ended up getting swept by the Athletics. Tigers manager AJ Hinch did not mince words after the series, calling it “really bad.” He admitted the Tigers did not play well and were outplayed on all fronts.
The Tigers offense struggled badly with runners in scoring position, going just 3-for-26 in the series. As a result, their situational hitting collapsed, and the pitching offered no relief. Meanwhile, Tarik Skubal, Charlie Morton, and Casey Mize each gave up at least five runs. On top of that, the Tigers defense faltered, committing two errors in every game. Ultimately, all of it contributed to their monumental collapse.
In response, Hinch called it “painful to watch” and said it was equally painful to experience as a team. Furthermore, he emphasized that the Athletics beat them in every facet: offense, defense, and pitching. Simply put, everything went wrong. The sweep by the Athletics was thorough, and the Tigers looked lost.
In the finale, Athletics rookie Luis Morales dominated Detroit on Wednesday, striking out seven over seven shutout innings. Consequently, the Tigers managed just two hits that night, one of which was Spencer Torkelson’s triple, their lone bright spot. However, they struck out seven times in the first seven innings alone and could not claw their way back.
Adding to the woes, Mize had a particularly rough outing. He allowed five runs, walked two, and labored through 58 pitches in just two innings. To make matters worse, he even committed an error in the field. His spotty control and rattled composure deepened the Tigers’ troubles, and they never recovered.
In the end, the series exposed Detroit’s biggest weaknesses: inconsistent situational hitting, shaky pitching depth, and costly defensive mistakes. AJ Hinch was brutally honest about the Tigers because there was no sugarcoating it.
Moving forward, the Tigers must regroup quickly. The momentum from their recent hot streak is slipping away. A sweep by the Athletics will sting unless they respond. For that reason, they need sharper offense, stronger pitching, and cleaner defense to turn things around.
Can the Tigers find their roar and claw their way back into the winning column?
