The Detroit Tigers (85-70) are sending their fans to the cardiologist's office for the second straight September, but this time, it is for very different reasons. One year after this franchise reinvigorated The Motor City and shocked the baseball world by overcoming an eight-and-a-half game deficit in the American League Wild Card standings and winning a playoff series, this ballclub is staggering toward the end of the campaign. You could even say they are pulling a reverse Tigers.
Following a sickening 6-5 loss to the Atlanta Braves (72-83), which saw Will Vest implode in the ninth inning, the Tigers are only one and a half games ahead of the Cleveland Guardians in the AL Central. If they lose control of the division, there is a very real possibility this team will miss the playoffs entirely. Fans are both anxious and perplexed. Unfortunately, AJ Hinch himself does not have much clarity to provide amid these second-half stumbles.
“It's hard to explain what's going on,” the 2017 World Series-winning skipper told reporters after Detroit lost its fifth game in a row, per USA Today's Bob Nightengale. While that is not an incredibly encouraging soundbite with just over a week remaining in the regular season, it is hard to argue with the man.
Will the Tigers hang on?
It was not long ago that the Tigers owned the best record in the AL. They boast the kind of lineup balance that plays exceptionally well during this time of the year and have the best starting pitcher in baseball in Tarik Skubal. This is not supposed to be happening. The warning signs were there, however, and president of baseball operations Scott Harris did not properly heed them. Now, he and the team are in danger of taking an ugly plunge.
Detroit played it safe at the trade deadline instead of capitalizing on its magnificent first half of the campaign. Although reliever Kyle Finnegan was nearly unhittable before suffering a groin injury — officially returned to the club on Friday after missing almost three weeks of action — fellow midseason acquisition Charlie Morton has somehow been worse than he was with the Baltimore Orioles. The October dynamo is showing the effects of Father Time, posting a 7.09 ERA in nine starts with Detroit.
Harris could have done more. He can only hope that AJ Hinch has a rousing speech in his arsenal, and that this group reclaims its 2024 magic right away. The Tigers will call upon Casey Mize to help them salvage this home series versus the Braves. First pitch is 1:40 p.m. ET on Sunday.
