DETROIT – If you haven’t already bought into these Detroit Tigers, there’s no better time than now.
Usually when we post sports rants, it’s because we’re annoyed, or we got hosed by the refs, or there’s built up frustration that needs to be unleashed.
But not today. Nope. It’s all sunshine and rainbows above Comerica Park.
Bounce-back after losing streak
For those who still had some reservations about the Tigers during the early parts of May, I get it. We spent all offseason hearing about how last year’s run to the postseason was cute but unsustainable. And to be fair, it’s not like this roster is star-studded beyond Tarik Skubal.
But what happened this week should be enough to convince even the most pessimistic skeptics.
The Tigers had their worst three-game stretch of the year on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. It wasn’t just that they lost three-straight for the first time since the opening series in Los Angeles -- they did it against the division rival who knocked them out of the playoffs last year.
It stung, and it was very annoying. But the way the Tigers responded gives me even more faith than I had at this time last week.
Skubal did his job Sunday, coming through with the best start of his career just when the Tigers needed him most -- 13 strikeouts and two base runners in a complete game shutout.
Then, the Tigers welcomed in one of the best teams in the NL, the 31-22 San Francisco Giants.
The Tigers swept them right out of town, and they did so with Keider Montero, Jack Flaherty, and Jackson Jobe. Skubal, Casey Mize, and Reese Olson have been the three best starters on the team, and they didn’t even appear in the series (Olson is on the IL).
This group is relentless.
Winning mentality
No Olson or Alex Cobb? Montero comes in and wins. Matt Vierling back on the injured list? Wenceel Perez immediately hits a bomb off a top-10 starting pitcher. Relievers hurt? Chase Lee keeps the train moving.
That’s what makes the Tigers feel so legit: It’s not just a few star players carrying the load -- it’s a winning mentality that seems to be woven into the culture.
It seems like whoever gets plugged in on any given night is always ready to deliver. The Perez homer was a great recent example. Justyn-Henry Malloy’s walk-off hit against Boston is another. How about Javier Baez stepping up when the team’s top three center fielders went down?
The Tigers preach versatility. And development. And controlling the strike zone. The players have bought into those philosophies, and the final product is a joy to watch.
Well-balanced lineup
Think about some of the extended slumps the Tigers have overcome so far this season.
Colt Keith went 12-for-70 to start the year -- a .171 average with a .518 OPS, no home runs, and two doubles. The Tigers went 15-12 during that stretch.
Riley Greene -- the best player on the team -- had a 13-game stretch of hitting .137 with no extra-base hits, five walks, and 18 strikeouts. The Tigers played the Yankees, Twins, Brewers, Royals, and Padres during that stretch (all playoff contenders). They went 7-6.
Trey Sweeny has been a really nice surprise at the plate this season. He’s currently on a 13-game stretch of batting 4-for-39 (.103) with two walks, 12 strikeouts, and no extra-base hits. The Tigers are 8-5.
Even the two Comeback Player of the Year candidates have had their ups and downs. Spencer Torkelson is hitting .200 over his last 17 games, but the Tigers are 10-7. Baez is 5-for-31 since his last home run, but the Tigers are 7-4.
It says a lot that all of the Tigers’ top players can go through rough patches, but the team just continues to win. That doesn’t even take into account that the second- and third-most valuable position players from last year’s roster -- Vierling and Parker Meadows -- have combined for 11 at-bats.
Current standings
The Tigers are in a great spot in the standings. They lead the Guardians and Twins by six games and Royals by seven in the AL Central.
In the American League as a whole, the Yankees are tied with the Tigers in the loss column but have played two fewer games. The AL West-leading Mariners are seven wins behind the Tigers (and 5.5 back in the standings).
That’s not to say the Tigers are safe. There’s still nearly two-thirds of the season left to play. But nobody could have imagined they would be the best team in baseball on May 29.
Final thoughts
The stretch run of 2024 was magical, but this is even more fun because we’ve waited so long to see the Tigers play consistent winning baseball.
And it shouldn’t end anytime soon.
Gleyber Torres and Tommy Kahnle (and maybe Flaherty) are the only meaningful players on the roster who aren’t locked up through next season. Most of the core is under team control for several more years.
On top of that, the Tigers have one of the top-ranked minor-league systems in the sport. It feels like Scott Harris has built something very sustainable.
The Tigers have mostly been an afterthought over the past decade, but now another window of contention is opening.
It doesn’t get any better than this. If any part of you is still reluctant to believe, now might be the time to let that go and enjoy the ride.
