The motto, “Be like the Royals,” has been a rallying cry for at least one MLB team toward the bottom of the standings that is looking to finish the season with some momentum it can carry into 2025.
Maybe the catchphrase can be changed to “Roar like the Tigers.”
While the Kansas City Royals and Minnesota Twins out of the American League Central have earned some respect for staying in the wild-card chase until late in the season, the Detroit Tigers are now one of the hottest teams in baseball on the verge of wrapping up an AL playoff spot.
Quicker than it took them to get into playoff contention, 2024’s biggest surprise team has become a squad nobody wants to face as the postseason begins.
And to think, the Tigers were receiving scorn less than two months ago when they elected not to trade left-hander Tarik Skubal for a package of prospects amid what appeared to be another lost season.
Detroit was 52-57 when the July 30 trade deadline day ended. The Motor City’s baseball team had some horsepower, but it was being wasted on a shot suspension and frayed tires.
The Tigers were in the midst of a five-game losing streak at the time that would take them to 52-59. Less than two weeks later, they would reach eight games under .500 at 55-63.
It made more sense to park that muscle car in the garage and cancel the insurance than burn more fuel driving it around town.
But as Tigers broadcaster Jason Benetti said after the Tigers reduced their magic number for clinching a playoff spot to two with a victory Thursday: “A city that doesn’t care about the odds has a baseball team to match.”
While Skubal makes the rotation turn, centerfielder Parker Meadows has been a revelation since returning to the major leagues following some brutal early-season struggles. The Tigers are 32-12 in games he has played since his Aug. 3 return from the injured list, doing his part with offense and defensive bravado in Detroit’s spacious center field.
The Tigers’ 673 runs scored were 19th in baseball through Thursday’s play, and their 161 home runs were 24th. They have offset that with a 3.60 ERA that is second best in the American League and third best among all MLB teams.
In the bullpen, left-hander Sean Guenther has emerged after the 28-year-old had just 14 games of previous major league experience and none since 2021. Of his 16 appearances this season, 15 have come since Aug. 22, when he has pitched to a 0.48 ERA.
Detroit relievers have pitched an MLB-leading 675 2/3 innings yet are still fourth in baseball and second in the AL with a 3.56 bullpen ERA.
Top pitching prospect Jackson Jobe made his debut Wednesday with a scoreless inning in relief, giving him time to contribute with players he will call teammates with for what is expected to be a long major league career.
On a five-game winning streak, while also taking nine of their last 10, the Tigers only figure to pick up even more momentum with three games against the hapless Chicago White Sox over the final weekend, and at home no less.
As recently as three weeks ago, the Tigers were a .500 team. Now they are a candidate for a deep October run in a season without a super team, looking to ride the wave that both the Texas Rangers and Arizona Diamondbacks did while making World Series runs last season.
So while it is a surprise the Tigers got themselves to this point, nobody should be shocked now.
