The Tigers' recent homestand has been a rollercoaster ride, leaving manager A.J. Hinch with a sense of both disappointment and optimism. While the team's performance has been a mixed bag, there are some key takeaways that offer a glimpse into their current state and potential future trajectory. Personally, I think this homestand has been a microcosm of the Tigers' season, with moments of promise and potential, but also a few missed opportunities. What makes this particularly fascinating is the contrast between the team's strong starts and their subsequent struggles, which raises a deeper question: Can the Tigers turn these close losses into wins and make a push for the playoffs? In my opinion, the answer lies in their rotation, bullpen, and defense, which I'll delve into further.
Rotation is (Finally) Loaded
One of the most encouraging aspects of the Tigers' homestand was their starting rotation. For the first time all season, it feels like Detroit's rotation is functioning from top to bottom, not just in terms of health but in effectiveness. Jack Flaherty's return from the injured list on Sunday was a highlight, as he showcased some of his best stuff of the year with nine strikeouts over five scoreless innings. Keider Montero also impressed with a pair of seven-inning quality starts, including a shutout on Friday. Troy Melton, too, has been a steady contributor, tossing six innings of one-run ball twice.
However, the other two starters could have fared better, but surely will soon. Tarik Skubal, despite fanning 17 batters over 11 2/3 innings, gave up five runs, three off of changeups. Casey Mize, returning from the injured list, showed some rust but also displayed some badly needed swing-and-miss stuff. Flaherty's return gives the Tigers six starters, but this surplus is likely to be short-lived, as the team has a scheduled off-day on Friday.
Bullpen is Leaking
The Tigers' bullpen, which entered Sunday with a 2.59 ERA for June, second in the AL to the Yankees, has shown some leaks over the weekend. Will Vest, for instance, took Saturday's loss by giving up a three-run eighth inning after Drew Anderson surrendered a two-out rally for a run in the seventh. Sunday saw Tyler Holton yield Raynel Delgado's first MLB homer for two runs in the seventh, Kyle Finnegan give up a game-tying homer to ex-Tiger Isaac Paredes, and Kenley Jansen yield a four-run 10th, punctuated by Christian Walker's three-run homer.
Defense is Inconsistent
The Tigers' defense has provided plenty of highlight plays, including back-to-back games with a diving or sliding grab in left field from Riley Greene and some slick fielding from second baseman Hao-Yu Lee. However, there have also been some costly errors, such as Delgado's homer following Jake Meyers' ground ball that should have been converted to end the inning. Colt Keith received the error for a missed catch at first base, but Kevin McGonigle's underthrow from third did him no favors.
Vest's three-run inning on Saturday, which included a James Outman error in center that allowed runners to advance ahead of Paredes' go-ahead double, resulting in an unearned insurance run, is another example of the defense's inconsistency. Overall, the Tigers' homestand has been a mixed bag, with some strong performances and some missed opportunities. While the team has made up no ground in the Wild Card race, they have left a little out there, at least in terms of opportunity to start to trend better in the right direction. From my perspective, the key to turning these close losses into wins lies in their rotation, bullpen, and defense, which will need to be more consistent if they are to make a push for the playoffs.
