The Detroit Tigers’ season has drifted toward a disappointing ending, and one YouTuber has zeroed in on the bullpen decisions of AJ Hinch as a major reason why.
Foolish Bailey took a deep dive into Hinch’s handling of the relief corps, arguing that the manager has leaned on his pitchers too hard at times. The biggest issue, according to the video, is that relievers have often been asked to cover more than three outs, even though there have been repeated signs that their effectiveness drops when they’re pushed to get four outs or more.
The usage patterns haven’t helped either. Bailey also pointed to stretches where certain relievers were used too often in a single week and, as a result, their performances were predictably shaky. Hinch has tried to avoid back-to-back days, but that hasn’t always kept the bullpen from wearing down.
Keider Montero has been another part of the discussion. Early in the season, Hinch would pull Montero even when he was throwing well so he could turn to a lefty, only for the bullpen to give the game away later. At the same time, Montero is in his first season as a regular starting pitcher, so the choice to manage his workload more carefully isn’t without logic.
The bigger picture is ugly for Detroit. The Tigers have blown more games than any other team in baseball when leading after six innings, and the numbers have backed up the frustration. Based on run differential, they’ve played more like a playoff team than their record shows, which makes the what-ifs around the season even louder.
It’s not hard to imagine a different version of this year, one in which the Tigers got off to a better start, kept Tarik Skubal and Casey Mize, added an outfield bat at the deadline, and were still in the mix. Instead, they’re probably headed for an October at home.
Even so, Hinch doesn’t appear to be in real danger. He has had a strong run as Tigers manager, and Scott Harris clearly values him, so that partnership is expected to stay intact for at least another year.
If Hinch does make a change, it may come in how he handles his bullpen. A more balanced approach next season could help prevent the kind of late-inning damage that repeatedly hurt Detroit this year, with the hope that those problems are finally addressed in 2027.
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The crowd had plenty to say, and Skubal noticed the atmosphere that came with pitching against the organization that developed him. On the Tigers side, A.J. Hinch offered a useful update on Riley Greenes hamstring injury, saying the outfielder is headed for a rehab game and could be back on the field soon. For a team trying to keep moving forward, Greenes timeline may matter just as much as the emotions surrounding Skubals return. [Read more 🡒]