The Tigers are heading into a four-game set at Progressive Field with a little momentum after salvaging the getaway game against the Twins, an 11-6 win in extras on the road earlier this week. Next up is Cleveland, another AL Central opponent Detroit knows well after taking two of three from the Guardians at Comerica Park the last time these teams met.
That series matters even more now because the standings have shifted. Cleveland has moved up in the AL Central while Detroit has slipped, which gives this matchup a different feel than it might have earlier in the year. Still, for the Tigers, this is a chance to see whether one of their most important bats is starting to come around at the right time.
Spencer Torkelson has been the name to watch. The first baseman opened August with a hot stretch, stringing together multiple-hit games from the start of the month through about Aug.
- Then came the dry spell: an eight-game hitless run from Aug. 16 through Aug.
- Now, as September gets going, he seems to be seeing the ball better again.
Against Minnesota in the final two games, Torkelson went 2-for-7, and both hits went for extra bases. He also delivered the go-ahead blast in extras, and it was his first home run since July 29 against the Baltimore Orioles at Comerica Park.
Even with that uptick, the concerns haven’t disappeared. Torkelson is still striking out too much for manager A.J.
Hinch’s liking, and he can be more selective by avoiding pitches outside the zone. The difference is that lately he’s at least showing signs of better timing and better contact.
That makes this Cleveland series a pretty good test. If Torkelson keeps building on what he showed against the Twins, the Tigers have a real chance to get more production from a spot that has been inconsistent. If he doesn’t, Detroit could face a tougher conversation with younger players pushing for chances on the MLB roster and the everyday first base job not looking quite so secure.
The matchup history at least gives the Tigers some reason for confidence. Torkelson is hitting .250 with two home runs and seven RBIs against the Guardians this season, and he looked comfortable the last time Detroit faced them. The Tigers will need that version again.
As for the bigger picture, FanGraphs still gives Detroit a 0.9% chance to make the playoffs, with the most likely path coming as a Wild Card team. The 2024 run caught lightning in a bottle, but with the record where it is and the schedule running out, the question is how much of that magic is still left.
In Other News...
Tigers Rookie Race Suddenly Looks Less Safe Than It Did Last Week
Kevin McGonigles recent dip at the plate has made the American League Rookie of the Year conversation feel a little less settled than it did a week ago. The Tigers infielder has hit .197/.254/.344 over his last 15 games, a stretch that comes at an awkward time for a player who had been helping define Detroits rookie presence and looked positioned to separate himself in the race.
Parker Messick has been moving the other direction for Cleveland, giving the Guardians a steadier rookie case with a 2.46 ERA in 27 starts and a 1.87 ERA over his last seven outings. The two are set to face each other this weekend, and even a brief head-to-head stretch could matter in a race that has suddenly gained a little more volatility than it had last week. [Read more 🡒]
Tigers Suddenly Face Big Questions About Who Still Fits Their Future
The Tigers are in that part of the season where every look at the roster seems to raise another long-term question. A pitcher back after time away has not yet settled in the way the club hoped, while Spencer Torkelson and Colt Keith remain central to the conversation because their performances carry so much weight in what Detroit wants to build next. For a team still trying to climb out of a difficult season, the issue is no longer just who can help in the moment, but who actually fits as the organization keeps trying to move forward.
That kind of uncertainty can linger around a club even when the standings stop mattering so much. Detroit needs improvement across the board, and the roster decisions that follow will say plenty about how the front office views both the present and the future. Some players still look like pieces the Tigers can build around, but the inconsistency around those roles leaves the picture unfinished, and it is getting harder to ignore which names are drifting toward the center of the next wave and which ones are not. [Read more 🡒]
Beau Brieske Is Fighting For More Than Outs Right Now
Beau Brieske is back to mixing in a curveball, a pitch he had shelved when he moved from starting to relief work. The 28-year-old Tigers reliever is trying to give hitters a different look and make himself tougher to line up by varying speeds and movement, a process that has taken on added importance after the arm nerve issues that prompted some of the earlier adjustments in his career.
Brieske has already started using the curveball in games, which gives this stretch a little more weight than a routine repertoire tweak. For a reliever trying to show he can be dependable in a crucial part of the season, the pitch is part of a larger push to prove his best version is still in there, and to make every outing count while the Tigers watch closely. [Read more 🡒]