Dillon Dingler’s rough stretch keeps putting the Tigers in an awkward spot, and Tuesday’s loss to the Twins only sharpened the issue.
He was right in the middle of Detroit’s breakdown in the fifth inning. Dingler’s errant throw to third during a rundown wiped out what might have been a double play to get Troy Melton out of the frame. Instead, two runs came across, and Melton allowed a third run one batter later.
The night at the plate wasn’t much better. Dingler finished 1-for-4 with a single, and most of his contact was solid enough to suggest better results should have followed. They didn’t.
The bigger concern is what’s been happening for a while now. Since the Tigers left Seattle on Aug.
7, Dingler has hit .107 with a .307 OPS. In that span, he has just two extra-base hits and four RBI.
The defensive miscues have become part of the picture too, and they’ve been unusual enough to stand out.
That leaves Detroit with a question it may need to answer soon: is Dingler dealing with an injury, or is this the product of exhaustion after carrying the offense for much of the season?
Whatever the reason, the Tigers appear to be nearing a breaking point. With playoff hopes almost down to zero, they should consider giving Dingler more time off over the final month. AJ Hinch already took a step in that direction by leaving him out of Wednesday night’s lineup.
Dingler has still been a constant presence for Detroit this season. Even when he hasn’t started every game, he has appeared in all but 10 as either the catcher or designated hitter.
The Tigers clearly see him as a core part of the lineup, and the expectation is that he’ll bounce back once he gets some rest. Hinch’s thinking is easy to understand, since there’s always the chance a player can snap out of it at any moment.
But the extra reps haven’t produced much so far.
Eduardo Valencia could also benefit from the situation. He still hasn’t received many chances behind the plate, and while he is a much less polished defender than Dingler, he needs opportunities to develop in Detroit’s most important catching role. His bat, too, remains something the Tigers haven’t fully seen.
There’s also the question of how the club is handling the bigger picture. Hinch has kept saying the team’s mindset is not that of a club already out of the playoff race, even though fans clearly don’t see it that way.
At some point, it may be better for the Tigers to acknowledge where they are and use the rest of the month as an experiment. They’ve already shown a little more running and a little more small ball, even if it hasn’t worked consistently. For a young offense like this one, a stretch of games without the pressure of chasing a Wild Card spot that’s already out of reach could be valuable for the long term.
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