The Detroit Tigers head into Kauffman Stadium this weekend for a series against the Kansas City Royals, and the spotlight lands on one problem that has been hanging over them all season: the bullpen.
According to Evan Woodbury of MLive.com, Detroit has one of the worst relief groups in baseball in the seventh inning or later this year. That kind of late-game collapse is hard to explain, but the Tigers have managed it anyway. Time after time, leads have slipped away and saves have vanished.
That has become especially painful because the Tigers are now in a spot where they might not reach the postseason in October. If that happens, the bullpen will be a major reason why. The late innings have not been kind to AJ Hinch’s team, and the numbers match the eye test: too many blown saves, too many close games lost.
A bad stretch against the Baltimore Orioles made it obvious to plenty of Tigers fans that the club was headed toward selling at the deadline. Tarik Skubal and Casey Mize, they figured, were likely gone. But even with that reality, there was still room for president of baseball operations Scott Harris to do something about the relief corps.
Instead, the bullpen stayed intact. That decision stands out even more because Kenley Jansen and Kyle Finnegan have both had rough seasons. The veteran arms were supposed to help stabilize things, but the results have not been there, and the standings reflect it.
From the fans’ perspective, the frustration is simple: the team’s biggest weakness has been obvious from the start, and it never got fixed. If the Tigers miss the playoffs, that failure to address the bullpen will sit at the center of the story.
The disappointment runs so deep that some around the team believe Harris could be on the hot seat after a season that has gone from one win away from the ALCS last year to the possibility of missing the playoffs now. For a fan base that expected more, the bullpen’s collapse has become impossible to ignore.
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Tigers Fans Are Split Over What The Numbers Say About Torkelson
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First base is one of the trickier spots to measure cleanly, and that uncertainty sits at the center of the debate. The tools used to evaluate defense are still evolving, especially when it comes to separating dependable footwork, hands and positioning from what shows up in a stat line. For Torkelson, that means the conversation is unlikely to settle anytime soon, with the numbers saying one thing and plenty of observers insisting there is more to the story. [Read more 🡒]
Tigers Just Put James Outman In A Tough Spot
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Andrew Sears was selected from Triple-A Toledo and was expected to make his major league debut, while Enmanuel De Jesus was optioned to make room on the staff. For Outman, the timing makes for a rough turn after the injury absence, and for Detroit it signals a continued willingness to churn the bottom of the roster in search of immediate help. [Read more 🡒]
Riley Greene's Return Puts Tigers Young Outfielders In A Tough Spot
Riley Greenes time on the injured list has given the Tigers a longer look at some of their younger outfield options, but it has also underscored just how important he is to the lineup when hes healthy. Detroit placed Greene on the 10-day injured list with a right hamstring strain, and the expectation is that he could be back around late August or early September after continuing to progress with running, hitting and defensive work in Lakeland, Florida.
When Greene is ready to return, the Tigers will have a decision to make with the players who have filled in during his absence, including Brett Callahan and Max Clark. For a club trying to balance immediate production with longer-term development, that kind of roster squeeze is usually a good problem to have, but it still forces a choice about who stays in the mix once Greene is activated. [Read more 🡒]