The Tigers got the kind of win they badly needed Saturday in Cleveland, but one game in Progressive Field wasn’t enough to erase the damage from a rough stretch that has put their October hopes under pressure.
Detroit and the Guardians were in the middle of a four-game weekend set after Friday’s rain-affected doubleheader, when the Tigers were beaten twice in one-run, walk-off fashion despite leading in both games. That left Detroit with a familiar and frustrating backdrop against Cleveland: the Tigers had dropped 14 of their previous 17 regular-season games against the Guardians since last September.
The bigger issue is the slide that has built around that matchup. Detroit has now lost 16 of its last 21 games since August 14, the day after it beat Cleveland in the deciding game of a three-game series in Detroit to move into sole possession of an American League Wild Card spot and sit 2.5 games out of first in the division.
Even after Saturday, the Tigers still haven’t won a series in their last seven tries. That skid dates back to the White Sox series that began on August 14 and matches the club’s longest stretch without a series win since an eight-series drought earlier this season from May 4 through May 31. Before this current run, Detroit had won four straight series and gone 6-1-1 in its first eight series after the All-Star Game.
The late-game problems have been especially costly, and Kenley Jansen has been at the center of them. In Friday’s doubleheader, he blew a save chance in the opener after inheriting three runners and seeing all of them score.
Then he took the loss in the nightcap. The 38-year-old, in his 17th season, has been shaky in high-leverage spots, allowing 50% of the 10 runners he has inherited to score.
His ERA has climbed to 4.00 over his last 10 appearances, and he has now lost six games while wasting six chances.
Without the version of Jansen that once put him in the conversation among the game’s all-time great closers, Detroit is going to keep facing an uphill battle in tight games.
The offense hasn’t helped. Spencer Torkelson finally snapped a 109-plate-appearance homer drought in the Tigers’ last game against the Twins, but Dillon Dingler remains mired in one of his own. He hasn’t homered since August 6 against the Mariners, a stretch that has now run through 24 games in which Detroit has gone 7-17.
Dingler entered Saturday with 98 plate appearances without a home run. Unlike Torkelson, who was in the middle of his third such slump but still carrying the highest OPS of his career, Dingler’s line has been hard to explain: .121/.184/.154 with a .338 OPS, 23 strikeouts and just 11 hits. He has stayed at 26 home runs, but has driven in only four runs since then.
All of it has added up to a brutal profile in close games. The Tigers have played 64 games decided by two runs or fewer, and they are 19-45 in those contests.
That .297 winning percentage is the worst in baseball. Their 45 losses in those games are the most in the majors, and their 19 wins are tied for the fewest.
With Jansen struggling, Dingler stuck in a deep slump, and the offense and starting pitching both slipping, Detroit is staring at a turnaround it badly needs if it wants to stay in the postseason race.
In Other News...
Casey Mize Trade Is Suddenly Looking Better For The Tigers
When the Tigers dealt Casey Mize to San Diego at the Aug. 3 deadline, it looked like the kind of move Detroit had to make if it wanted to reset and get something useful back in return. Mize was leaving with plenty of baggage attached, but the early returns have tilted in Detroits favor because his start with the Padres has been rocky, with a 1-3 record and a 6.67 ERA over six outings.
Detroits side of the trade has also become part of the conversation as Jackson Wolf and Kash Mayfield settle into their own situations in the organization. Their results have varied across different levels, but the bigger picture for the Tigers is straightforward: a deal that once raised questions is now starting to look a lot more sensible from their end. [Read more 🡒]
Eduardo Valencia Is Forcing A Big Tigers Decision Much Sooner Than Expected
Eduardo Valencia has made his first stretch in the big leagues hard to ignore. Since his debut in July, he has brought enough punch to the plate to look like much more than a short-term call-up, slashing .313 with a .956 OPS and six home runs in 83 at-bats while getting most of his work at catcher and designated hitter for Detroit.
The issue for the Tigers is what comes next, because Valencias bat is creating pressure on a roster question they may have hoped to answer later. His offensive production is pushing the club to weigh whether his best path is behind the plate or in a more regular DH role, and with other catching prospects in the system, the offseason could bring a broader look at how Detroit wants to shape that mix. [Read more 🡒]
Jack Flaherty Return Raises A Big Question For Tigers Rotation
Jack Flaherty is finally set to take a meaningful step back toward the Tigers' rotation, with a rehab assignment beginning Sept. 6 at Triple-A Toledo. The right-hander has been sidelined since July 21 with right flexor tendon inflammation, and manager A.J. Hinch said the assignment is expected to be brief, with Flaherty possibly logging only one inning as Detroit eases him back into game action.
The timing gives the Tigers something to monitor closely as they try to sort out the rest of their rotation down the stretch. Flaherty has not pitched since July 20, and even with his return now drawing nearer, the bigger issue is how quickly he can build back up and what kind of role awaits once he proves he is ready. [Read more 🡒]