Troy Melton gets the ball Friday for the Tigers as they try to shake off a series loss to the Pirates, and Detroit has a pretty strong card to play in the matchup: its best arm on the mound. Kansas City isn’t usually much of a threat, but Noah Cameron has been sharp in August with a 1.99 ERA, so this one isn’t just a formality.
Melton, who is going by “T as in Troy” for Players’ Weekend, has been even better than the numbers suggest. Since coming off the IL in May, he’s posted a 1.49 ERA, the best mark in baseball over that span.
His last outing was a reminder that he’s still human. Against the White Sox, he allowed eight hits and three runs, though only one was earned, over 4 1/3 innings.
The defense didn’t do him many favors, but he also didn’t have his sharpest stuff. It was just the second time all season that an opponent managed to score three or more runs while he was on the mound.
Even with that hiccup, it’s hard to imagine the Tigers are losing sleep. Melton is a big part of why they felt comfortable trading Tarik Skubal at the deadline and trying to walk the tightrope from there. Skubal would have boosted any playoff push, sure, but Detroit at least had Melton waiting in the wings.
The comparison between the two is hard to miss. Skubal and Melton both came from relative obscurity - Melton was a catcher when he was younger - and both were drafted by the Tigers outside the first three rounds. And just like Skubal before him, Melton seems to be taking the rest of the league a little too long to fully appreciate.
That’s why the Tigers would be wise not to repeat the same mistake. It may be too early to talk about an extension right now, but if Melton closes the season strong, preliminary talks this offseason should be on the table. Detroit let the Skubal situation drift too long, and it shouldn’t let that happen again.
Pitcher extensions are never simple, and Melton missed time at the start of this season. Still, the idea of having him and Kevin McGonigle as long-term anchors for the pitching staff and offense is an appealing one.
Melton is only 25 and remains under team control through the end of the 2031 season. There’s no need for the Tigers to rush, but waiting too long could mean getting priced out again.
In Other News...
Tigers Fans Are Split Over What The Numbers Say About Torkelson
Spencer Torkelson has become one of those players who can split a fan base without even changing positions. At first base, the advanced numbers have not been kind, with Statcasts Outs Above Average and Fielding Bibles Defensive Runs Saved both painting an unflattering picture, but plenty of viewers who watch him every day see something different. Broadcasters and some fans argue that he looks steadier and more reliable than the metrics suggest, which is part of why the discussion around his defense has been so lively.
That divide says as much about first base defense as it does about Torkelson. It remains one of the harder spots on the field to quantify cleanly, and the metrics used to judge it are still evolving, which leaves room for disagreement when the eye test and the numbers do not line up. For the Tigers, the bigger question is not whether the debate exists, but how much weight to give a stat line that many around the game still believe does not fully capture what happens on the field. [Read more 🡒]
Tigers Just Put James Outman In A Tough Spot
James Outmans latest stop with the Tigers turned into a brief one, even after Detroit brought him back from the seven-day concussion injured list. The club activated the outfielder and then designated him for assignment, a roster squeeze that came as Detroit selected left-hander Andrew Sears from Triple-A Toledo and sent Enmanuel De Jesus down.
Outman had already logged 45 games with the Tigers, but the bat never really caught up, leaving him vulnerable once the team needed room for Sears and his expected Major League debut. For Detroit, it was a straightforward organizational move on paper, but for Outman it leaves his next step hanging as the club recalibrates its pitching depth. [Read more 🡒]
Tigers Are Giving A Promising Lefty A Real Chance To Stick
Andrew Sears is getting a legitimate look at the major league level, and it comes at a time when the Tigers are always searching for useful arms they can trust in the middle of a long season. The 23-year-old lefty, drafted in the 10th round in 2023, has worked his way back from an elbow injury and put together strong stretches at Triple-A Toledo, where his sinker-slider mix has played well and his changeup has kept moving in the right direction.
Now the Tigers are planning to use Sears as a bulk reliever in an upcoming bullpen game, which gives him a chance to show he can handle more than just a cameo. For a club that values pitchers who can miss bats and throw strikes, the recent gains in his command and strikeout rate make this a meaningful test, even if the assignment itself is only temporary for now. [Read more 🡒]