The Detroit Tigers have had an up-and-down season. They started the season off hot, including an 18-13 start. In May, they hung around .500; in June, they struggled, falling to eight under. In July, however, they've closed that gap. While a playoff run is certainly not imminent, the Tigers aren't in as bad of a position as people have made them out to be. Why should fans continue to be patient? Here are a few positives from patience with the 2024 Detroit Tigers.
Starting Rotation Shaping Up
Tarik Skubal is one of the MLB's best pitchers this season. Skubal has a 10-3 record, with a 2.41 ERA, 0.879 WHIP, and 140 strikeouts. The only downside to the All-Star's season is that he isn't starting the All-Star game.
Reese Olson has also developed into a good pitcher. Olson is still learning but has shown the ability to dominate on the mound. He had a string of tough starts in early June, giving up 17 runs in 14 innings. However, in his last five, he has an ERA of 2.40 and an opponent batting average of .202. He has 31 strikeouts and six walks in that span.
Jack Flaherty is probably Scott Harris's best gamble. Flaherty has dominated this season with a 3.13 ERA, 0.979 WHIP, and 11.3 strikeouts per 9 innings. The question is whether the Tigers will trade him at the deadline or gamble to try and get him to return. A top three of Skubal, Olson, and Flaherty is playoff caliber.
Casey Mize is a dark horse here. After multiple injuries and being away from baseball for over a year, Mize has seen some ups and downs. If he can become close to the pitcher he was in 2021, he'd have a spot in this rotation. Keider Montero has had some highlights in the Majors and faced the learning curve. The Tigers will likely need another starting pitcher next year, but with Matt Manning struggling in Toledo, these two are the in-house favorites, barring Jackson Jobe rising quicker than expected.
The Young Bats Show Why Patience Matters
Riley Greene (All-Star outfielder) is having a fantastic season. He appears to be a cornerstone player for the Tigers. He's hitting .271/.364/.503, with 17 home runs and 50 RBIs. He'll continue to improve with additional at-bats and the emergence of his teammates.
Colt Keith's deal looks smart right now. Since May 6, he is hitting .306, with nine home runs and 29 RBIs. In his last ten, he is hitting .382, with four home runs and 12 RBIs. While he will likely never win a Gold Glove, the fielding won't matter if he keeps hitting.
Wenceel Perez hasn't crushed the ball or gotten hot at any point this season. He stays consistent and has good at-bats. He's hitting .260 and has some speed on the base pads. He is everything that everyone hoped Akil Baddoo would be. Baddoo focused on pulling the ball too much. Perez hits the ball in the gaps and gets on base. He's shown a little bit of power, which is great; however, his greatest ability is to get on base consistently.
Justyn-Henry Malloy has contributed to some of the Tigers' wins. He has serious power, something the Tigers need. He also draws walks. His current OPS is .726. In limited time in Detroit, he's shown flashes of the player he could be. In his last 12 games, he's hitting .333, including three home runs (OPS=1.025).
Kerry Carpenter continues to struggle with injuries, but if the Tigers can keep him in the lineup, it would bolster a hot team. This season, he hit .283 with a .914 OPS. Carpenter could return to a Tigers lineup that wouldn't rely on him so heavily.
Overall, the approach is working. Hopefully, Parker Meadows can heal up, too. His speed and outfield play would benefit the Tigers immensely.
Smart Veteran Additions
Gio Urshela has turned it around lately, hitting .318 in his last 12 games. He had a walk-off home run in the 10th on Saturday (One of the best play-by-play calls of the year). He's been able to fill in in the infield well, too.
Andy Ibanez has been an excellent addition to the Tigers. Ibanez hits against lefties and has helped Keith's transition to the MLB.
Carson Kelly has been the Tiger's best catcher this season. He is fantastic behind the plate and has solid power. In his last 12 games, he's hitting .279, with four home runs and 14 RBIs.
The Misses
No need to spend any more time on this stuff. The bullpen, Javier Baez, Kenta Maeda, and the bullpen have been disappointing.
Looking Forward
Are the Tigers sellers at the deadline, even if they keep winning? Fans won't be happy in that scenario, but of course, fans don't always make the right long-term solutions. Flaherty and Kelly seem the most likely, but could Ibanez, Urshela, and Jason Foley be on their way out?
If that happens, the Tigers could see Dillon Dingler and Jace Jung come up. Both have been solid in Toledo; however, the expectations should be similar to Colt Keith in April, not Colt Keith in July.
Finally, the Tigers will decide what to do with Spencer Torkelson. Hopefully, he can adjust his approach and see similar results to the other young Tigers.
The biggest questions going forward are at first base, shortstop, and the bottom of the rotation. The Tigers may have some new prospects from this year's draft that can help long-term, but what are the short-term solutions? Baez is not the answer. This season may be his last in Detroit. They must be careful not to repeat the mistakes of the past.
The Tigers will likely be on the market for a starting pitcher this offseason. Harris has shown a strong track record by adding Flaherty and Michael Lorenzen before him.
What happens at first? Is Torkelson the guy, or do the Tigers teach another player to play first base?
Finally, the Tigers need an actual closer. Foley is awesome, but he's not a closer.
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