Tigers failed first real test of the season, but they aren’t hopeless
After facing their first real test of the season, we found out something important about the Detroit Tigers.
The lost five out of six games against the Yankees and Guardians and proved they are who we thought they were: an improving team that struggles offensively and isn’t likely to win series against elite teams, especially on the road.
So it’s safe to say the Tigers failed their first real test of the season in New York and Cleveland. It’s also a bit of a disappointment after they exorcised the ghosts of their past slow starts and finished April and May with a 17-13 record.
But let’s be real. It would have been more surprising if the Tigers had won their series against the Yanks and Guards, even with Gerrit Cole and Steven Kwan on the injured list. Though the Tigers struggled to score, they at least kept every game close and didn’t lose any game by more than three runs.
On the plus-side of the ledger, Tarik Skubal allowed two runs on six hits and struck out 12 Yankees in the Tigers’ 5-2 loss as he continued his stellar season. He even overtook Baltimore’s Corbin Burnes as the American League Cy Young betting favorite in some sportsbooks in what’s shaping up early as a two-man race.
Reese Olson was fabulous, throwing five scoreless innings with only two hits in New York and allowing just one earned run on one hit over six innings in Cleveland.
Jack Flaherty had another stout outing, allowing two earned runs on six hits, including a home run, and one walk in a 2-1 loss at Cleveland. As you can see, the Tigers wasted their top pitchers’ efforts.
Riley Greene continues to pace the offense. He collected his team-leading eighth and nine homers and 16th and 17th RBIs.
Spencer Torkelson remains homer-less and started off slow in New York before he had five hits, including three doubles, in his final four games of the trip. He only had one
RBI but improved his slash line a little from the start of the trip, even as problems with his power and production are stoking questions about a demotion to Triple-A.
Andy Ibáñez was cold in New York but warmed up in the last two games in Cleveland with five hits, including two homers and four RBIs.
Matt Vierling had five hits in five games with one triple and three RBIs. Wenceel Pérez’s magic pixie dust wore off and he was hot and cold in five games.
Kerry Carpenter went 0-for-New York, then hit three doubles in two games at Cleveland.
Mark Canha struggled and then didn’t play in the final two games at Cleveland because of an upper-respiratory illness.
Javier Báez was terrible, going 2-for-19 in five games and watched his average drop to .176 and OPS fall to .454.
Colt Keith continues to underwhelm as a rookie and is approaching Parker Meadows territory. He went 2-for-11 in five games as his average dropped to .162 with a .414 OPS. He only has two extra-base hits in 105 at-bats.
The worst part of it was the way the trip ended on a sour note. The Tigers held a 4-3 lead in the bottom of the ninth inning Wednesday at Cleveland and were two outs from winning the series. Then Andrew Chafin gave up a solo homer to David Fry that sent the game to extra innings, where the Tigers lost.
So where does that leave the Tigers as
they prepare for a six-game homestand against Houston and Miami, who are two of the worst teams in the majors? With plenty of work to do.
Well, after Wednesday they were 19-18 and fourth in the AL Central, five games behind Cleveland and 2⁄ games out of the third wild-card spot with Seattle and Boston ahead of them.
The Tigers can’t match the talent the Yankees and Guardians have with players like Juan Soto, Aaron Judge and Jose Ramirez. So maybe they failed their first real test of the season, but at least they got some of the answers right.