Tigers look like team to watch in AL Central
CHICAGO — Don’t schedule the parade just yet.
It’s only three games.
But the Detroit Tigers look capable of winning the American League Central, the weakest division in baseball, in the 2024 season. Here is the plan, as previously outlined by president of baseball operations Scott Harris: The pitching staff stabilizes the team by keeping games close as the young hitters develop, all while manager A.J. Hinch works to get the most out of his 26-man roster.
The plan is working.
As a result, the Tigers have a 3-0 record for the first time since 2016.
“We expect our entire roster to be ready to play and win that day’s game,” Hinch said Wednesday, the eve of Opening Day. “I’m going to try to maximize their strengths as much as possible. I’m trying to put everybody in a position to be successful.”
Ace-caliber starter to lead the rotation? That’s Tarik Skubal. Several high-leverage relievers in bullpen? That’s Jason Foley, Shelby Miller and Andrew Chafin, plus a few more. Depth to cover for potential injuries in the rotation and bullpen? That’s Matt Manning and Beau Brieske.
The Tigers swept the Chicago White Sox, projected to be one of the worst teams in baseball, in three consecutive one-run games, winning 1-0 on Thursday, 7-6 on Saturday and 3-2 on Sunday. It’s the first time any team has opened a season with three one-run wins in a row since the Arizona Diamondbacks in 2012.
That year, the Diamondbacks finished 81-81.
As for the Tigers in 2024, the pitching staff kept each game within striking distance for the offense: Skubal in Game 1, a slew of relievers rescuing right-hander Kenta Maeda in Game 2, and right-hander Jack Flaherty in Game 3.
Skubal jumpstarted his Cy Young campaign by throwing six scoreless innings with zero walks and six strikeouts; Maeda got rocked for six runs across 31⁄3 innings, but the relievers didn’t allow another run; Flaherty kickstarted his comeback season by throwing six innings of one-run ball with zero walks and seven strikeouts. The offense needed the boost. Spencer Torkelson, Riley Greene, Colt Keith and Parker Meadows — four of the five developing young hitters — combined to hit .130 (6-for-46) with one home run, six walks and 12 strikeouts across 52 plate appearances, while Kerry Carpenter hit .444 (4for-9) with one homer and no strikeouts in 10 plate appearances.
Another reason for the sweep: The Tigers have one of the best managers. From start to finish, Hinch dominated the managerial chess match against White Sox manager Pedro Grifol.
“We just put our guys out there and react accordingly,” Hinch said.
Hinch is masterful at maneuvering bullpen matchups, but two specific situations on offense stood out: the seventh inning Saturday and the ninth inning Sunday.
In Saturday’s seventh, the Tigers had Greene (left-hander), Carpenter (lefthander) and Mark Canha (right-hander) due up to start the inning. The White Sox called right-handed reliever Dominic Leone into the game with a two-run lead, even though he had an unfavorable matchup against the back-to-back lefties.
Greene made the White Sox pay by crushing a solo home run.
The White Sox might have benefitted from bringing in a lefty reliever to face Greene and Carpenter, but if that had happened, Hinch could have used Andy Ibáñez (right-hander) off the bench to pinch-hit for Carpenter.
Carpenter grounded out and Canha doubled against Leone, then the White Sox turned to left-handed reliever Tim Hill for a favorable matchup with Keith (left-hander). Although Keith grounded out, Carson Kelly (right-hander) hit a single to drive in the game-tying run.
In Sunday’s ninth, the Tigers had a runner on first base with two outs for Jake Rogers (right-hander), but Hinch pinch-hit Zach McKinstry (left-hander) for Rogers against right-handed reliever Steven Wilson, creating back-to-back lefties with Meadows in the on-deck circle. The White Sox stuck with Wilson despite an unfavorable matchup against McKinstry.
The White Sox might have benefitted from bringing in a lefty reliever to face McKinstry, but if that had happened, Hinch could have countered by bringing Ibáñez off the bench to pinch-hit for McKinstry.
McKinstry walked on six pitches, then the White Sox called the left-handed Hill to face Meadows. That’s when Hinch countered with Ibáñez, who hit a single to drive in the winning run.
Twice, Hinch put Grifol in a lose-lose situation in a big moment.
The Tigers’ players came through, and the White Sox lost both games.
“I’m not going to go through every strategy,” Hinch said. “I think the players that we have are really good with their strengths and offer a big challenge whoever they face. We have a reason behind doing it. It doesn’t do me any good to give you the keys to the thought process. Good luck figuring it out.”