By George Eichorn
The magical season for the Detroit Tigers continues. After shocking the baseball world with a winning dash to the playoffs seen only three other times in the wildcard era, the Tigers play the Houston Astros this week in the postseason lead up to the World Series.
Never before can I remember a Tigers team that was eight games under the .500 mark on August 11 turn things around as fast as they did to grab a coveted playoff spot. The team and its fans have not tasted the playoffs since 2014, long before manager A.J. Hinch and president Scott Harris arrived on the scene at Comerica Park.
One of the great comebacks culminated last Friday night in Detroit. The Tigers hosted the Chicago White Sox in front of a standing-room-only crowd of 44,000 at the downtown stadium. The Sox wanted to win to avoid eclipsing the New York Mets standing record of 120 losses in a single MLB season. Meanwhile, the Tigers had a magic number of 1 to clinch a wildcard berth in the MLB playoffs.
The Tigers rewarded their fans with a 4-1 victory and a post-game celebration that rivaled the best of them! Champagne, beer and tears were flowing as this team which hardly anyone gave a chance to qualify for the post-season did not disappoint. It’s at least temporary vindication for owner Chris Ilitch, Harris, Hinch and the coaches and scouts after being sellers at the trading deadline.
Think about this. The Tigers traded their number two starter Jack Flaherty with a 7-5 record and 2.95 ERA to the Los Angeles Dodgers yet still made the wildcard round. This is unheard of. Trading a team’s second-best arm is typically a sign that a white flag was raised! Yet Harris and the Tigers received Trey Sweeney in return. The 24-year-old responded with solid defense at shortstop and contributed 4 home runs and 17 RBI in 36 crucial games.
There are many significant dates – and wins – this season for Detroit. This is a list of my personal top games.
1. Sept. 27: The 4-1 win over the White Sox has to be at the top of the list. No less than five pitchers contributed in yet another bullpen day for Detroit. Brant Hurter, an unheralded hurler, improved to 6-1 with the win while veteran Jason Foley closed it out with a team-leading 28th save.
2. Aug. 3: It’s Jim Leyland jersey no. 10 retirement day. Parker Meadows has a game-tying triple and Winceel Perez a walk-off single as Detroit bests the Kansas City Royals in 11 innings, 6-5.
2. Aug. 11: The Tigers improved to 56-63 by defeating the San Francisco Giants, 5-4, in the final game of that series. Keider Montero, 24, earned the win while Will Vest earned his first save.
3. Aug. 18: Detroit beats the New York Yankees 3-2 as Tarik Skubal strikes out Aaron Judge to end the first inning. It’s a national telecast (ESPN) in Williamsport, Pennsylvania at the Little League World Series. Relief pitcher Beau Brieske earns the “W”. This win showcased the Tigers rebuilding efforts for the whole country to see.
4. Aug. 31: The World Series Champion 1984 Tigers celebrated their 40-year reunion at Comerica. These new Tigers got to meet the championship Tigers. A 2-1 win over the Boston Red Sox raised the Tigers a game above. 500 at 69-68. The value was priceless. Anytime the Champs can support the new kids it has to be a positive move and it was.
5. Sept. 12: The Tigers complete a grueling 9 game western road trip with a 5-4 showing. Although they lost 2-of-3 in San Diego the Tigers won the next two series, in Oakland and Colorado.
6. Sept. 13: At home, the Tigers welcomed the Baltimore Orioles who dominated in the 2023 regular season. The Tigers bullpen day of pitchers shut down the O’s by a 1-0 score. Hurter pitched 5.2 innings of no-hit ball with 8 strikeouts. Only a single off Detroit’s Tyler Holton in the 9th saved the Birds from being no-hit victims.
7. Sept. 29: Despite losing a second straight game to the White Sox, 9-5, at Comerica the Tiger records their third consecutive crowd of over 41,000 as the Tigers concluded the regular season at 86-76. Attendance at the ballpark was the best in several years and a double-digit increase from 2023. The Tigers tied the Kansas City Royals for second place and 6.5 games behind the Cleveland Guardians as the AL Central sent three clubs to the postseason.
Individual stars included Skubal, the odds-on favorite to win the American League Cy Young Award. He also captured the AL pitching Triple Crown by leading the league in wins (18), ERA (2.39) and strikeouts (228). He is teh first pitcher to win the Triple Crown since Shane Bieber in the COVID-shortened 2020 season. The last Tiger to do so was Justin Verlander in 2011.
Left-fielder Riley Greene led the offensive charge. He led the team with a .262 batting average, 24 HR, 74 RBIand tied second baseman Colton Keith with 133 hits. Kerry Carpenter was another powerful hitter: .284 batting average, 16 HR and 57 RBI. Matt Vierling provided a veteran presence and hit .257 with 16 HR and 57 RBI.
Reliever Sean Guenther led the staff with a 0.89 ERA and 3-0 record in 19 games pitched. Bryan Hanifee had a 1.89 ERA in 21 games. But my pick for a bullpen MVP is Holton with his excellent performance as a spot starter and reliever: 7-2 record, 2.19 ERA, 0.78 WHIP, 66 games and 8 saves. Rookie hurler Jackson Jobe was perfect in two outings last weekend with four innings pitched yet he may be left off the postseason roster.
The Tigers will have a tough task in playing the Astros in what can be called a homecoming series with Hinch’s former team and facing former Tiger Verlander too. Yet this magical season could become even more magical.
Reach George Eichorn at geichorn@yahoo.com or @Sandgsports99 on X (formerly Twitter). Order his book:
Detroit’s Sports Broadcasters: On the Air: Eichorn, George B, Introduction Harwell, Ernie.
