This Key Area Has Been Biggest Failure for Detroit Tigers This Season

What has been the biggest failure for the Detroit Tigers this season?

Aug 25, 2025; West Sacramento, California, USA; Detroit Tigers manager A.J. Hinch (14) motions to the home plate umpire during a mound visit in the fourth inning of the game against the Athletics at Sutter Health Park. | Ed Szczepanski-Imagn Images

As the Detroit Tigers seek to win the American League Central and officially punch their ticket into the playoffs, they haven't been able to build much momentum of late. During the first half of the season, this was clearly the team to beat in the AL, but since the All-Star break, they have seen some notable regression. 

While things might not be going as well as the Tigers would like heading into October, this is still a team that has been able to have a fantastic year overall. Few would have predicted the success that the franchise has had, and they have had some surprise players emerge as well. 

Over the next couple of weeks, building some momentum would be ideal for Detroit, especially since they can still secure home-field advantage in the AL. However, they have a looming concern heading into the playoffs, and it has been an issue that has plagued the team for quite some time now. Bradford Doolittle of ESPN recently wrote about the biggest failure for the Tigers this season being their starting rotation. 

Rotation Should Be a Massive Concern

Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

If Tarik Skubal is taken out of the starting rotation, this has been one of the worst units in baseball. Fortunately, the excellence of Skubal has been able to cover up a lot of the issues for the rotation. The southpaw is on his way toward winning his second straight AL Cy Young, but what comes after him in the rotation is a massive question mark. 

Earlier in the year, the Tigers suffered two brutal injuries to the rotation when they lost both Jackson Jobe and Reese Olson for the rest of the campaign. These two young arms were positioned to be key members of the rotation and losing them was a significant blow. 

In addition to the injuries, the unit has also seen disappointing performances from veteran right-hander Jack Flaherty. Detroit signed Flaherty over the winter to come back and be the No. 2 starter in the rotation like he was in the first half of the 2024 campaign. Unfortunately, he has pitched poorly for most of the season and trusting him in the playoffs will be hard. 

Since the starting rotation has been an issue for quite some time now, it is fair to be concerned about the unit come October. While they do have an ace in Skubal and games in the playoffs tend to see more relievers used, this unit could come back to bite Detroit.