Tigers Pitcher Has High-Upside Potential That Could Be Beneficial in Postseason

Does a current member of the rotation have the potential to be an impact starter for the Detroit Tigers in the playoffs?

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The Detroit Tigers have been playing some good baseball of late, and decisions at the trade deadline have paid off so far. 

In the first half of the season, the Tigers were the best in the American League, and it seemed like a road to the World Series was going to go through Detroit. However, they hit a bit of a bump in the road, resulting in them coming back to the pack. 

With the Tigers starting to heat back up again, the focus will be on securing the AL Central and then making a lengthy run in the postseason. In 2024, the team was able to snap a lengthy playoff drought, but expectations will be much higher this year. 

Detroit was one of the best teams in the second half of the 2024 campaign and rode that wave right into the playoffs. The Tigers were able to shock the league when they beat the Houston Astros in the AL Wild Card Round. That was followed up by a tight five-game series against the Cleveland Guardians in which they lost Game 5 with their ace on the mound. 

Tigers Are Different Than in 2024

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Heading into the playoffs this season, Detroit is a much different-looking team. The bullpen carried them for the most part in 2024, but that unit has shown some weaknesses this year. One of the things that held them back in the playoffs last year was the lack of talent behind Tarik Skubal in the rotation. Unfortunately, that is shaping up to be an issue again. 

With the struggles of Jack Flaherty, it feels like the number two spot in the rotation is going to be wide open for the Tigers. Despite not being considered a splash at the deadline, it could end up being Charlie Morton who ends up being a key contributor in the postseason. 

Morton Has Turned Things Around

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It was a shockingly poor start to the season with the Baltimore Orioles. The right-hander was sent to the bullpen at one point, and it appeared like the veteran’s career was over. However, he showed a lot of resilience and battled through the tough start to become a desirable trade piece for the Orioles. 

So far with Detroit, he has had two very good starts, and he has been much improved since the disastrous start overall. Morton has been able to put together some good starts against quality opponents and has the upside that the Tigers might need in the playoffs. 

Even though he wasn't brought in likely to be the number two starter in a series for Detroit, that could end up being the case if he continues to pitch well.