Detroit Tigers Weekend Bounce Back Inspires Hope Ahead of Massive Week
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The Detroit Tigers finally looked like the Detroit Tigers for the first time this season over the weekend, handling the Miami Marlins with ease in a three-game sweep coming off what had been a very tough start to the year.
After floundering around .500 through the first three series of the year, Detroit went up to a very cold Target Field for four games against a Minnesota Twins team who is supposed to be one of the worst in the American League and dropped all four.
With bats that were as frigid as the temperature outside and a pitching staff that was not getting it done, some fans were already prepared to press the panic button.
Handling business in the Motor City, though against the Marlins, especially on a Sunday which included brilliant showings from Tarik Skubal and Kevin McGonigle, this team is heating up right when they need to.
Tigers Face Two Key American League Opponents This Week
After an off day on Monday, Detroit will be back in action Tuesday against a hated division rival with the Kansas City Royals -- currently tied with the Tigers at 7-9 -- coming to Comerica Park for a three-game set.
Of course, it's an early series, but these games count just as much in April as they do in September, and the Tigers and Royals were arguably the two favorites in the division going into the year. Detroit bought itself some breathing room with the sweep, but this is a massive series.
After facing Kansas City, it will be an East Coast trip for the Tigers to take on the Boston Red Sox -- who are currently 6-9 -- for four games at Fenway Park before returning home to host the Milwaukee Brewers.
With the Red Sox also hoping to contend in the American League, it's another nice test for Detroit here in the early going.
Tigers Have Chance to Jumpstart Season This Week
If Detroit can find a chance to take at least two from the Royals this week before hitting the road, it will be a whole lot easier to find its footing ahead of the gauntlet of the year really getting going. Having scored a bunch of runs in the sweep this weekend, the bats finding their stride would be massive.
McGonigle has been sensational all year, but the core of this Tigers lineup needs to find something rather than just relying on a rookie to carry the offense on his back through some slumping from veterans.
This weekend was the first sign of just that, and if it can continue starting on Tuesday, this season is going to have a real chance to take off the way fans were hoping to see.
Michael Brauner is a 2022 graduate of the University of Alabama with a degree in Sports Media. He covers various MLB teams across the On SI network and you can also find his work on Yellowhammer News covering the Alabama Crimson Tide and Auburn Tigers as well as on the radio producing and co-hosting 'The Opening Kickoff' every weekday morning on 105.5 WNSP FM in Mobile, Alabama.