Have Detroit Tigers Been Given Proper Respect in Latest Power Rankings?
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The Detroit Tigers are at the top of the American League Central, but by just a half-game.
The Tigers are 13-9 this season and they have won eight of their first 10 home contests. As a team, Detroit has scored the 10th-most runs while allowing the third-fewest.
With this start to the year, the Tigers come in at No. 8 in the latest MLB.com power rankings. This is the exact same position Detroit was placed at last week.
Their pitching staff has been very good to begin this campaign. In fact, a lot of their success can be credited to the pitchers.
As mentioned, they have allowed the third-fewest total runs in the MLB. This has given them a team ERA of 3.12. Additionally, the Tigers allow the third-highest percentage of soft contact.
Their starting pitchers have stolen the show.
Tarik Skubal, Jackson Jobe, Casey Mize and Jack Flaherty each have an ERA under 3.00. Along with that, these four pitchers have combined to be worth 2.9 Wins Above Replacement. These four give Detroit a chance to win every time they take the mound, which will be important later in the season and in the playoffs.
The bullpen has the fifth-best ERA in the MLB, the fourth-fewest walks and the sixth-most saves. The Tigers have only blown two saves this year, so when they have the lead late, they usually win.
Tyler Holton, Will Vest, John Brebbia, Brenan Hanifee and Tommy Kahnle each own an ERA under 1.90. They have a combined 47.2 innings pitched, 27 hits allowed and 42 strikeouts.
Pitching is going to carry this team all season.
Detroit has a young and streaky lineup with some hot hitters right now.
Spencer Torkelson is one of the hottest in the MLB.
He is slashing .288/.392/.638 with seven home runs, 21 RBI, 23 total hits and 17 runs scored. He leads the team in runs scored, hits, RBI and walks drawn. He is seventh in the entire MLB in OPS among qualified hitters.
He has been a streaky hitter in his career, so the Tigers are hoping he can carry this production all season.
This week, Detroit has two pretty tough series.
They host the San Diego Padres and the Baltimore Orioles.
With the Tigers being as good as they are at Comerica Park, they could find themselves moving up the rankings if they come out of this week with four or five wins.
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Cameron Zunkel is a sports writer from the western suburbs of Chicago. He played Division-II baseball at the University of Illinois at Springfield where he earned a masters degree in Communication. Cameron also played independent league baseball for the Joliet Slammers and Schaumburg Boomers of the Frontier League. He has been in journalism for the better part of two years now, and has a passion for baseball specifically. His other work includes writing sports betting articles for ClutchPoints. In his free time, you can catch Cam at the gym, on the golf course, or coaching the youth in the beautiful sport of baseball.