Tigers Offense Struggling as 2025 Season Leaders Continue Demise at Plate
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To say the Detroit Tigers have already found themselves in a rut would be an understatement. The offense, specifically their studs, have been unable to find a groove yet this season. They already sit two games under .500, and the ballclub needs more from some of their top guys.
When Tarik Skubal takes the mound, a team should rarely, if ever, take an L, but they did in their final game against the Arizona Diamondbacks. This loss added insult to injury as the Tigers are now on a four-game losing streak after being swept by the Diamondbacks, who were 0-3 before the series started.
Even if Skubal was nearly flawless, if the offense is shutout, it doesn't matter how good a pitching staff is. This is now the second shutout of the season, less than a week in.
Kerry Carpenter now has the most strikeouts in history by a Tigers hitter in the first four games of a season with 10 😬
— 𝔗𝔥𝔢 𝔇𝔢𝔱𝔯𝔬𝔦𝔱 𝔗𝔦𝔪𝔢𝔰 📰 (@the_det_times) March 31, 2026
(via @chrisbrown0914) pic.twitter.com/ojD9V2FAb0
In 2025, the team was led by Riley Greene, who won his first Silver Slugger, Kerry Carpenter, Gleyber Torres, and Spencer Torkelson. That is the opposite of the case in 2026.
Unfortunately, one aspect of Greene's plate performance has not only stuck with him, but is rubbing off on his teammates- strikeouts. Between Carpenter, Greene, and Torkelson, they have a combined 26 strikeouts in six games.
And that simply isn't the only problem right now, as others are not just outshining them, but truly are performing in a way that isn't comparable.
Surprise Faces Trying to Step Up For Tigers
If someone had said that Kevin McGonigle was going to be the best all-around bat on this team right now, it wouldn't be believable. McGonigle skipped Triple-A altogether to make his MLB debut and has been anything but disappointing.
The 21-year-old is hitting .364 with an on-base percentage of .440, which leads the team. He is also slugging .545 with the highest OPS amongst starters as it creeps up on 1.000.
Third baseman Colt Keith is right there with McGonigle, and it is splitting hairs between their two slash lines. Meanwhile, Karpenter is hitting under .100, and Torkelson isn't much better at .150.
Kevin McGonigle in MLB Debut:
— Milb Central (@milb_central) March 26, 2026
4-5, 2 1B, 2 2B, 2 R, 2 RBI, DET WIN #Tigers
pic.twitter.com/vE0zDDfaAi
Some players right now in baseball have already tallied up two homers on their own, the Tigers have one as a team- Dillon Dingler. If this is going to be a team that wants to contend for a World Series, then this simply won't come close to cutting it.
Thank goodness the team is headed north for their home opener at Comerica Park against the Saint Louis Cardinals. If there is a place for hitters to find themselves, it is always on their own turf.
Maddy Dickens resides in Loveland, Colorado. She grew up with two older brothers, where their lives revolved around sports. She earned a master's degree in business management from Tarleton State University while simultaneously playing basketball and competing in rodeo at the collegiate level. She successfully parlayed a reserve national championship into a professional rodeo career and now stays involved in upper-level athletics by writing for On SI on several different MLB teams' pages, along with some NCAA sites.