Tigers Reclaim Feeling of Victory, Believe They Are 'Back on Track'
In this story:
Thursday was the moment for the Detroit Tigers.
After their freefall unthinkably allowed the Cleveland Guardians to catch them in the AL Central standings and then overtake them by winning the first two games of the series, the Tigers needed to win the finale.
With a bullpen game set to take place for Detroit while their rivals sent out sensational rookie Parker Messick, not a lot of people were giving the Tigers a chance considering they had lost eight in row and 11 of their last 12.
But the mentality of "one game at a time" shone through for Detroit, as Jahmai Jones started the contest with a towering leadoff home run that was followed by Wenceel Perez's solo shot two batters later. Following an RBI single in the second and a huge home run by Riley Greene in the top of the fourth, the Tigers were able to use a familiar "pitching chaos strategy" to get them into the winner's circle.
Tigers Breathe Huge Sigh of Relief After Win
When watching the players react on the field after the final out was recorded by closer Will Vest, it was clear some relief was being felt. Troy Melton, who was the opener for this contest, stated as much with his postgame comments.
"It hasn't been going the way we want it for a while now," he said, per Chris McCosky of The Detroit News (subscription required. "So it felt like a weight was lifted off our shoulders and we're back on track. We know we're a good baseball team."
The Tigers have been a good baseball team all season long, which is why their collapse has been so shocking to witness. A group that felt like they could do no wrong by coming up with clutch hits and getting big outs, all of a sudden lost their superpower.
But they reclaimed that on Thursday, getting timely hits throughout their lineup and riding a massive performance by six pitchers to tie things up at the top of the AL Central as they enter their final series of the regular season.
Will Vest got the side to end it 💪
— Detroit Tigers (@tigers) September 26, 2025
Save energy at home with these tips: https://t.co/sm4zCCupj6 pic.twitter.com/wlwqsqwoje
"Look, everybody needs to see a little positivity in the game," manager A.J. Hinch stated. "We're human. We feed off a ton of things, including the good things. Of course I think everyone took a collective breath and said, 'Here we go.'"
With just three games remaining in the campaign, Detroit will be looking to officially secure their spot in the playoffs. They'll face off against a Boston Red Sox team that still needs to do the same thing. After getting this win on Thursday, there will be a lot more internal confidence they can accomplish that goal.
