Tigers Closer Kenley Jansen Drops Surprising Quote After Win Over Guardians
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When the Detroit Tigers traded pitcher Tarik Skubal to the Los Angeles Dodgers and Casey Mize to the San Diego Padres, you could say that they were waving the white flag on the 2026 season. However, if you're a .500 team, you're in contention for a playoff berth.
Once buried in the American League Central Division and AL wild-card race, the Tigers won their third straight game on Tuesday night with a 6-4 victory over the Cleveland Guardians at Comerica Park. Don't look now, but Detroit is in second place in the division, just 2.5 games back of the Chicago White Sox. They are just a half-game back of the Texas Rangers for the third and final wild-card spot.
It's rather surprising that the Tigers are in this position, especially after trading away two key pitchers at the deadline. Is it sustainable? Time will tell, but if they go on any sort of lengthy winning streak, well, they might just end up in the postseason.
Closer Kenley Jansen is thinking about the big picture as the middle of August closes in.
Tigers Kenley Jansen Drops Surprising Quote After Guardians Win
Detroit opened a pivotal homestand on Tuesday night with a win over Cleveland. After three games with the Guardians, the Tigers will host the White Sox for three more games. Jansen believes the best team in the division resides in the Motor City, which is a bit of a bold statement.
“We all had an awful start,” Jansen said, per Jason Beck of MLB.com. “It's a long season. They're going to remember you as how you finish. So what you do is big for this ballclub. I think we're all stepping up right now, and if we step up, I don't think there's anybody better than us in this division, respectfully.''
If Skubal and Mize were still in AJ Hinch's rotation, many people might agree with Jansen. He is correct in that Detroit had an awful start to the season, but truth be told, the division is totally up for grabs. As in the AL West, nobody has taken control of the division or created some separation. A good week against the Guardians and White Sox would go a long way to help the Tigers get into playoff baseball, either as the division winner or with a wild-card berth.
Jansen is right: it's not just how you start, but it's how you finish. They stumbled down the stretch last season and backed their way into the playoffs. Could they do the opposite this season and come charging from down the standings into a playoff spot? They could, but it wouldn't surprise Jansen, considering he believes Detroit is the best team in the division. He might not be that far off.
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Scott Roche has covered both college and professional sports for nearly three decades for various outlets. Scott has covered the MLB, NHL, and college sports and he is someone always looking for a good rumor, no matter which sport it is.