Tigers' Late-Inning Mishap Now Too Common to Make a Playoff Run

The Detroit Tigers can't seem to get out of their own way. They entered the weekend with a massive four-game series against the Houston Astros. They split the first two games and appeared to be on their way to winning on Saturday.

After falling behind 3-0 early, Kerry Carpenter hit a grand slam in the third inning to give the Tigers the lead. Spencer Torkelson's RBI double and Hao-Yu Lee's homer gave Detroit a two-run cushion. But once again, the Tigers' bullpen surrendered the lead with four runs allowed in the last two innings, handing Detroit an 8-6 loss.

This kind of loss has become all too familiar for manager A.J. Hinch's team, but the numbers behind it make this defeat even worse.

The Tigers Have a Late-Inning Problem

Detroit Tigers relief pitcher Will Vest reacts. | David Rodriguez-Munoz / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

On Saturday, Will Vest was the latest victim of the late-inning woes. Per Tigers Data on X, the Tigers have lost 14 games when leading in the seventh inning or later. The league average is 6.8, and no team has more than 11. It's the worst in baseball.

Starting pitcher Framber Valdez allowed four runs through six innings. Vest entered the eighth inning with a one-run lead. He gave up three singles to even up the game, and Isaac Paredes delivered a two-RBI double to take the lead.

Vest now has a 3-5 record with a 6.08 ERA. The numbers don't look great, but his struggles in the eighth inning have been staggering. Vest has a 10.66 ERA in the eighth inning as opposed to a 1.29 ERA in the ninth. He's only allowed one run, and opponents are hitting .074.

What is the Solution?

Detroit Tigers pitcher Kenley Jansen throws. | Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Coming into the season, the Tigers thought they had a formidable trio in the backend of the bullpen with Vest, Kenley Jansen, and Kyle Finnegan. It hasn't worked out that way. Jansen is 9-for-13 on save opportunities.

Finnegan has a 1.89 ERA, but he has four blown saves and has issued a lot of free passes. He has already allowed the second-most walks (24) in his career. Clearly, Hinch doesn't have a reliable arm to turn to in the late innings.

Vest has operated better in the ninth inning, but Jansen has worked as a closer his entire career, which makes the decision challenging. Regardless, the Tigers are giving away too many games and are slipping in the standings.

They now fall to 35-48 and are in danger of a 5-5 homestand after a 4-0 start. Time is not on Detroit's side, and losses like Saturday continue to be a thorn in its side.

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