Tigers Must Hit Reset Button After Brutal Week Ahead of Royals Series
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The Detroit Tigers have been at the center of the news cycle all week, and not for any sort of positive reason as things went from bad to worse with some devastating news at the start of the week.
After being scratched from his start to begin the series against the Boston Red Sox, back-to-back American League Cy Young winner Tarik Skubal was announced to be undergoing surgery for loose bodies in his elbow which will keep him out for multiple months.
On the field, things did not get any better with Framber Valdez getting shelled and then ejected after throwing at Boston shortstop Trevor Story, leading to a suspension for both him and A.J. Hinch to wrap up the series.
After getting swept at home by the Red Sox for the cherry on top to this real life nightmare of a week, an off day on Thursday presents an opportunity to hit the reset button ahead of the upcoming road trip which begins with three huge games against the Kansas City Royals.
Tigers Need to Take Advantage of Off Day
Over the last five days, it has been a seemingly nonstop whirlwind of negative headlines surrounding this team, and as a result, the on field outcomes have followed suit. Now sitting two games below .500 and about to hit the road, Detroit is finding itself in danger territory right now.
Only a half game clear of Kansas City in what is a very tightly contested American League Central, the Tigers need to find something this weekend to keep things from going off the rails over the next few weeks.
Detroit has battled through tough times before, but how they bounce back from this brutal week could go on to define what the rest of their season looks like.
Who Tigers Will Have On Mound This Weekend
The unfortunate reality with so many injuries as well as the suspension for Valdez is that it leaves a ton of questions unanswered. Keider Montero -- who has been one of the saving graces for the rotation -- will get the ball in the first game of the season, but starters after that look to be up in the air.
In reality, Detroit will likely go with an opener and bullpen game in each of the second two games with guys like Tyler Holton and Drew Anderson being the ones fans should watch closely for the next two days.
Ultimately, if they can find a way to take two from the Royals before heading east to take on the New York Mets, it would be a tremendous accomplishment and allow the Tigers to start to get things back on track after this horrible week.
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Michael Brauner is a 2022 graduate of the University of Alabama with a degree in Sports Media. He covers various MLB teams across the On SI network and you can also find his work on Yellowhammer News covering the Alabama Crimson Tide and Auburn Tigers as well as on the radio producing and co-hosting 'The Opening Kickoff' every weekday morning on 105.5 WNSP FM in Mobile, Alabama.