Detroit Tigers Enter Final Week of the Season With Eyes on Playoffs
The Detroit Tigers were able to pull off a big series win against the Baltimore Orioles on the road, and now they will return home for the final six games of the series with a golden opportunity to snap their playoff drought.
It was an excellent weekend for the Tigers, as they won two out of three games against the Orioles, who are currently in the No.1 spot for the American League Wild Card. Due to the Minnesota Twins and Kansas City Royals slipping up a bit down the stretch and Detroit playing excellent baseball, they would be in the playoffs if the season ended today.
With a chance to make the playoffs becoming more and more of a reality for the Tigers, they will be starting off the week on Tuesday at home against the Tampa Bay Rays. The Rays are currently sitting at .500 with a 78-78 record, as Detroit can't take them lightly.
To start the series, the Tigers will be sending their ace Tarik Skubal to the mound on Tuesday, as they hope to set the tone for the series with the likely American League Cy Young Award winner. Also in the series, will be Keider Montero, who has been pitching really well of late.
The series against the Rays will be an important one, as it could allow the Tigers to play the final series of the year against the Chicago White Sox a bit differently. With three games against the White Sox to end the season, that should surely be at least two wins for Detroit.
However, depending on how things go against the Rays and with some of the other teams in the Wild Card picture, the Tigers might either have to use Skubal on Sunday in the final game of the year, or possibly rest him for the Wild Card Round.
While that might be looking ahead a bit, it is something that manger A.J. Hinch will be thinking about.
The next six games are going to be some of the biggest that most players on the team have ever played. As the organization continues to try and build for the future, this week of experience is going to be massive.
So far, the young Tigers have shown no signs that they are afraid of the moment, as they have been playing excellent baseball down the stretch to put them in an excellent position to make the playoffs. With a favorable schedule this coming week, Detroit has a golden opportunity to make the playoffs.
