Detroit Tigers Slip in Recent MLB Power Rankings
The Detroit Tigers were able to finish up their week on a positive note, as they won two out of three games against the Oakland Athletics.
The Tigers were able to have a pretty solid week on their West Coast trip, even though it didn’t start out great against the San Diego Padres, Detroit was able to finish the trip strong with a series win against the Athletics.
With two extra innings losses in California, the Tigers easily could have folded and had a bad West Coast trip. However, they have shown a lot of fight and resilience in recent weeks and going 3-3 on the trip has to be a positive.
Despite going .500 on the trip, Detroit has seen their playoff chances improve, as they are now just 3.5 games out of the final wild card spot.
Even though it was a fine West Coast trip for the Tigers, Zachary D. Rymer of Bleacher Report had the Tigers drop one spot in his MLB Power Rankings to 16th.
“The Tigers evened out last week after capping a 15-5 stretch with a series win over Boston, yet they still have some fight. Just ask Parker Meadows, who hit an epic go-ahead grand slam in San Diego on Thursday.”
It is a tad surprising to see Detroit slip in the power rankings, but that likely has more to do with the play of the St. Louis Cardinals rather than the performance of the Tigers. The Cardinals have been playing some excellent baseball of late and they are surging in the National League Wild Card race.
Like the Cardinals have been of late, Detroit has been powered by their pitching staff for most of the season. This past week, we saw another solid performance from Brant Hurter, as he picked up yet another win.
The Tigers will now be coming home for a series against the Colorado Rockies. With the Rockies being one of the worst teams in baseball and coming to Detroit, the Tigers must capitalize on the opportunity, as the Baltimore Orioles will be coming to town afterward.
Even though Detroit may have slipped in the power rankings, they are getting closer and closer to the final Wild Card spot. Behind their strong pitching staff and improved hitting, the Tigers have become a team nobody wants to face in September. If they continue on their current track, they could be a playoff team this season.
NICK ZIEGLER