Detroit Tigers Starting to Earn Respect in MLB Power Rankings
It was another great week for the Detroit Tigers, who continue to be one of the hottest teams in baseball.
The Tigers have been playing superbly for quite some time now, as they continue to inch closer to a playoff spot. Despite being sellers at the trade deadline, a lot of credit has to go to the coaching staff and the players for not giving up on the season.
A.J. Hinch won a World Series not too long ago with the Houston Astros, and he has to be really encouraged by the performance of his young team. The pitching staff has certainly led the way for Detroit most of the season, but players like Riley Greene and Colt Keith are hitting the baseball well down the stretch.
Finally, having a balance of good pitching and good hitting has resulted in a lot of success in the past two months.
Zachary D. Rymer of Bleacher Report recently spoke about the Tigers’ play of late and moved them up two spots to 14th in his MLB Power Rankings.
“With wins in 15 out of their last 22, the Tigers are on a run that feels like it could actually pay off. And maybe they have something in Keider Montero? He has a 2.72 ERA in his last six starts, including that "Maddux" from last Monday.”
On their six-game homestand this past week, Detroit was able to win both series against the Colorado Rockies and Baltimore Orioles. While the Rockies series was expected to be a win, the series win over the Orioles was really important for potential playoff implications down the road.
The bright spot of the week was certainly the complete game shutout by Keider Montero against the Rockies. While Colorado's lineup might not be the best, a complete game shutout is very rare to see these days.
The young right-hander has been one of the reasons why the Tigers’ pitching staff has survived despite trading Jack Flaherty at the trade deadline.
With October right around the corner, it will be another challenging week for Detroit, as they will be playing the Kansas City Royals and the Orioles on the road. Both of these teams are ahead of the Tigers in the AL Wild Card standings, as this will be a huge road trip.
Despite not getting a lot of recognition, Detroit has been one of the best teams in baseball for well over a month now and were deserving of a bump in their league ranking.
NICK ZIEGLER