MLB Insider Highlights Under-the-Radar Detroit Tigers As Potential October Stars
There may not be a team heading into the MLB playoffs that anyone wants to face less than the Detroit Tigers.
They are red hot, crashing the American League postseason picture with a torrid pace that began back at the start of July. Not even the temperatures dropping have been able to cool off the Tigers, who are in a tie with the Kansas City Royals for the second wild card spot.
Two games clear of the Minnesota Twins with four to play, Detroit is in a great spot. After completing their series against the Tampa Bay Rays, they will face the lowly Chicago White Sox for three to finish out the regular season.
Odds are certainly in their favor for qualifying for the 2024 MLB Playoffs.
Who has helped them get to this point? Ace starting pitcher Tarik Skubal is probably the only household name that casual baseball fans recognize.
A heavy favorite to win the Cy Young Award this season, he has been anchoring the pitching staff all year. A bonafide star, he gives the team a chance to win every time he steps on the mound.
But, he has received some help during this incredible run. In the lineup, the Tigers have several players who will become well-known in October.
MLB insider Jeff Passan highlighted some of them in a “Who are some under-the-radar players with industry buzz as potential October stars?” category of a recent piece over at ESPN.
“Riley Greene is the best player on the resurgent Detroit Tigers, and Kerry Carpenter is their best hitter, but two other left-handed bats in a quite-lefty-heavy lineup are making excellent impressions during this late surge. Center fielder Parker Meadows and shortstop Trey Sweeney have won everyday jobs and are doing enough offensively and defensively to keep them. Meadows struggled early and was hurt, and Sweeney came over along with Thayron Liranzo in the deadline deal for Jack Flaherty. Meadows returned Aug. 3, Sweeney arrived Aug. 16, and the Tigers are 23-9 in games they both played,” Passan wrote.
No one expected Detroit to be in this position, as their playoff odds were under 1.0 percent at one point. They would become only the fifth team in MLB history to make the playoffs after facing a double-digit deficit at least 115 games into the season.
The emergence of their young hitters has certainly helped. They are using speed and athleticism to make up for their lack of power, as they are in the bottom half of baseball in most batting categories outside of triples.
With all of the positive momentum in the world, this is a team peaking at the right time. They are going to give whoever they face off against a tough challenge even if they are presumed heavy underdogs entering the postseason.
KENNETH TEAPE
Kenneth Teape is an alumnus of SUNY Old Westbury and graduated in 2013 with an Honors Degree in Media Communications with a focus on print journalism. During his time at Old Westbury, he worked for the school newspaper and several online publications, such as Knicks Now, the official website of the New York Knicks, and a self-made website with fellow students, Gotham City Sports News. Kenneth has also been a site expert at Empire Writes Back, Musket Fire, and Lake Show Life within the FanSided Network. He was a contributor to HoopsHabit, with work featured on Bleacher Report and Yardbarker. In addition to his work here, he is a reporter for both NBA Analysis Network and NFL Analysis Network, as well as a writer and editor for Packers Coverage. You can follow him on X, formerly Twitter, @teapester725, or reach him via email at teapester725@gmail.com.