Reeling Tigers Get One-Two Punch Of Bad News as Playoff Chances Slip
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The Detroit Tigers were one of the great MLB feel-good stories of 2024. Coming from seven games under .500 as late as Aug. 4, the Bengals surged into the postseason for the first time since 2014, winning 33 of their last 49 games.
This year, at least through the beginning of July, they seemed to have picked up where they left off.
On July 8, Detroit boasted the best record in baseball at 59-34, a .634 winning percentage. That was significantly better even than the defending World Series champs, the Los Angeles Dodgers, who at the time stood at .602.
WASHINGTON, DC - JULY 03: Manager A.J. Hinch #14 of the Detroit Tigers walks across the field during the game against the Washington Nationals at Nationals Park on July 03, 2025 in Washington, DC.
WASHINGTON, DC - JULY 03: Manager A.J. Hinch #14 of the Detroit Tigers walks across the field during the game against the Washington Nationals at Nationals Park on July 03, 2025 in Washington, DC.And then it all started to go south. Since that date, the Tigers have won only three games and lost 12. Amazingly, they still enjoy a comfortable — at least for now — lead of nine games in the American League Central over the Cleveland Guardians, who have problems of their own.
But according to Fangraphs, the Tigers' chances of making the playoffs have slipped somewhat from a virtual certainty of 99.8% on July 8 with an 11.7% chance of winning the World Series — better than any team in MLB except the Dodgers — to 96.6% with an 8% chance of winning the World Series.
In their most recent two games, the Tigers showed signs of turning their fortunes back around, snapping a six-game losing streak with a 10-4 win over the Toronto Blue Jays on Sunday, followed by a 5-1 defeat of the Arizona Diamondbacks Monday.
More MLB: Tigers Reportedly Acquiring Chris Paddack In Trade With Twins
But all was still not well.
The Tigers were slammed with a double shot of terrible injury news on Monday. First, 25-year-old, third-year starting pitcher Reese Olson — who had just returned from a five-week stay on the injured list July 4 — was sent back to the IL with a strained pitching shoulder.
The Tigers did not reveal the exact nature of the "strain," but they know it must be bad enough to end the righty's season. The team sent Olson and his 3.15 ERA — effectively making him the Tigers No. 2 starter behind reigning Cy Young winner Tarik Skubal — straight to the 60-day IL, removing him from the 40-man roster.
With top-rated rookie Jackson Jobe also out for the season since late May with Tommy John surgery, the Tigers have now lost three-fifths of their opening day starting rotation.
The Tigers quickly engineered a trade with the Minnesota Twins to obtain Chris Paddack, a 29-year-old righty with a 4.95 ERA.
But Paddack has reliably showed up for all 21 of his starts, which may be the most important factor for the Tigers at this moment. The seven-year veteran is scheduled to start Wednesday's game at home against Arizona, taking Olson's spot in the rotation.
More MLB: Big Trouble For MLB-Best Tigers as Top Rookie Pitcher's Season Now Threatened
But the bad news did not stop there for the Tigers.
Also on Monday the team announced that centerfielder Parker Meadows, who missed the first 60 games of the season with a nerve injury in his right arm, was headed back to the IL.
Unlike Olson, the Tigers expect Meadows to return at the end of his 10-day IL stay, or soon thereafter. The quad strain that sent him there, according to a report by the Detroit Free Press, was caught early and the team believes any serious tear to the muscle was averted.
Meadows never got into a groove after returning from his first IL stint, scraping together an anemic .566 OPS on just 25 hits in 125 at-bats. The Tigers selected Andy Ibáñez from the Triple-A Toledo Mud Hens to take Meadows' spot on the 26-man roster.
More MLB: MLB's Best Team Gets 'Big Upgrade'; Tigers Outfielder Activated For Season Debut
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