Tigers focused on getting back to playoffs and contending for World Series
At 59-38, Detroit owns the majors' best record and sent six All-Stars to Atlanta, the most of any team. And still, it doesn't seem the Tigers are being lauded as the title contenders that their numbers suggest.
Detroit, which leads Minnesota by 11½ games in the American League Central, is spearheaded by reigning AL Cy Young Award winner Tarik Skubal and his 10-3 record, 2.23 ERA and league-leading 0.83 walks plus hits per innings pitched. Fellow All-Star Riley Greene has blasted 24 home runs, while a solid bullpen has helped the Tigers post four separate five-game winning streaks.
For a team on pace to win its most games since 1984 — when the Tigers went 104-58 on the way to the franchise's last World Series triumph — not much matters before October.
"The goal, to me, of baseball is to win and win championships," Skubal said during the All-Star week news conference. "So as much as this is an honor, and I appreciate this moment, and I'm going to have a good time over the next couple days, my focus is on winning a championship, and that's what the game's about. So I don't really think that I've accomplished much until I win a championship."
Sparking the team's turnaround from the dugout, former World Series champion manager A.J. Hinch knows better than the most of the players in the Tigers' clubhouse what it takes to finish a season as the last team standing.
"I am very proud of where we're at, at the midway point of the season," said Hinch, who managed the 2017 Houston Astros to the title. "When you start looking at the series that we've won, there are a lot more series won than lost, so I think we're in a good position to have a very special summer. We just have to do a lot of work to get there. We have a good team. We have a winning team that I'll feel can stack up against anybody."
Although the club's All-Star hitters — Greene, Javier Baez, Gleyber Torres and Zack McKinstry combined to go 0-for-8, and Skubal and Casey Mize combined to allow three runs on four hits in 1⅔ innings — the fact that Detroit, which lost 96 games three years ago, had players littered across the field is a testament to the present and future of what Tigers baseball has become.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Japan Times
14 hours ago
- Japan Times
Tigers focused on getting back to playoffs and contending for World Series
Even after an exciting, plucky Detroit Tigers team pushed its way into the postseason last year, it would have been far-fetched to predict the production the club has engineered midway through 2025. At 59-38, Detroit owns the majors' best record and sent six All-Stars to Atlanta, the most of any team. And still, it doesn't seem the Tigers are being lauded as the title contenders that their numbers suggest. Detroit, which leads Minnesota by 11½ games in the American League Central, is spearheaded by reigning AL Cy Young Award winner Tarik Skubal and his 10-3 record, 2.23 ERA and league-leading 0.83 walks plus hits per innings pitched. Fellow All-Star Riley Greene has blasted 24 home runs, while a solid bullpen has helped the Tigers post four separate five-game winning streaks. For a team on pace to win its most games since 1984 — when the Tigers went 104-58 on the way to the franchise's last World Series triumph — not much matters before October. "The goal, to me, of baseball is to win and win championships," Skubal said during the All-Star week news conference. "So as much as this is an honor, and I appreciate this moment, and I'm going to have a good time over the next couple days, my focus is on winning a championship, and that's what the game's about. So I don't really think that I've accomplished much until I win a championship." Sparking the team's turnaround from the dugout, former World Series champion manager A.J. Hinch knows better than the most of the players in the Tigers' clubhouse what it takes to finish a season as the last team standing. "I am very proud of where we're at, at the midway point of the season," said Hinch, who managed the 2017 Houston Astros to the title. "When you start looking at the series that we've won, there are a lot more series won than lost, so I think we're in a good position to have a very special summer. We just have to do a lot of work to get there. We have a good team. We have a winning team that I'll feel can stack up against anybody." Although the club's All-Star hitters — Greene, Javier Baez, Gleyber Torres and Zack McKinstry combined to go 0-for-8, and Skubal and Casey Mize combined to allow three runs on four hits in 1⅔ innings — the fact that Detroit, which lost 96 games three years ago, had players littered across the field is a testament to the present and future of what Tigers baseball has become.
Japan Times
15 hours ago
- Japan Times
MLB All-Star Game ratings dip in despite dramatic finish
The first "swing-off" in MLB All-Star Game history wasn't enough to save the Midsummer Classic from a 3% ratings drop. Tuesday night's game averaged a 3.8 rating and drew 7.19 million viewers on Fox, according to Nielsen, down from 7.44 million last year and the second-fewest on record for the event. It was 3% better than the record low of 7 million who tuned into the 2023 MLB All-Star Game. MLB's All-Star event still draws far better than its counterparts, with this year's NBA All-Star Game and the NFL's Pro Bowl Games each averaging 4.7 million viewers. Monday night's MLB Home Run Derby drew 5.73 million viewers on ESPN. The All-Star Game itself peaked with 8.1 million viewers in the 9:15 p.m. eastern standard time quarter-hour, per making it the most-watched program on Fox since the Super Bowl. It also featured the first "swing-off" to determine the All-Star Game winner. Each player got three swings. Brent Rooker launched two over the fence, while Kyle Stowers went 1-for-3. Randy Arozarena then hit one, before Kyle Schwarber sent all three out to give the NL a 4-3 lead entering the final round. Jonathan Aranda then went 0-for-3, clinching the bizarre National League victory — technically a 7-6 win — the league's second triumph in three years after dropping the previous nine. A rule change in 2022 provided what was left of the 41,702 fans with a spectacle they likely weren't expecting when they entered Truist Park in Atlanta. "It was interesting," Schwarber said after being named the Phillies' first All-Star Game MVP since Johnny Callison in 1964. "Exciting, fun. There's a lot of guys who deserve this (trophy), but I'm glad it's going home with us to Philly."
Japan Times
16 hours ago
- Japan Times
Manny Pacquiao embraces underdog status ahead of comeback fight against Barrios
Former world champion Manny Pacquiao is embracing his underdog status as he gets ready to turn back the clock when he steps out of retirement to face WBC welterweight champion Mario Barrios in their showdown at the MGM Grand on Saturday. The 46-year-old Filipino feels rejuvenated after four years away from the ring and said he was returning for another opportunity to make history. "I'm enjoying training camp as much as I did when I was 26 or 29 years old," Pacquiao said at Wednesday's news conference. "The motivation to train hard, and the discipline are the same. "I mean, it's because I've been away from boxing why I'm still interested and passionate about fighting." The veteran fighter retired from boxing in 2021. He had a stint in the Philippine Senate from 2016 to 2022 and an unsuccessful presidential bid in 2022. His remarkable record includes championships in eight weight divisions — a first in boxing history — and he was the oldest welterweight world champion at age 40 in 2019. "I cannot imagine that I am still fighting here in the Grand Arena after 24 years," he said. "It's a blessing, a favor from God, and I'm so thankful to be here, still fighting and putting on a good show for the fans." He is also enjoying being the underdog. "In so many of my fights, I was the underdog, and I surprised them," he added. "Manny always brings surprises." Standing in his path is Barrios, a Mexican-American with 29 wins (18 by knockout) and two defeats in 32 bouts, who remains confident despite facing a boxing great. "You know, Manny is a very likeable person," Barrios said. "I can't think of anything bad to say about him other than, you know, he's facing me for my title. "At the end of the day, he's just another man in there. He's another opponent trying to take my title, regardless of everything he's accomplished and given to the sport."
