The Detroit Tigers have no doubt noticed how the Baltimore Orioles took their lumps for years but now lead the brutally tough American League East.
Soon, the Tigers could similarly turn things around thanks to talents such as center fielder Riley Greene and first baseman Spencer Torkelson.
The Tigers, who visit the Miami Marlins on Saturday for the middle game of a weekend series, haven’t made the playoffs since 2014.
Following a 6-5 loss on Friday, the Tigers have dropped four in a row and are on pace for their seventh consecutive losing season, but they have come a long way since the 2019 team went 47-114.
Detroit still struggles to score runs. Last year, the Tigers ranked 30th (last) in the majors with 3.4 runs per game. This year, they are up half a run per game, though they still rank just 28th in scoring (3.9), two spots below Miami (4.1).
The success of Torkelson — the first overall pick in 2020 — is crucial for the Tigers.
Torkelson, a California native who starred at Arizona State, hit 30 homers in the minors in 2021. Last year, he made his major league debut but was held to eight home runs and a .604 OPS in 110 games with the Tigers.
He struggled with breaking pitches, and even though he kept his composure outwardly, he took his failures to heart, according to Detroit manager A.J. Hinch.
“He expects to do really well,” Hinch said. “He’s pretty hard on himself when he doesn’t.”
This year has been much better for Torkelson, whose OPS is up to .723. He also leads the team with 15 homers.
The Tigers are expected to start right-hander Beau Brieske (0-0, 4.76 ERA) on Saturday.
Brieske will be making his sixth major league appearance of the year and his first start. He has never faced the Marlins.
He will go up against Marlins right-hander Johnny Cueto (0-1, 4.50 ERA).
Cueto is coming off a brilliant start on July 22, when he held the Colorado Rockies to just two hits, one walk and one run in six innings. He struck out eight batters in his first start since April 3.
Despite a biceps injury and later an ankle ailment that kept him out for three months, the 37-year-old veteran appears to have found his groove.
“Every time out, I try to do as much as I can to help my team win,” Cueto said. “I try to get the outs.”
Cueto has had good success against the Tigers, going 2-2 with a 2.34 ERA in six career starts covering 42 1/3 innings.
The Marlins, who have won three of their past four games, made a couple of moves this week as they attempt to improve their bullpen.
First, they completed a reliever swap, sending Dylan Floro to the Minnesota Twins in exchange for Jorge Lopez.
The biggest news, though, came late Thursday night when the Marlins acquired New York Mets closer David Robertson in exchange for two prospects, an infielder and a catcher who are in the low minors.
Robertson is 4-2 with a 2.05 ERA and 14 saves in 17 chances this year. He has also made 40 postseason appearances, which ranks second among active major league players, trailing only Kenley Jansen’s 59 appearances.
“The Marlins have a lot of talent,” Robertson, 38, said Thursday night. “All you have to do is get in (the playoffs and) see what happens.”
–Field Level Media
