Detroit Tigers: Injuries and Bullpen Could Cause Slump

After being swept by the Mariners, and multiple injuries occurring, tough times could be ahead for the Detroit Tigers.

The Detroit Tigers just came off an impressive 8 game winning streak last week. However, many concerning things have happened since then. The Tigers have been plagued with injuries. The bullpen has also performed unlike they had during the winning streak. The Detroit Tigers could see tough times ahead.

In the last two weeks, Jordan Zimmermann, Cameron Maybin, Mike Pelfrey, and Nick Castellanos were placed on the disabled list. These are some serious injuries, especially the injury to Zimmermann. Fans were ecstatic for his return to the big leagues because of his dominance early in the year. But his return to the disabled list is cause for concern.

The Detroit Tigers’ rotation has had woes all season. The back-end of the rotation has pitched extremely poorly, Pelfrey and Anibal Sanchez have definitely been disappointments. The return of Zimmermann was the main reason the Tigers did not go out and make a move for a pitcher at the deadline, and his absence will definitely affect this team.

As for the offense, losing important bats like Maybin and Castellanos will cause difficulties. Maybin has been excellent at getting on base this season for the bigger bats later in the lineup, like Castellanos, to knock him in.

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There are a few options to fill this role, one of which could be former All-star Carlos Gomez. Gomez was just designated for assignment by the Houston Astros. He is hitting just .210 this year, but could provide a spark. The Tigers could also not give up youth to add a veteran, like they would have had to at the deadline. Patience could have been the best decision for Detroit.

The Detroit Tigers’ bullpens‘ stock has also fallen since the win streak. Francisco Rodriguez has been in a slump as of late. He blew a save this series against the Mariners, and does not pitch well in non-save appearances like he did against the Mets last week. The bullpen has also not been able to keep the lead.

The Detroit Tigers bullpen will need to step up to push towards a playoff spot. They will need to hold leads, and finish games to catch the Indians and win the Central.

The Tigers’ upcoming schedule is definitely not an easy one. After their day off, the start a three-game road series against the Texas Rangers. Then they have seven-game homestand against the Royals and the Red Sox. These 10 games will be very important in the race for both the wild card and the Central.

Next: Same Old Bullpen, Different Year

If injuries plague the Detroit Tigers like I think they will, and the offense is stagnant from the loss of Maybin and Castellanos, then the Tigers could be in for a tough 10 games against these good teams. Hopefully, someone can provide a spark in the bullpen or on the field, and this team will power through this tough time.