Detroit Tigers future success will be built on starting rotation

Detroit Tigers fans could see the team field an elite starting rotation down the road, as many of the franchise’s top starting pitching prospects have high ceilings.

Detroit Tigers players begin the week in Cleveland against their American League rivals.

Entering Monday, Cleveland has peeled off 18 straight wins to push the team 31 games over .500. Their run differential currently sits at +207.

While Cleveland’s offense is impressive—722 runs scored is nothing to scoff—and the bullpen (when healthy) features the Andrew Miller and Cody Allen two-headed monster, the team’s starting pitching might be the main reason for their success.

Of the starting pitching staffs in Major League Baseball, just four have cumulative WAR stats over 15.0.

Cleveland leads the way with a 19.5 number. The next closest is Arizona with a 17.9 WAR.

Terry Francona’s starters are also the only unit in the Majors with a strikeout per nine inning-rate over 10.00 and one of just two units with a walk per nine inning rate below 2.60.

Two of Cleveland’s three starters this weekend are in the top 10 among starters where WAR is concerned in Corey Kluber (6.1) and Carlos Carrasco (4.8).

While Kluber and company are undoubtedly running away with the American League Central this season, the Tigers could eventually flip the script with some strong starting pitching of their own.

The actual script flipping may not occur for a number of seasons, but the seeds are in place for an extremely successful Detroit Tigers rotation.