Detroit Tigers: Three Takeaways from Minnesota

The Detroit Tigers split a four-game series 2-2 against the Twins in Minnesota this weekend.

On the year, the Twins have the upper hand on the Tigers in the matchup at 2-4. The Detroit Tigers excelled on some areas on the field during that span, and in other areas, fans are in need of some answers.

Detroit Tigers- Another Failed Pitching Experiment

The Tigers are still going through some tough injuries to their bullpen. On the second game of the doubleheader Saturday night, the Tigers brought up Gregory Soto from Double-A Eries. The 24-year-old ended up getting blasted by the Twins. In his four innings, he gave up nine hits, seven earned runs, two walks, and a home run. He walked away from his major league debut with an ERA of 15.75.

The Tigers justifiably optioned him back to the SeaWolves the very next day. The only good news is that Soto is still very young, and the minors will be the best place to continue to improve his game.

Soto is the second failed pitching experiment this week after the Ryan Carpenter debacle against the Angels on Thursday. As of writing this, the only difference between Carpenter and Soto is that Carpenter is still on the active roster.

Fans should not see these two experiments as bad. Keep in mind that the Tigers are undergoing another rebuilding year. It is crucial for the team to continue to see what will stick and not stick for the future. Maybe one of these times, we will strike gold.

Detroit Tigers- What would our record be without Shane Green?

The Tigers record stands at 18-20 this season. That record could mostly be attributed to strong starting pitching and our bats getting hot at the right time. One sure thing is that Shane Greene will most likely be required to finish the game. It is always beneficial to have someone to finish the game and wrap it up in a pretty little bow. However, in18 wins, the Tigers have required Greene’s services 15 times.

There is a positive side to this and a negative side to this. It is nice knowing that Greene is 15/15 in save situations this year. If you have a close game, put him in and let him go to work. Of course, nobody is perfect– especially in the game of baseball. There is going to be a time where Greene won’t be able to get it done. Nevertheless, it is still great to have someone to get the job done in the 9th inning.

However, when you have a player of that caliber, you want to make sure he is rested. Detroit is only averaging 3.53 runs a game. With that stat in mind, it is impressive that Detroit has won 18 games.

There is a worry that the Tigers could be relying too much on Greene. The team needs to make sure that Greene stays fresh and they don’t push him too hard. Detroit can do this by being more efficient in the batter’s box, and when they do have runs, make sure the relievers keep the lead. Detroit needs Shane Greene healthy and refreshed.

Detroit Tigers- Is the Struggle for Power over?

The Tigers hit seven home runs this weekend against Minnesota. In the past three days, the Tigers have accounted for over 21% of their 32 long bombs this whole season.

The series was a lot more exciting to watch with all of the long shots. The first game of the doubleheader Saturday afternoon finished with Detroit hitting four home runs. Ronny Rodríguez hit two bombs that game that traveled over 400 feet. Brandon Dixon hit his 2nd and 3rd home runs of the season this weekend. Both Rodríguez and Dixon have performed well for the Tigers this far with both players finding more secure lineup spots. The home runs definitely help with that.

Tiger fans will hope for home runs to come more often because of the performances they saw at Target Field.

The Tigers head back to Comerica Park to take on the AL West-leading Astros in a three-game series tomorrow. Detroit will be looking for their first win streak since April 23rd.