Hidden stat proves American League is overlooking Tigers after Saturday win

The 31-13 Detroit Tigers who paraded down the stretch last September may never be able to replicate that uniquely dominant surge. But, as they're proving to open 2025, they're sure going to try.

One major difference, though. Last season, Detroit's wild ride was fueled by eventual Cy Young winner Tarik Skubal (apologies to Emmanuel Clase, nice try) and a fleet of bullpen arms-turned-chaos agents. Jack Flaherty had already been dealt to Los Angeles. The Tigers had already relented. They used their one-of-a-kind force of will to survive every single day in that deal's wake, and survive they did.

This year? The rotation is beginning to take shape, capable of more than just a series of successive one-to-two-inning sprints. Skubal is finding his sea legs. Flaherty, who's returned, has recaptured his first half form from '24. Casey Mize is finally valuable. And Jackson Jobe, summoned late last season as one final wild card, holds a 3.00 ERA through 15 innings across a trio of starts.

In six shutout innings against the Twins on Saturday, Jobe stymied the Twins en route to a 4-0 victory in Minnesota, as the American League Central division continues to combat the "mid" allegations.

The Tigers' success should help with that. After being sentenced to Los Angeles to face the Dodgers to start the season, Detroit has regrouped. The +4 runs they put up today gave them a newly minted +19 run differential on the season. In case you hadn't noticed, that's the best mark in the American League, typically reserved for the most dominant team.

Detroit Tigers' American League-best run differential makes them an underrated contender

Not only are the Tigers 19 runs better than their collective opponents, and outscoring everyone they've faced since the Dodgers by 27 runs, but they are now one of only four AL teams with a positive run differential on the season.

Those are the Yankees, by all accounts an impressive offense, the Toronto Blue Jays (at a measly +3) and the Houston Astros (checking in at just +1, a mark that could disappear by the time you've read to the bottom of this article).

In essence, that American League half of the bracket is wide open in the early going, and the Tigers have weathered the injury storm beautifully to climb to the mountaintop. Stability in the rotation. Wow. How very un-Gritty Tigs. And how very effective.