Insane Tigers stat proves just how unpredictable June run has been

If you wrote the Detroit Tigers off after May, I can't say I blame you. Detroit was at the bottom of a winnable AL Central. The Tigers went 6-22 in May, and scored just 46 runs in their final 18 games, good for an average of 2.55 runs per game, and certainly not a winning recipe. But just as it's your job to come to premature conclusions about a team through two months, it is mine to continue writing about them.

In June, the Tigers have flipped the script, as I'm sure you've noticed. Detroit has won six out of seven game, thanks in large part to a lineup that has suddenly come alive. Whether it be Dillon Dingler, Riley Greene, or any number of Tigers sluggers, this lineup should strike fear in opposing pitching staffs given how they're playing since the calendar turned. Not only have the Tigers won six of seven, but they've also scored more runs since June 1 than they did in that 18-game stretch in May.

What's behind the Tigers sudden offensive surge

Confidence is at the heart of the Tigers sudden turnaround. Once Dingler started hitting with power, the rest of Detroit's lineup followed suit. Dingler has 16 home runs in his first 60 games this season. Only one Tigers catcher has beaten that mark — Rudy York, who had 20 in his first 60 games — and that happened all the way back in 1938.

“Ultimately, it’s all about confidence,” Dingler said. “Once you have a sliver of confidence, it can go a long way. You’ve just gotta ride the wave.”

“Not to make it simple, but I feel like I’m getting good pitches in the heart of the zone,” Dingler continued. “We’ve been working on turning barrels, or whatever you want to say. I feel like it’s ultimately getting pitches in the heart of the plate.”

While it's convenient the Tigers have followed Dingler's lead, there wasn't any way to see it coming. That's much of what's so concerning about this team's long-term playoff prospects. They are as inconsistent as any team in baseball, especially offensively.

While the Tigers June batting average is sure to come back down to earth at some point, their May numbers were truly dreadful.

Is the Tigers hot June sustainable?

Of course not, at least not in its current form. The Tigers are averaging nearly seven runs per game. If they continue that mark over the entire month, odds are they'll vault to the top of the AL Central in a short time period. It's a rarity in today's game.

The good news for Detroit is that they should get Tarik Skubal back soon, as well as Casey Mize. The Tigers pitching staff has been ravaged by injury all year long, and they've been forced to rely on the likes of Framber Valdez and Jack Flaherty (along with a bullpen that's blown more leads than any other in baseball) far too much.

I wouldn't put it past this Tigers team to turn their season around, but it likely won't look this pretty — minus more Dingler dingers, hopefully — all month long.

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