Nauseating Tigers stat shows how badly they dug themselves into a hole

The Tigers are 3-0 in June. Much like turning the page in your favorite book, the Tigers have approached a new month as a fresh slate, defeating the American League's best team (record-wise) three times, including an 8-0 thrashing on Tuesday night. A road series sweep against Tampa is a reason to get excited, but also brings with it the usual side of existential dread.

What makes the Tigers first winning streak of any kind since early May all the more frustrating is that they're capable of it. In fact, it's easy to point blame at one facet of this Tigers team, if we're being honest, as the main culprit of why they haven't lived up to expectations in 2026. Detroit hasn't been able to hold a lead. It really is that simple, and the stats back that up.

Why the Tigers can't hold a lead

The Tigers have 21 blown leads on the year. Some of that can be chalked up to bad luck and superior competition, but not most. Whether it be AJ Hinch galaxy-braining his way into a loss with bullpen mismanagement or the Tigers inability to dodge offensive haymakers from opposing teams, there is no one easy cause, but the end result are some sick kitties. Whether discarding an impossibly-bad May is enough to restore the roar remains to be seen, but suggesting as much after two games in shortsighted.

The back-end of the Detroit bullpen has been notoriously bad so far this season. Scott Harris acquired Kenley Jansen in free agency this past winter, which was fitting a square peg in a round hole. Jansen was brought in to close games, but the Tigers bullpen thrived on flexibility and a lack of assigned roles just last season. Why mess with a good thing?

Jansen's ERA on the year is 4.80, just a shade higher than the Tigers team bullpen ERA of 4.46, good for 20th in MLB as of this writing. Add in a constant slew of injuries to the starting pitching staff — including Casey Mize and Tarik Skubal, who is slowly working his way back — and you might understand why keeping a lead isn't as easy as it seems.

Can the Tigers still turn around their season?

Even after an encouraging first three days of June, the Tigers are 25-38, good for fourth in the AL Central by 11 games. Digging their way back into the division race will be a tall task, barring a collapse similar to Detroit's in 2025. Ironically enough, that's what it may take for the Tigers to really turn the tables on the Guardians.

A more realistic path back to relevance is in the AL Wild Card race. Detroit is just six games back of the third and final Wild Card spot, currently held by the Athletics. As bad as the Tigers have started the 2026 season, the same can be said of much of the American League. Only five teams have a record over .500, and those same A's are a game under.

There is hope for the Tigers yet, but their first step needs to be solving the bullpen woes that have plagued them all year long. Whether that means sticking with Jansen or Will Vest, or giving Kyle Finnegan a bigger role, isn't up to me.

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