3 overreactions to the Tigers opening series sweep of the White Sox

For the first time since 2016, the Detroit Tigers are 3-0 after a 3-2 win over the Chicago White Sox on Sunday, clinching the series sweep to open the season. It wasn't easy, as they were all one-run victories, but wins are wins.

It's hard to come to any conclusions after three games in a 162-game season, but darn it, we're going to try. They are some takeaways here, both positive and negative.

The offense was very hit-or-miss, which is technically an upgrade over the past couple of years. The starting pitching was pretty solid other than Kenta Maeda's stinker on Saturday. The bullpen was outstanding. They gave up just one run the entire series.

The Tigers are 3-0 to begin the 2024 campaign. The sweep came at the hands of a bad White Sox team, but who cares. Be happy. Even if it ends up being an overreaction, like the three we're about to go over. It's been eight years since the Tigers got off to this good of a start.

We're not one for hyperboles, but we've got three in the tank here. Here are three overreactions to the Tigers opening series sweep of the White Sox.

Kenta Maeda was a bad signing

This was by far the biggest overreaction I saw on X, formerly known as Twitter, over the weekend. As Maeda was getting shelled, fans were screaming for him to get DFA'd and for Matt Manning to come up from Toledo. After one bad start.

Look, Maeda was pretty bad on Saturday. He just didn't have it. He kept grooving his pitches and his fastball was hovering around 88 mph. That's not very good. But he also has a history of getting off to a poor start.

Maeda has career ERA of 5.02 in March and April, including Saturday's start. There's only one other month in his career with an ERA over 4, and that's August. This is just who he is.

He doesn't throw very much, if he does at all, in the offseason. He uses spring training as his ramp-up period. That explains the low velo early on in the spring.

It was also cold and windy in Chicago this weekend. It probably won't be much better when he makes in next start in Detroit, but that likely played a factor.

Maeda will be fine. There's no reason to DFA a guy that's signed through not only this season, but next season as well because of one bad start. The velo will probably ramp back up as we get deeper into the season. Calm down, everyone.