This overlooked Tigers strength is quietly fueling their AL takeover

The Tigers don't lead the American League in any of the big three offensive categories — batting average, OBP, or slugging — and slip even further down the leaderboards when you introduce the power-packed National League. But they still have the best record in the AL and the third-best in all of baseball. Their 13-3 home record is their best start in Detroit since 1911.

And the key to their success might be opportunism. The Tigers are "the American League’s most aggressive team when it comes to taking extra bases" this year. This isn't a new philosophy for them — AJ Hinch and third base coach Joey Cora encouraged their young team to just put their heads down and run in 2024 — but this year, they already lead the AL by Statcast's extra-bases-taken metric with three.

Former Yankee Gleyber Torres, whose old team placed dead last in the same metric at -12 in 2024, said, "From the beginning (of spring training), I was in the dugout and I saw everybody running first to third. I didn't do that before. It's a brand new game for me."

The Tigers go first-to-third on singles and go home on doubles. They put their heads down and run, and that's made a whole lot of difference.

Tigers' aggressive baserunning has become an underrated part of their success this season

Torres clearly bought into this philosophy quickly, because on Opening Day against the Dodgers, he was on first after a single and went all the way to third on another single from Riley Greene. He ended up scoring a run, the Tigers' first of the season, on a sac fly from Manuel Margot. Spencer Torkelson had already done it in the top of the second after a walk and a Margot single. It was also all over their last series against the Orioles.

The Tigers aren't particularly aggressive base stealers, ranking second to last in that category, but they still seize their opportunities. They give themselves the extra 90 feet whenever they can, and it's paying off.

Hinch said of the strategy: "It is our identity. I think what the Detroit Tigers are about is being opportunistic and being aggressive. This is not new but our guys are into it. Every chance we get, we are going to try to apply pressure."

Clearly, it's working. The long ball is nice, but the Tigers are making it clear that they can win in more ways than one.