This Rays-Brewers strength is something Tigers already have the keys to emulate in 2027

Baseball has been on a wild ride over the last decade. Analytics went from a front-office curiosity to the backbone of how hitters train, how pitchers design their arsenals and how every club collects and reads data. And yet, for all that information, nobody has the game completely figured out.

The Dodgers have come the closest to a blueprint, but theirs is built on resources most teams will never have. Los Angeles actually ranked 28th in stolen bases this year and still won 100 games, because a payroll like theirs can afford to wait for the three-run homer. Clubs without that payroll have proven a different model works, too, and one common denominator keeps showing up among the small-market teams that consistently win: they run.

The Tigers need to start running.

Why the Tigers need to add speed to compete like the Rays and Brewers

Look at this year's World Series. The Rays stole 164 bases, tied for second in baseball, and the Brewers swiped 162 to rank fifth while leading the majors in average sprint speed. Neither franchise has ever won a World Series, but both are only a few wins away from changing that.

Then look at Detroit. The Tigers stole just 58 bases all season, ranking 29th and ahead of only the Astros. For a team that finished 76-86, that's a lot of free 90 feet left on the table. Scott Harris has already said the Tigers are going to start stealing more bases, and the good news is that a lot of the help is already in the building.

Max Clark has a 70-grade run tool and went 21-for-23 on steals at Triple-A, even if he barely ran after his promotion. Ben Malgeri's sprint speed sat in the 91st percentile, and Kevin McGonigle led the team with 12 steals in 15 tries. A.J. Hinch has already described the identity he wants as a "fear-based" attack that puts pressure on defenses, and it's on the coaching staff to turn that athleticism into green lights.

There's more coming, too. Peyton Graham set an Erie franchise record with 66 steals this year and is one of the names Harris will weigh before the Rule 5 deadline. Develop that kind of speed internally and you don't have to pay for it on the open market.

If Detroit does shop, two free agents fit the profile. Jazz Chisholm Jr. stole 41 bases with 19 homers for the Yankees, can handle second base with Gleyber Torres hitting free agency, and is still just 29. Randy Arozarena brings exactly the right-handed bat this lineup has been missing, along with 26 homers, 26 steals and a .381 on-base percentage this season. For a cheaper option, Cedric Mullins hits free agency after chipping in 21 steals to Tampa Bay's track meet-like season.

Speed isn't a cure-all, and the Dodgers prove you can win without it. But for a young club like Detroit, every extra base can help turn into runs, and runs turn into wins. The Rays and Brewers are showing us in real time how far that can take you.

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