Tigers can't let horrible All-Star Game history affect their second-half play

The Tigers sent six All-Stars to Atlanta this week, but they walked away having put together literally the worst collective performance of any crop of representatives. None of starters Gleyber Torres, Riley Greene, and Javy Báez got a hit, and neither did replacement Zach McKinstry, who got an at-bat in the top of the eighth. American League starter Tarik Skubal gave up two runs in the first, and Casey Mize gave up a solo homer in the sixth as the National League opened up a six-run lead.

It made the 2025 Tigers "the first team in MLB history to have six or more players play in All-Star Game but have none of them get at hit at the plate or toss a scoreless inning on the mound."

On one hand, it was just an exhibition with zero stakes attached (and was mostly for fun). But it had to have been at least a little demoralizing for the six guys who also just got swept by the Mariners last week.

It's also not a great note for Detroit to start their second half on. Hopefully, they'll be able to shake it off and maintain their league-leading record over the next two and a half months.

Tigers have to shake off historically bad All-Star Game appearances going into the second half

The Tigers have one of the easiest second-half schedule in baseball, thanks in part to the rest of the division tanking so badly, and they should, hopefully, be acquiring some help at the trade deadline to get them through August and September. Their first two series back, both on the road, are against two sub-.500 teams (the Rangers and Pirates), so maybe they'll be able to beat up on them to get some good vibes back into the clubhouse.

A total seven series versus division rivals — all of whom are trailing the Tigers by anywhere from 11.5 (Twins) to 27 (White Sox) games — left on the calendar is going to help a lot, but there are also some challenges built in. Detroit still has series against the Blue Jays, Phillies, Astros, Mets, and Yankees to contend with before the year's over.

It's easy to catastrophize after the sweep and disappointing All-Star Game, but hopefully these few days prior with no baseball will help everyone reset with the Rangers on deck Friday.