Tigers letting Royals put final nail in the coffin has to force Scott Harris' hand this offseason

The Tigers suffered a sweep to the Royals on Sunday, dropping their fifth game in a row and falling to 61-69, fourth place in the American League Central and 3.5 games out of a Wild Card spot. It's still not an insurmountable gap in the limping AL, but there's no way to sugarcoat this: that felt like the end of the Tigers' 2026 season.

Just look at who's up next. The Rays and Dodgers are coming to Comerica, and especially with the way the Tigers have been playing against fellow sub-.500 teams, is there any hope they'll be able to beat two division leaders?

Sunday's game was the perfect microcosm of everything that's been wrong with the team this year (and a few things they've gotten right). They went in with an opener after calling up No. 14 prospect Andrew Sears for his MLB debut. Jacob Waguespack pitched 1 1/3 innings before getting into some trouble and being replaced by Ty Madden, who let the game get away with him for a five-run second inning for the Royals.

The Tigers offense scrapped back thanks to a four-run fifth capped off by a game-tying homer for Kevin McGonigle (that aforementioned thing they've gotten right this season), but Sears and eventually Kyle Finnegan gave up six more runs before the day was over. The lineup tried to keep pace but eventually fell short.

This needs to send a message to the front office: there's work to be done this offseason. A lot of work.

Tigers' miserable weekend vs Royals might've sounded the death knell on their 2026 season

The offense, while wildly streaky, needs the least amount of work, and Scott Harris has repeatedly declined to spend big money on that part of his roster anyway. Even if Gleyber Torres walks, fans wouldn't hate seeing Max Anderson at second base next year.

But the pitching staff needs a dramatic overhaul. Under no circumstances should the Tigers pick up Kenley Jansen's option for 2027, and even Drew Anderson is a big "maybe." Tanner Rainey should be let go. Ty Madden might need to start the season in the minors. Sears definitely looks like he needs some more time at Triple-A.

In the rotation, Jack Flaherty, Justin Verlander, and maybe Anderson will be gone. All of this makes the Tigers' need to upgrade their pitching staff not only a desire but an imperative.

Of course, there's little faith in Harris to be able to do that given how few of his pitcher signings have actually worked out for the Tigers, but most of the bullpen is made of either homegrown arms who haven't panned out, or scrap heap waiver claims. That cannot continue.

Again, the Tigers have 32 games to turn things around, and that's not nothing. But if this week goes as badly as we think it will, there's no saving them.

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