The Detroit Tigers have pulled off a near-miracle, clawing their way back into the American League wild card hunt after digging themselves into a serious hole back in May. Their insane 33-22 run has them right in the thick of things, even after dropping back-to-back games to the AL Central-leading Chicago White Sox on Friday and Saturday. Yeah, they’re still 4.5 games out of the division, but this team has been playing .600 ball for the past eleven weeks, which is just bonkers considering the injuries, the lack of a dominant bullpen, and the fact they traded away Tarik Skubal and Casey Mize at the deadline.
Rookies Stepping Up and the Return of Jobe Keep the Engine Running
This wild push isn’t just luck; the Tigers have gotten serious boosts from a bunch of rookies. We’re talking Hao-Yu Lee, Max Clark, Ben Malgeri, and especially Eduardo Valencia, all stepping up when it mattered. Plus, Jackson Jobe, who’s still only 24 and got more development ahead, is back and stabilizing that rotation. Riley Greene is rehabbing, getting ready to jump back in from the injured list, and any of Brant Hurter, Kerry Carpenter, or Jack Flaherty could add some much needed depth. The front office pretty much admitted this whole thing was a long shot after those trade deadline moves, but here they are, still with a real shot at the postseason.
River Ryan Is Throwing Fire, And The Tigers Need Him Badly
Outside of Greene, the only dude with true massive impact potential if he gets back healthy is right-hander River Ryan. Seriously, they might sneak into the postseason without him, but if they want to make any real noise, if they want a deep run, it all comes down to their newest arm. Ryan, who turns 28 on Monday, has been shelved with a right hamstring strain since his last Triple-A start on June 17. The word was he’d be back by the end of August, but he’s gonna need a rehab start or two to get tuned up. So, if the timetable holds, we should see him on the mound for the Toledo Mud Hens next week. Manager A.J. Hinch gave a pretty good report on Friday, saying Ryan’s velocity looks great and his recovery has gone even better as he works through a progression of bullpens. Let’s hope that’s true, because the subtext is there are still live bullpen sessions ahead before he even gets to that rehab assignment, which probably pushes his actual return into September.
The Tigers are fighting for their season, and Ryan’s arm is the biggest piece still missing. Getting him back and firing in September could be the spark that pushes them over the edge. It’s gonna be a wild ride, and every bullpen session for Ryan matters.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Bless You Boys.
Leave a Reply