A.J. Hinch Sends Clear Message in Midst of Tumultuous Tigers Stretch

What is going on with the Detroit Tigers right now?

That's what the entire baseball world is wondering as the team that had been dominant throughout the first part of the season has crumbled in front of everyone's eyes.

After being the first to win 60 games, they are stuck on that number, while three teams have surpassed them and four others have joined them at that mark.

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Entering Saturday's contest against the red-hot Toronto Blue Jays, the Tigers have lost 11 out of their last 12 games, showcasing an inability to score runs and prevent them that had not been on display during the first half.

It's easy to understand why there might be panic about Detroit.

Despite their incredible run during the back stretch of last season that took them one win away from reaching the ALCS, not many people expected this team to do much in 2025, pointing to their middling roster that was full of young and unproven talent.

Before the All-Star break, not much went wrong even with all the injuries they suffered.

But it's been a different story since then.

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Thankfully, the Tigers have a veteran manager in their dugout, and he is the right man to steer them out of this funk.

"I've never been on a team that hasn't gone through a little bit of something at some point. There is no easy 162-game schedule," he said to reporters, including Evan Petzold of The Detroit Free Press.

How does he aim to get his team back on track?

By being steady and not reacting one way or another to what has happened.

"A steady approach works. It's not always easy. It's not always the most popular because you want this massive reaction one way or the other. We've got to play the game that's in front of us today," Hinch added. "... The steadiness is what these guys are looking for."

Detroit's Major League roster has had to grow up quickly.

Still in the midst of a prolonged rebuild, all of a sudden they were thrust into the spotlight with their late-season run in 2024 that carried over into the first part of this year.

It's uncharted territory for many in organization, and that includes the decision makers at the top.

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Hinch doesn't fall into that category, though.

He's been there before, previously leading an unproven group on an unproven franchise to sustained success.

"I've managed 100-plus win teams that have gone through six- and seven- and eight-game losing streaks, or lost 12 of 13. You don't think of that because we forget over time. There's going to be a time that we all forget about this. It's just not right now when you're going through it. You feel like you're getting suffocated day by day where the first thing that goes wrong brings back the thoughts of previous games. Welcome to sports. It's an emotional ride. Those that stay steady will survive," Hinch stated.

The Tigers are looking to do exactly that, and if they can come out of this on the other side, then they should be much better for it.

For more Tigers news, head over to Tigers On SI.