Behind The Detroit Tigers’ Stunning 2025 Collapse

There’s a reason Detroit collapsed so hard in September, and it serves as a reminder that no team is safe.

The Rotation Is Depleted

Tarik Skubal is undoubtedly one of the best pitchers in baseball and arguably the best pitcher in the American League. The 28-year-old left-hander is on track to have a better ERA, WHIP, and more strikeouts per nine innings than in 2024. He’s well on his way to winning back-to-back Cy Youngs and joining that elite club of pitchers who have accomplished the feat.

Outside of Skubal, the team lacks a strong rotation, with their most consistent starters on injured reserve. Reese Olson and Jackson Jobe both fell early in the season to injury, two significant losses. Veteran Alex Cobb didn’t start a single game due to injury despite signing a one-year, $15 million contract for 2025.

Most of the other starters have faced their own struggles throughout the season. Jack Flaherty has 182 strikeouts over 156 innings pitched, but he has a 4.60 ERA with a propensity to allow runners to score. Keider Montero has been wildly inconsistent between the Majors and Triple-A, tossing a 4.48 ERA with only 65 strikeouts. Charlie Morton, their trade deadline acquisition, tossed a 7.09 ERA over nine games before being cut.

Casey Mize is the lone exception in the rotation, pitching to a 14-6 record with a 3.91 ERA. He does have a lower strikeout rate than Flaherty and a similar home run rate, but walks fewer batters and gets critical outs. Looking at their prospects, most pitchers are struggling, while Detroit holds a top-heavy farm system.

The Tigers may go all in during the offseason and dish out money on pitchers. They are in desperate need of a solid rotation to complement an offense that can score.

Cracks In The Lineup Turned Into Holes

The lineup for the Tigers had some major question marks heading into the 2025 season. Could a team as young as them overcome major-league pitching? Would Javier Baez rebound after three disastrous campaigns with Detroit? Could Spencer Torkelson finally produce at the first-round level he was drafted at?

For a while, the team performed well, posting an OPS over .700 between March and June. Fueled by newly-acquired infielder Gleyber Torres and a sudden bounceback from Baez, the lineup seemed to be doing enough. Torkelson hit eight home runs in April, with Riley Green overcoming a high strikeout rate to club an additional six. Both combined for 13 additional home runs in May.

In the second half, Baez’s numbers began to reverse considerably, only hitting two home runs and an increase in his strikeout rate. He failed to break .700 OPS in any month past June. Torres also saw a similar decline in his production, though he continued to hit home runs and get on base despite a lower walk rate.

Elsewhere, Trey Sweeney saw a significant regression, hitting under a .550 OPS and the Mendoza line in 116 games. Kerry Carpenter continued to struggle against right-handed pitchers, and the outfield lacked production. Wenceel Perez also had issues getting on base despite showing promising speed on the basepaths.

2026 Shows Reinforcements Are On The Way

If there’s one thing the Tigers can put their hopes on, it’s that their farm system will see high-tier prospects be promoted in a year. At least one is expected to be promoted to the big league roster in 2026, with a second one if they impress.

Shortstop Kevin McGonigle is the successor to Trey Sweeney at the shortstop position. He likely starts the season at Triple-A, but his .254/.369/.919 slash line at Double-A might be a case for him jumping it altogether. Not only does he have double the hits to strikeouts, but he also has more walks (59) than punchouts (46).

Outfielder Max Clark could be a complementary piece to Greene in right field. His .251/.360/.799 slash line at Double-A as well could warrant a promotion next year. The 20-year-old showcases speed on the basepaths with three triples and 7 stole bases in 43 games, along with 29 walks to 34 strikeouts. If Clark and the aforementioned McGonigle pan out, two of their biggest holes are plugged.

End Of My Detroit Tigers Rant

Detroit’s collapse this year will likely be talked about for the rest of the decade, regardless of the result. It’s extremely uncommon that teams blow a double-digit lead in the division with two months to go, much less a 15-game lead. Some of that can be attributed to the success of the Guardians, but the Tigers need to take at least some blame.

It’s much more shocking when you consider that Detroit was, at one point, the favorite for the first seed. If they’re not careful, they could end up out of the playoffs altogether since the Houston Astros are only one game out of the postseason.