Tigers’ Bullpen Collapse Dooms Their 2026 Playoff Hopes

The Detroit Tigers bullpen remains abysmal even after the team traded away two-time reigning Cy Young winner Tarik Skubal and Casey Mize before the deadline. Skubal is now with the Los Angeles Dodgers and Mize is with the San Diego Padres. Detroit’s chances of making the postseason this season are crushed because the bullpen turns wins to losses far too often.

The Chicago White Sox have held first place in the American League Central even through their star first baseman Munetaka Murakami’s hamstring injury. Chicago holds first place with a fragile 59-53 record, though, so the division is not theirs to run away with. 

Despite the front office effectively waving a white flag by trading away top-tier starting pitching, the mathematical reality of the American League keeps Detroit frustratingly alive. The Tigers sit just 1.5 games back of a Wild Card spot and 4.5 games behind Chicago for first place in the AL Central. 

The Tigers’ survival for October baseball is owed to their division rivals’ inconsistencies. The second-place Cleveland Guardians have opened the door wide, stumbling through a miserable 3-7 stretch over their last 10 games.

Meanwhile, the Minnesota Twins and Chicago are riding an unpredictable rollercoaster, flashing a 5-5 record in their last 10 games. This is keeping Detroit’s playoff odds lingering at 25.5%, which is shocking given how bad the bullpen has been.

Tigers’ Bullpen Collapse Is The Fatal Flaw

Detroit leads the AL with 25 blown saves, converting only 46% of their opportunities. The team’s inability to get outs in the last few innings is unmistakable, as they blew a 7-0 lead against the Baltimore Orioles. Skubal had allowed three earned runs in the seventh inning, but when the bullpen came to finish, they let Baltimore win the game. What was supposed to be Skubal’s last win before getting traded turned into an agonizing 10-9 loss in extra innings.

The bullpen’s struggles are more pronounced without veteran reliever Will Vest, who’s now sidelined for the rest of the season with elbow surgery and a hip procedure. Detroit has two relievers who have ERAs under 3.00: Jacob Waguespack and Ty Madden. Both of them are seeing a massive spike in innings pitched compared to last season, creating another concern for a struggling bullpen already managing their top relievers’ workloads.

Trade Deadline Riddled With Missed Opportunities

Instead of asking for relievers in return for Skubal and Mize or actively pursuing options, the front office got three starting pitchers and an outfielder. The starting pitchers can eventually help fill the rotation void left by Skubal and Mize. They don’t, however, help address Detroit’s late-game bleeding.