Tigers still look like AL's best team in win over Red Sox

It's only May, but the Detroit Tigers are already making a statement.

On Monday, the Tigers (27-15) continued to look like the best team in the American League as they snapped a two-game losing streak with a 14-2 win over the Boston Red Sox (22-21).

Detroit hammered Boston at the plate, ending the game with 18 hits in 43 at-bats (.419). It knocked Red Sox starting pitcher Tanner Houck out after just 2.1 innings, tagging him for nine hits and 11 earned runs in just 69 pitches.

Meanwhile, Tigers starting pitcher Jackson Jobe allowed three hits and one earned run in 5.2 innings. Per FanGraphs, the Tigers entered Monday with the league's sixth-best starter earned run average (ERA), 3.43 in 223.1 innings.

Detroit is arguably the AL's most complete team. Following Monday's blowout win, it leads the majors in run differential (plus-84).

In addition to a strong starting staff, the Tigers have an outstanding bullpen, ranking first in the AL in reliever ERA (2.72).

As they proved on Monday, they're also one of the league's top teams at the plate. They entered the day with a .255 team batting average, including .309 on balls in play, which was tied for first with the Cardinals.

Last season, the Tigers reached the postseason for the first time since 2014. They defeated the Houston Astros on the road in the three-game wild-card series before falling to the Guardians in five games during the ALDS.

They're an ascending club, which should strike fear in the rest of the league. As good as they look now, the best is likely yet to come.