The Detroit Tigers: In Front Of The 8-Ball, For A Change!

For the first time in quite a few years, the Detroit Tigers have an above-.500 record as they conclude the first month of the 2024 regular season.  Thanks to starting pitcher Tarik Skubal (pictured), who is 3-0 in 5 starts with 35 K's and a 1.82 ERA.

As of this writing (the morning of April 23rd), the Tigers are 13-10 overall.  Now, that's not great.  But compared to where they have been at this stage of the long season in recent years, that is very encouraging.

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Let's look at recent years (not counting the 60-game COVID-19 year of 2020) to show you what I'm talking about (all stats courtesy of baseball-reference.com):

2017 - 12-12 after 24 games.

2018 - 11-16 after 27 games.

2019 - 13-14 after 27 games.

2021 - 8-19 after 27 games.

2022 - 7-13 after 20 games.

2023 - 10-17 after 27 games.

As you can see, since the shortened 2020 season, the Tigers have not been good in April.

You've all heard the expression "behind the 8-ball" when it comes to getting off to slow starts in (name your sport here).  Well, for the first time since before COVID, they are at least "in front of the 8-ball".  They aren't out of it at the end of April.

Again, 13-10 isn't great, it's nothing to celebrate.  But that's way better than their AL Central brethren Chicago White Sox, whose season is basically over now with a 3-19 record.

The Tigers haven't won the AL Central yet (or even won a Wild Card spot), but they haven't eliminated themselves, either.  They have a chance to play legitimate meaningful baseball this summer, and maybe even into the fall.  That's a step in the right direction.

The great Jack Nicklaus once said (and it was repeated later by Ken Venturi):  "You can't win the Masters on Thursday (the first round), but you sure can lose it on Thursday."

That sure applies to the Detroit Tigers so far in 2024.