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.
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.