How the Detroit Tigers caught fire and climbed into the MLB playoff race: ‘Playing with no pressure and no fear’

BALTIMORE – Matt Vierling may not have been with the Tigers for long, but he’s already witnessed plenty.

At 28, Vierling stands as the veteran in the Detroit Tigers’ lineup. After 156 games, he understands there’s little point in letting his mind drift when the final six games hold so much importance.

Yet, Vierling can’t deny that what this Tigers team is accomplishing is rare, surprising, and exciting, leading him to occasionally dream about October and the possibility of a shocking playoff berth for a team that hasn’t had a winning season in eight years.

“I have thought about it – how amazing it would be to reach the playoffs with this group,” Vierling, the Tigers’ left fielder and cleanup hitter, told USA TODAY Sports. “I try not to dwell on it and stay focused on the day-to-day. That’s what makes this team special. But yeah, I’ve thought about it. I’ve been in that position where you’re enjoying the success and celebrating all the hard work. It would be incredible to experience that.”

As each day passes, that possibility becomes more real.

The Tigers have unexpectedly entered the final week of the season in playoff contention, thanks to a successful road trip where they won five out of six games against postseason contenders Kansas City and Baltimore. Since Aug. 11, the Tigers boast a 27-11 record – the best in the majors – and during this span, they’ve also posted the best ERA.

Since trading No. 2 starter Jack Flaherty to the Los Angeles Dodgers, a move that seemed like a surrender by thinning their starting rotation to just two, the Tigers have gone 30-18.

What followed was a series of bullpen games, key home runs at just the right moments, and a surge of young players stepping up and making significant progress. “Trading Jack wasn’t ideal,” admits Tigers closer Jason Foley, reflecting on the trade that happened just minutes before the July 30 deadline, when the team was 52-56. “You don’t want to be sellers at the deadline because it means you’re probably not in a strong position to make the playoffs. But you still have to go out there, compete, and win every game.”

“We started stringing together good games, good weeks, and then a couple of strong months. Next thing you know, we’re in a pretty good spot to make a postseason push.” Now, they’re headed home.

After improving to 82-74 with a thrilling 4-3 victory in front of 44,040 fans at Camden Yards, the Tigers are set to finish the season with six games at Comerica Park. Presumed Cy Young Award winner Tarik Skubal will kick off a crucial three-game series against the Tampa Bay Rays on Tuesday.

Though their margin for error is slim – holding just a one-game lead over the Minnesota Twins for the final wild-card spot – the Tigers have a huge advantage: their last three games are against the 120-loss, historically bad Chicago White Sox.

And with recent momentum, the Tigers aren’t just in contention – they could be a real threat.

Playing with house money
A.J. Hinch is no stranger to playoff pushes and October drama, having led the Houston Astros to two AL pennants and the 2017 World Series title before the sign-stealing scandal led to his dismissal. Now in his fourth season managing the Detroit Tigers, Hinch previously oversaw teams that won 77, 66, and 78 games. The roster? A mix of decent prospects and a $140 million investment in Javy Baez, an offensive disappointment in his three years with Detroit, sidelined by season-ending hip surgery on Aug. 23.

Despite a lineup filled with three rookies and a second-year player, Hinch believes this team is ready for the final stretch.

“This last week is really no different from the last six weeks for us. We’ve been in ‘all hands on deck,’ grind mode, playoff mode – however you want to put it – for a while now,” says Hinch, whose team recently swept the Kansas City Royals, pulling them down from a solid wild-card position and into a tie with the Tigers.

“We went into new environments. San Diego was electric. (Baltimore) has been a great experience. We swept Kansas City in a tough environment. This last week will be no different – get dressed every day, try to win, and see where we stand at the end.” If the Tigers manage to win just one more game than the Twins or Royals – as they lose the tiebreaker to both – they could be a dangerous opponent. Detroit embodies the ideal of a playoff team in this expanded format: a squad that has been fighting for survival for weeks and enters the postseason battle-tested, calm under pressure.

Vierling knows the feeling. He was part of the 2022 Philadelphia Phillies, a team that barely squeezed into the playoffs with 87 wins but went on to reach Game 6 of the World Series.

These Tigers don’t have the star power of players like Bryce Harper or Zack Wheeler, but they do have one of the best pitchers in the game, Tarik Skubal, ready for a potential Game 1.

Most importantly, they have a carefree, nothing-to-lose attitude – fitting for a franchise that hasn’t seen the playoffs since 2014.

“In Philly, we felt the same way. We hadn’t made it in 11 years, but we knew we had the talent. We just had to get in,” says Vierling. “It’s kind of the same thing here. We’re playing with house money. No one expected us to be here. We just want to keep this going and see what we can make of it.”

‘I love this team’

Sunday’s series finale in Baltimore – a possible preview of a best-of-three wild-card matchup – perfectly captured the Tigers’ recent run. The team used six pitchers, none going more than seven outs. Kerry Carpenter blasted two home runs, with the second giving Detroit the lead for good, just after second-year center fielder Parker Meadows robbed Baltimore’s Colton Cowser of a two-run homer.

Back on July 30, this scenario seemed improbable.

At the time, Jack Flaherty had a 2.95 ERA and averaged nearly six innings per start, but his trade to the Dodgers left Detroit with just two regular starters: Tarik Skubal and rookie Keider Montero. Filling the void has been a patchwork of part-time starters and bullpen openers.

These aren’t the Tigers of the Max Scherzer and Justin Verlander era, but pitchers like Beau Brieske (13 consecutive scoreless innings), Tyler Holton (two starts in the last three games), and Sean Guenther (1.04 ERA in 14 games) have stepped up. Rookies like Brenan Hanifee and Ty Madden are taking on more significant roles, and the Flaherty trade brought in current starting shortstop Trey Sweeney, once a minor piece in the Dodgers organization, but now crucial to Detroit’s success.

Excited yet? A.J. Hinch certainly is.

“I love this team,” says Hinch. “I love how we fight every game like it’s the last. That’s been our mentality, and it’s how we’re going to keep playing.

“We bring it every day.”

Earlier on Sunday, Hinch did something rare for this stretch: He named all three starting pitchers for the upcoming Tampa Bay series. With right-hander Reese Olson returning after an eight-week shoulder injury, the Tigers no longer need to rely on “TBA.” Skubal, Montero, and Olson will face the Rays.

Not that improvisation hasn’t worked well for them so far.

Vierling recently reflected on how much has changed. A few months ago, Sweeney was playing for the Dodgers’ Class AAA team in Oklahoma City. Now, he’s making game-saving catches in Detroit. “It’s incredible to see where these guys came from, and in a long season, so much can change,” said Vierling. “We’ve had our ups and downs, but after the trade deadline, we stayed afloat, built momentum, and it’s been cool to watch these guys bring energy to the team.”

The Royals (on a seven-game losing streak) and Twins (11 losses in 16 games) have left the door open, and the Tigers have taken full advantage, playing with confidence and not dwelling on their surprising position. Come next Sunday, they may be packing their bags for a playoff run, as long as they maintain this balance.

“We’re vibin’,” says Meadows. “The chemistry on this team is amazing. We’re having fun and have each other’s backs.

“It feels surreal, but we’re going to keep doing our job and keep winning.”