September is finally here, and before football season officially kicks off, Major League Baseball enters the final month of the long, grueling regular season. The Detroit Tigers have not only been the American League’s best, but one of the best teams in all of baseball the entire season.
Since last August, the “Motor City Kitties” have been the hottest team in baseball, including the first team in the AL to reach 80 wins this season. Following criticism of General Manager Scott Harris at the trade deadline, what should be the biggest concern for Tiger fans?
The Tigers in a Nutshell
The people of Detroit have been able to enjoy an exciting brand of baseball for over a year now. Last year, they defied the odds, starting in mid-August, by making the playoffs with less than a one percent chance. They defeated the hated Houston Astros but sadly were eliminated by their division rival the Cleveland Guardians.
Fast forward to 2025, and the Tigers have carried their momentum from last season into the present. Detroit fans expected a big splash at the trade deadline, and many were disappointed in the results. Scott Harris made some not-so-sexy deals, adding a few arms to the 26-man roster while being in the midst of the team’s worst stretch of the season.
Luckily for Detroit, they will likely avoid being this year’s 2024 Minnesota Twins. A team with a good lead in the division in August and sinking faster than a mermaid wearing cinderblocks. Despite currently having the best record in the American League, Detroit has been playing .500 ball since having six representatives in the All-Star Game.
What Tigers Fans Should Worry About?
So, with all the ups and downs for this team this season, what is the biggest obstacle keeping them away from winning the World Series? Is it Tarik Skubal in must-win situations every time he takes the mound? Is it the lack of trade deadline moves by GM Harris? Is it the inconsistency of pitchers like Casey Mize and Jack Flaherty? Or could it be the lack of household superstar names in the lineup?
Honestly, it could be all of the above, but having AJ Hinch, one of baseball’s best managers and an in-game wizard at the helm, helps! So, what is it then? The Detroit Tigers currently sit eight and a half games ahead of the closest contender, the Kansas City Royals, for the AL Central. With the season wrapping up quickly, there isn’t much room for a dramatic collapse. Hopefully, I am not jinxing the team when I say they should be a lock for the playoffs.
The biggest concern for this team is not playing a meaningful game in the last month of the season. Unlike last year, when the entire AL Central, minus the God-awful Chicago White Sox, ended the season above 500. This season is playing out quite the opposite for the division, with the Tigers running away with the crown. Will clinching the division too early be the ultimate detriment to the 2025 Detroit Tigers?
Final Thoughts
This entire season, I will admit I did not think this team was a serious World Series contender. The voodoo that Hinch sprinkles over this team is sometimes unexplainable. The team wins through timely hitting, comebacks, aggressive base running, and finding ways to simply win.
Like most, I would have liked to have seen a little more done at the deadline. If the division is clinched, it may be difficult to keep the aggressive play, winning momentum, and killer mindset fresh. A lot of time, it all depends on who gets hot at the right time and we Tigers fans hope that the team didn’t peak too early!
