You may not realize it but the Detroit Tigers' progress is real. Since June 15th, the Detroit Tigers are over .500 and playing good baseball. Much of that is due to The Three Musketeers of Riley Greene, Kerry Carpenter, and Spencer Torkelson, and progress is happening before our eyes. The Tigers are 30-29 since that date, which is tied for the same amount of wins with the Minnesota Twins and leads the AL Central. A.J. Hinch went on MLB Network's MLB Central this morning and discussed the progress that is occurring.
The Detroit Tigers' progress is happening due to ‘doing good things'
Of note in A.J.'s interview, this morning was the focus of the segment on the improvement this team has made as the season progressed. When asked what he's seen, A.J. said, “We're doing a lot of good things, playing as a team, we can really pitch. Some confidence [is] building.”
It was clear that the crew wanted to speak of Carpenter, Greene, and Torkelson, who have been largely responsible for the progress. Hinch wants to get them to be, “…the best version of themselves,” as they develop at the major league level. With all the talk of player development and such in the minor league levels, one thing that often gets missed is the development that must continue at the Major League level. And Torkelson is a perfect case of this.
There's no doubt that Al Avila rushed his 1-1 pick in 2022, especially with the injury to Riley Greene in Spring Training. And Tork took his lumps, in a major way. But he's developing and Hinch noted that. “It's been a work in progress because all eyes are on him. The numbers on the scoreboard weren't doing justice to what he's been doing behind the scenes. He's a real player and a big part of our future. He doesn't have to be the only guy that does it [with others pitching in].”
Striving Forward: AL Central Aspirations
Can the Tigers keep the pace? According to Tankathon, they have the second easiest schedule remaining. But that doesn't change any of Hinch's approach.
You show up everyday to win.
A.J. Hinch
He has reiterated over and over that he refuses to just “be a nice story,” but rather wants to win the AL Central and play meaningful baseball late into the season. And with the way this team is playing, they have been much more enjoyable to watch and are playing fun and meaningful games against some playoff-caliber teams and holding their own. With 36 games left on the schedule, there's reason to tune into all of them.
TL;DR (too long didn't read)
- Detroit Tigers exhibit remarkable progress since June 15th, achieving a winning record and notable performance.
- The Three Musketeers—Riley Greene, Kerry Carpenter, and Spencer Torkelson—contribute significantly to the team's resurgence.
- A.J. Hinch's unwavering goal: to lead the Tigers to AL Central victory and meaningful baseball in the season's latter stages.
