DETROIT -- The Tigers’ clubhouse was a bevy of activity in the wake of Sunday’s 8-4 loss to the Mariners – not in transactions, but in travel.
While a half-dozen Tigers players prepared for a flight to Atlanta and two-plus days of All-Star activities, others had their bags packed for a few days’ break. Some were headed home, others heading somewhere to relax.
For the Tigers, the break could not come at a better time, particularly for a bullpen that has carried a heavy workload over the last couple weeks.
“I think probably for everybody,” manager A.J. Hinch said. “I know there’s been a lot going on around our team. That’s not why things went down. They outplayed us. They hit the ball out of the ballpark. Their relievers came in, and they were really hard to hit.”
There’s still a lot to be proud of as they head out for the All-Star break. The Tigers still own baseball’s best record in no small part because they’ve avoided the kind of lengthy losing streaks that other clubs have endured. Until Sunday, their longest losing streak was three games.
“Tough stretch, but there’s so many great things we can look back on the first half,” Spencer Torkelson said. “This team’s been great. Four games are nothing in a 162-game season, so it’s going to be how we get into this break and relax, hang out, chill and just come back [with a] fresh start, like we’re 0-0. Regardless of our record, stay hungry.”
The three previous times the Tigers lost three in a row, they’ve responded. They rebounded from a season-opening sweep at Dodger Stadium by winning seven of their next eight, including two of three in Seattle. They lost three in a row at home to the Guardians in mid-May, then won seven of eight again, including a sweep of the Giants. Another three-game skid last month was answered by winning 11 of their next 15, including last weekend’s sweep in Cleveland.
That stretch had them rolling into this week’s homestand and carried into taking two of three from the Rays. They seemed poised for a strong finish to the first half against a Mariners team that arrived in Detroit early Friday morning having been swept at Yankee Stadium.
Instead, Seattle swept Detroit by a 35-14 margin. The Mariners scored 15 ninth-inning runs.
Some of those runs were add-on tallies off lower-leverage relievers getting work to address previous struggles, turning already decisive games into blowouts Friday and Saturday. But Friday’s four runs, three off of Tommy Kahnle, turned what had been a tie game into another Seattle victory. Add in a game-tying rally in the eighth off Will Vest, and the M’s scored four runs off the Tigers’ two primary late-inning relievers.
“I thought we put up a good fight today, and it looked like things were going to shift in our direction,” Hinch said. “But needless to say, after this weekend, I think we all could use a break.”
It reinforced the belief that bullpen depth will be a priority for president of baseball operations Scott Harris and general manager Jeff Greenberg leading up to the July 31 Trade Deadline. That doesn’t necessarily mean a traditional closer for a relief corps that has thrived on flexibility. But the more swing-and-miss capabilities the Tigers can add, the better.
No Tiger ended Sunday ranked in the AL’s top 20 for games pitched. Kahnle, Vest, Tyler Holton and Brenan Hanifee all made their 40th appearances of the season on Sunday to share the team lead. But Hanifee ranks fourth among AL relievers with 45 2/3 innings pitched. Holton’s 47 1/3 innings would rank third if the innings from his five games started as an opener were included. Vest’s 43 innings rank 15th among AL relievers.
None of them are All-Stars, but they’re key reasons why the Tigers are atop the American League. And they could use a break, plus eventually some reinforcements. Internally, Alex Lange continues to work towards a return from right lat surgery. Beau Brieske and Dylan Smith both went on the 7-day injured list this past week at Triple-A Toledo, delaying their return. Externally, the Tigers have the prospect depth to make bids for whatever relief help they think can help, as well as the pitching development system to work with any arms they might project as undervalued.
That’s for another day, though. For now, the Tigers are ready for a break.
“The sun will come up tomorrow,” Hinch reminded reporters on his way out of the interview room.