The Unsung Heroes of the Detroit Tigers’ Run
The Tigers have been carried by the likes of Tarik Skubal and Riley Greene, but the success of more unestablished names deserves equal praise.
The Detroit Tigers are a lead conversation amongst baseball discussions. Yes, the 2024, sold at the deadline, Detroit Tigers. The sample size has grown enough to fully accept the Tigers magical run is more than just luck, but instead a team coming together and hitting their stride.
Of course the Tigers would not be in this situation without the likes of Cy Young favorite Tarik Skubal, former top prospect Riley Greene, and the help of a couple of other more established players. However, the success and performances of more unestablished players combined with coaching deserve equal praise.
Parker Meadows
Daily watchers see in real time the impact Meadows makes on a daily basis. Clutch hitting, covering what seems like the entire outfield, and speed on the bases has added a much needed boost to this lineup. After posting a .533 OPS to start the season, Meadows was sent back to Triple-A Toledo in order to work on a few things and regain his confidence.
I’d say that move has paid off. Since being recalled, Meadows has slashed .303/.344/.526 with five home runs and a 144 wRC+. His pre-recall 39.7% strikeout rate has dropped to 19.5% and eight of his top ten exit velocities have come in since his return.
His impact cannot be overstated. The Tigers are 24-11 in games where Meadows has played in the second half and if you think that’s just some fluke, you should think again. From robbing home runs, driving in go ahead 10th inning runs, to his go ahead, two out, full count grand slam, Meadows is blossoming into not only a core piece, but leaders on this young Tigers team.
The Second Wave of Arms
Detroit’s rotation headlined by Skubal, Flaherty and Olson was dominate to start the season. The offense did not do them many favors, but you knew the Tigers had a chance to win when those three took the mound. A swarm of injuries paired with the deadline move of Flaherty to Los Angeles led to several unknown arms entering the equation. Brenan Hanifee, Brant Hurter, and Sean Guenther were all called upon to fill innings but their production has far exceeded the expectation.
None of these names were top prospects, young flame throwers, or even pitchers many outside of Tigers circles knew much about. Hurter (26) and Hanifee (26) had not logged a Major League inning while Guenther (28) had a cup of coffee with the 2021 Marlins.
While none of them reach even 97 mph on the radar gun, they all have something in common – the get groundballs. Hurter has a groundball rate of 56.7%, Guenther 65.9%, and Hanifee at 55.8%. Also, each has a walks per nine under two. Not many reach base and when they do, groundballs limit the damage. A recipe that is not flashy or making highlight reels, but is plenty effective.
So, how do these pitchers continue to produce groundballs? Because they all lean heavily on their sinkers, a pitch that’s late diving movement causes batters contact to usually impact the top of the ball driving it into the ground instead of lifting it into the air.
| Sinker Stats | Usage | BA | SLG | WHIFF | Stuff + | Location + |
| Hurter | 49.7% | .237 | .342 | 9.7% | 88 | 107 |
| Guenther | 37.2% | .200 | .200 | 11.1% | 73 | 105 |
| Hanifee | 53.3% | .268 | .286 | 7.4% | 82 | 107 |
A few takeaways from these numbers. As much as swing and miss is a desired result in baseball, contact against well located sinkers will not often hurt you. All three of these arms locates their sinkers well and when the ball in play does not result in an out, it is usually just a single. We know the Tigers have really leaned into sinker pitchers and they have a few good ones here.
A. J. Hinch and the Coaching Staff (Minus Cora)
When things go wrong fingers get pointed at the coaching staff. When things go right, the staff does not usually get the same credit. While we do not have the clean and pretty stats to help us understand every single move the manager makes as right or wrong, we can still trust our eyes, gut, and results.
In my opinion, Hinch has made the right calls on when to use a pinch hitter. Sometimes it works out, sometimes it does not, but the process is the important and he has stuck to it. Playing the splits is one thing, but knowing at what point in the game to burn a bat is another and I think Hinch has managed that well.
Even more impressive has been their bullpen usage and plan. After the Flaherty departure and injuries the Tigers leaned into a heavy “bullpen game” type of rotation with different arms opening and various players going multiple innings. Not only is that difficult to manage once a week, but doing so for three out of five games and still getting desired results was impressive.
Of course, the pitchers puzzle of bullpen games could not be done without the help of Chris Fetter, the Tigers pitching coach. There are plenty of examples of career turnaround or small tweaks that pitchers have made thanks to Fetter, and the other staff working with pitchers. Although we do not see the behind the scenes work, the results speak for themselves. I truly believe Fetter is one of the most important people in the Tigers organization.
Conclusion
On Sept. 16, the Tigers had a 9% chance of making the playoffs. On Sept. 20, a 42.5% chance. So much is going right for this team and just once you think the luck might run out, Meadows hits a grand slam in San Diego or a pitcher gets out of another impossible jam, or, the Twins blow a late lead.
Regardless of how these last several games play out fans should be excited about the Tigers. I personally think this is the most promising Tigers outlook in some time, although that’s not saying much. Ride this momentum, see if the impossible can happen, and force Chris Ilitch to open his wallet in the offseason.
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