Tigers series preview: A roster of rookies
This Tigers team is a lot different from the one we saw back in April.
The Tigers took two out of three from the Royals the last time they came to Detroit back in April, but this is a much different Tigers team. Just 15 players from their Opening Day roster will on the roster this weekend. The team traded away Jack Flaherty, Mark Canha, Andrew Chafin, and Carson Kelly this week, and Riley Greene, Parker Meadows, Kerry Carpenter, Reese Olson, and Casey Mize are all on the Injured List with Javier Báez on bereavement leave.
Kansas City Royals (60-49) vs. Detroit Tigers (52-57) at Comerica Park, Detroit, MI
Royals: 4.70 runs scored/game (10th in MLB), 3.94 runs allowed/game (5th)
Tigers: 4.21 runs scored/game (20th), 4.31 runs allowed/game (15th)
The Tigers got off to a decent start, but had a poor May and an even worse June to fall out of contention. They played better in July, but are 1-4 on this current homestand, having faced the Twins and Guardians. They have been slightly worse at home than on the road, going 25-28 at Comerica Park.
Tigers hitters have the third-lowest on-base percentage and are hitting just .231 as a team. They have the ninth-lowest walk rate and the tenth-highest strikeout rate. Only three teams have stolen fewer bases. Six of the twelve hitters on the current roster are rookies.
Rookie Colt Keith got off to a slow start, but caught fire in July and is hitting .333/.411/.667 with seven home runs in his last 24 games. Journeyman Bligh Madris has multi-hit games in three of his eight appearances with the Tigers. The Tigers just called up top prospect Dillon Dinger, who was hitting .308/.379/.559 with 17 home runs in 71 games in Toledo. Rookie Wenceel Pérez is hitting just .236/.281/.373 at home.
Rookie Keider Montero has given up 5+ runs in five innings of work in each of his last three starts. He has the eighth-highest ERA in baseball for anyone that has made at least six starts. Montero throws a 95 mph four-seamer opponents are hitting .319 against, a slider with a 33 percent whiff rate, a knuckle curve, and change up.
In the past calendar year, Tarik Skubal and Cole Ragans are the only pitchers who have been worth more than 6 fWAR - Skubal has won 18 games with a 2.29 ERA in 31 starts over that time. He leads the league in wins and ERA this year, and has given up more than four runs in a start just once this year. He did give up four runs in five innings in a loss against the Royals back in May. He has yet to lose at home this year, going 7-0 with a 1.95 ERA.
The Tigers haven’t officially named starters for Saturday and Sunday. Kenta Maeda was demoted to the bullpen at the All-Star break and has the second-worst ERA of any pitcher with at least 70 innings. He gave up one run in five innings in relief on Sunday, so he could be in line to start this weekend. He has pitched much better at home with a 4.17 ERA at Comerica Park. Opponents are hitting .365 against Maeda’s four-seamer.
Bryan Sammons made his MLB debut in relief on Monday against the Twins, and while he gave up just four hits over 7 1⁄3 innings, three of those four hits were home runs. The 29-year-old was signed by the Tigers last year out of the independent leagues after being released by the Twins and Astros. He had a 4.18 ERA with 78 strikeouts in 84 innings over 17 starts for Triple-A Toledo this year and features a 91 mph fastball to go with a cutter, sweeper, and curve.
Tigers relievers have a 4.15 ERA, 19th-lowest in baseball, with the ninth-lowest strikeout rate. They have allowed just 27 percent of inherited runners to score, the third-lowest rate in baseball. Jason Foley has converted 15 out of 18 save opportunities, but the team has given Shelby Miller save opportunities lately. Foley has allowed 10 runs in his last 10 1⁄3 innings. Tyler Holton hasn’t allowed a run since June 26, covering 18 2⁄3 shutout innings, and lefties are hitting just .149/.216/.234 against him. Kansas City native Joey Wentz has a career 5.93 ERA in 13 2⁄3 innings against his hometown team.
The Royals have just 19 games left against teams with non-winning records, and four will be this weekend. They showed they could easily sweep a decimated, demoralized White Sox club, they need to keep the momentum going against a Tigers team facing similar roster issues.