The Detroit Tigers are doing something few expected â sitting atop the American League standings without the usual arsenal of household names. No Aaron Judge. No Manny Machado. No Bryce Harper. Yet the wins keep coming, and former Reds legend Sean Casey believes he knows why.
On a recent episode of The Mayorâs Office with Sean Casey, the Hall of Famer and ex-Yankees hitting coach broke down the blueprint behind Detroitâs stunning success â and itâs not what you’d typically expect in a star-driven league.
> âItâs not like youâre looking at your Aaron Judge or your Manny Machados or your Bryce Harpers,â Casey said. âBut theyâre playing real baseball â pitching, running the bases, hitting homers.â
Skubal Leads the Charge, But He’s Not Alone
At the center of the Tigersâ rise is ace Tarik Skubal, fresh off a Cy Young win, with a stingy 2.16 ERA. Alongside him, Jack Flaherty (3.41), Casey Mize (2.91), Jackson Jobe (4.22), and Reese Olson (2.96) round out one of the leagueâs most quietly dominant starting rotations. Even the bullpen is airtight, with arms like Will Vest, Tommy Kahnle, and Brant Hunter boasting sub-1.70 ERAs.
Offensively, the Tigers are solid, if unspectacular â and thatâs part of the story. Riley Greene, Spencer Torkelson, and Kerry Carpenter have all cracked double-digit home runs. Gleyber Torres, a smart offseason addition, has added stability and pop, while Javier BĂĄez and others continue to deliver clutch hits.
> âRiley Greeneâs becoming a household name,â Casey added. âCarpenterâs off to a good start, and Torkelson is driving in runs.â
Winning Without Flash â Credit to the Front Office
What makes this Tigers run even more impressive is how it’s being orchestrated behind the scenes. Casey credited Manager AJ Hinch and executives like Scott Harris and Jeff Greenberg for creating a winning culture through smart drafting, development, and management.
> âAJ Hinch does a great job mixing and matching that bullpen⊠He couldâve been Manager of the Year last year,â Casey said.
Itâs worth noting that the Tigers shocked many in 2024 by sweeping the Astros in the Wild Card Series and making it to the ALDS. That run may have been seen as a fluke. This season is proving otherwise.
Next Up: Baltimore
Fresh off a series win over the Chicago Cubs, the Tigers now face a new challenge in the Baltimore Orioles. Whether their underdog momentum can carry through the summer remains to be seen, but one thingâs for sure:
The Detroit Tigers are building a contender â not with stars, but with strategy, chemistry, and unshakable belief.
