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A.J. Hinch gets 100% real on Tigers being a ‘good team with a bad record’ appeared first on ClutchPoints. Add ClutchPoints as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
It certainly seems as though the Detroit Tigers’ malaise to end the 2025 season has carried over to 2026. The Tigers collapsed towards the end of last year, with the Cleveland Guardians mounting an incredible comeback to win the division title, although they managed to right the ship in time to still qualify for the postseason. But this year, the Tigers’ postseason hopes are looking much more dicey.
On Tuesday, the Tigers were on the receiving end of a 11-2 demolition from the Chicago Cubs, which puts their record on the season at 47-54. This is not even close to where Detroit envisioned they would be, especially when they have so much talent on the diamond every single night and they have two legitimate aces in Casey Mize and Tarik Skubal.
The Tigers have been one of the biggest underperformers in 2026, and with the trade deadline looming, it’s not quite clear what the front office will be doing. Even manager AJ Hinch is intrigued by how the Tigers have so much talent and yet here they are, being seven games below .500.
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“This is a win total exercise. We are a crazy intriguing team because I think, like I’ve said a number of times, we’re a good team with a bad record. That often complicates decisions that come around these deadlines,” Hinch said, via Jon Heyman of the New York Post.
Indeed, there is no disputing that the Tigers have a good team. They’ve severely been undone by their performance in clutch games, as they have a Pythagorean record of 54-47 based on their current run differential of plus-24, so there is a possibility that Detroit catches fire and makes a run for the AL Central title.
At present, the Chicago White Sox are still leading the division, with Detroit being 6.5 games back with 61 games remaining in the season. That should be plenty of time for Hinch and his men to do what’s necessary to qualify for the postseason.
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