The Detroit Tigers are currently 33-17 50 games into the season, which is the best record in baseball. The Tigers finished the 2024 season on an absurd hot streak to squeak into the playoffs, and they ended up winning a Wild Card round series against the Houston Astros before losing in the next round. Up next for the Tigers: an ALDS rematch against a division rival, the Cleveland Guardians.
Detroit and Cleveland have not played yet this season, so the last time that the two teams met was in the 2024 postseason. The Tigers and Guardians met up in the ALDS for a best-of-five series, and Cleveland ended up taking the series in five games. Detroit had a 2-1 series lead with Game 4 at home, but they couldn’t get it done. There is still a sour taste in everyone’s mouth because of that series.
“We’re not naive as to what is next on the schedule, but we had no time to really think about it until we get to today,” Tigers manage AJ Hinch said on Wednesday, according to an article from MLB.com. “So, we’d like to soak in this win, and then we’ll get our information and start preparing for tomorrow. It’s a happy flight going home, and a fun, good team coming in to play against us.”
The Tigers just finished off an impressive series win against the St. Louis Cardinals on Wednesday. After losing Game 1 of the three-game series, the Tigers bounced back for two straight wins to leave St. Louis with momentum. The best team in baseball is feeling good heading into this series against the Guardians.
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“We’ve just been grinding day by day, just staying really present, sticking to our plan, you know, being prepared and executing,” Tigers first baseman Spencer Torkelson said after beating the Cardinals. “I think the execution has been done at a really high level.”
Spencer Torkelson is especially feeling good coming into this series as he had a big day on Wednesday. He went 2-2 with two walks and also had a big RBI double.
“I feel like yesterday, I kind of lost my approach a little bit,” Torkelson admitted. “Today, my only goal was stick to the basics, trust it and let that pay off, and it did today.”
The Tigers are playing better than anyone in baseball right now, and they are ready to get revenge against Cleveland. Game 1 of this series will get underway at 6:40 ET from Comerica Park on Thursday night. This is a four-game series that will last through the end of the weekend. Friday and Saturday will also be evening games before the series finishes up with a day game on Sunday.
