DETROIT — Zach McKinstry’s fifth-inning blooper Sunday seemed to hang in the air for minutes as it floated toward left field. So did Royals third baseman Maikel Garcia, his glove hand extended well over his head in an attempt to make the grab and halt the Tigers’ comeback. Try as he might, Garcia could only deflect McKinstry’s ball off the tip of his glove, slowing it down enough for Dillon Dingler to round third and score without a throw to complete Detroit’s comeback.
An inning later, the Royals turned the table. McKinstry made a diving attempt at Kyle Isbel’s chopper, but the Tigers third baseman could only get a piece of it on its way through the left side, sending Adam Frazier home and Jonathan India around third with the run that put the Royals back in front for good.
“We took that one, and that’s what we need to do, … but they wouldn’t go away,” Royals slugger Vinnie Pasquantino said after the Tigers’ 10-8 loss. “I mean, you’re up 6-1. That’s why they’re so good. That’s why you’ve got to tip your hat to them all the time. Because they’re never out of it, the way they were able to string together things.”
That’s how close the Tigers came to a season-high six-game winning streak, a perfect homestand, and a season-high mark of 26 games over .500. Their season-high losing streak (six) is longer than their season-best win streak (five), but they’ve done the latter five times – their most since 2016 – and the former just twice, which explains part of how they hit the road still holding the American League’s best record as they prepare for their final regular-season games outside of the Eastern time zone.
Up next is a tricky three-game visit to the Athletics in a park where the ball can fly, followed by an off-day Thursday and a rematch with the Royals in Kansas City next weekend. But this was a homestand where the Tigers helped solidify their position and their roster against two teams in postseason contention.
“We’ve been playing some good baseball,” said Jahmai Jones, whose bases-clearing double in the fourth inning helped fuel the Tigers’ comeback Sunday. “Regardless of what the standings are or the records, we had two teams in here that were playing good baseball.”
A week after the Tigers went 5-2 on the road against the White Sox and Twins, this homestand was a reminder that when they play to their strengths, this is a tough team to beat. Detroit swept Houston by a combined 28-2 margin, then played a trio of two-run games against Kansas City.
“Good homestand, well played across the board,” manager A.J. Hinch said. “Could have played a little bit better [Sunday] to hopefully get a perfect homestand, but two series wins.”
Three things we learned about the Tigers this homestand:
1. Different ways to score a Tiger
After going feast-or-famine during a good stretch of July, Detroit’s offense is diversified again, both in players hitting and methods of scoring. Riley Greene’s 31st homer of the season Sunday punctuated a three-homer, five-RBI, six-run homestand. Just as important, he struck out only once compared with six walks, and went the final four games without a strikeout, tying the longest such streak of his career. Spencer Torkelson has homered in back-to-back games, while Dillon Dingler had three two-hit games, five runs scored and some long at-bats.
Maybe most encouraging, McKinstry looked back in form, going 5-for-10 for the series and 6-for-12 with a home run and two triples for the homestand while running the bases with aggression.
2. Bullpen continues to take shape
The Will Vest-Kyle Finnegan mix at closer continues to grab the attention. Vest earned the lone save of the homestand, but Finnegan got a win. Both worked situations against the dangerous parts of Astros and Royals lineups, indicating a pairing based more around situations than roles.
Just as big this week was the effort to get other relievers going. Alex Lange made his first big-league appearance in 14 months last Monday and looked ready for a late-inning role. Drew Sommers, the big lefty whom the Tigers had been watching at Triple-A Toledo all summer, made his debut Friday and looked up to the challenge of Major League hitters. Finally, Sunday’s return for Tommy Kahnle was huge after his struggles left him out of the mix for over a week. His perfect inning was his first since July 26.
“Really, really good inning,” Hinch said.
When the Tigers get back home Sept. 1, they’ll have an extra roster spot for a pitcher. It’ll be interesting to see how they use it.
3. Who’s the No. 2 starter?
The Tigers have a long way to go before they would have to worry about a rotation order for a postseason series. That’s good, because it’s unclear how that would play out after Tarik Skubal. Jack Flaherty looked outstanding in seven shutout innings last Monday and retired Kansas City’s first eight batters Sunday, then gave up seven consecutive hits and tied a season high with eight runs allowed.
Casey Mize came within an out of a quality start Friday but didn’t record a strikeout against a pesky Royals lineup. Chris Paddack tossed five solid innings of one-run ball Saturday but recorded one swing and miss for the second time in four starts as a Tiger.
Charlie Morton, who fanned eight Astros over six innings of two-run ball, might look the best of the bunch right now, even at age 41.
