A look at how the Tigers rank in major statistical categories
The Detroit Tigers enter the 2025 All Star break with the best record in all of major league baseball, with a 11.5 game lead in the American League’s central division. That is the biggest lead at the all star break in the club’s 125 year history. For reference, the 1984 Tigers, after starting out with a 35-5 mark, held a seven game lead at the break.
ESPN gave out first half grades and issued the Tigers an A+ overall, the only club to earn that grade. Detroit holds a one game lead over the Los Angeles Dodgers , despite spotting the world champion LA club a three game lead to open the season.
One year ago, Detroit found themselves in fourth place, eight games under .500 and 15 games behind first place Cleveland. They then went on a tear, finishing the season with the game’s best record, grabbing a playoff spot and eliminating the Houston Astros in the first round before falling to Cleveland in the fifth and final game of their playoff series.
After trading virtually every player who wasn’t nailed down for the next season at the trade deadline in July, 2024, manager AJ Hinch worked his magic, mixing and matching lineups and a pitching rotation that he termed “organized chaos” as the team climbed the standings into the post season against all odds.
During the off season, the club went out and got Gleyber Torres to play second base, moving Colt Keith over to first, until Spencer Torkelson rebounded from the abyss and reclaimed the form that he displayed in his rookie campaign. Torres has been a fine addition, posting a wRC+ of 122 (100 is league average) with a .386 on base percentage, earning a spot on the All Star team. Keith has adjusted, with a 122 wRC+ while playing first, second and third base as well as taking some reps as the DH. Torkelson’s comeback has featuerd 21 homers, a .353 wOBA, and .338 on base percentage.
Speaking of bounce back seasons, there is no better story than that of Javier Baez. The Tigers highest salaried player with a $140 million contract was on the verge of not even making the team out of spring training, when injuries to no fewer than four Tigers’ outfielders- Parker Meadows, Matt Vierling, Wenceel Perez, and Manuel Margot- created the chance to put Baez in the lineup in center field. He will now be playing there for the American League all star team, slashing .272/ .307/ .442 with 10 home runs at the break.
Two more Tigers’ hitters have punched their tickets to Atlanta for the All Star game. Riley Greene leads the team with a 140 wRC+, and also leads with 24 home runs and 77 RBI at the break. Zack McKinstry has been the ultimate super utility player, showing up at every position other than pitcher and catcher while leading the club in stolen bases with 15, and batting average at .288. After losing out in the winter on Alex Bregman to play the hot corner, McKinstry leaves Tiger fans saying “Alex who?”.
Greene, Baez, Torres, and Skubal will all be starting for the American league in the All Star game.
The following chart shows where the Tigers MLB ranking in various offensive categories, and the staggering improvement from the all star break just one year ago.
This chart shows the enormous improvement in the Tigers’ offensive production across the board in just about every category. The team has gone from the bottom third to the top third in almost every major metric. Nowhere is that more evident than their improvement from 4.10 runs per game to 4.98.
Base Running
One category where the Tigers lag behind other clubs in the American league is stolen bases where they rank dead last in the league. However, Detroit leads the major leagues with 54% of extra bases taken when they have the chance to advance. That is, going from first to third or scoring from second base on a single, or scoring from first on a double. League average is just 42 percent in these situations. Detroit also ranks second in MLB scoring 34 percent of their base runners. Their aggressive base running, without the stolen base, has been a trademark of their offense this season.
What the Tigers’ lineup does not have are players who jump off the page among the biggest stars of the tame. Riley Greene ranks 23rd in the majors in wOBA/ wRC+. Rather, the club features players whose offensive output is above average at their position.
Positional Rankings
The following chart shows where the Tigers rank among the 30 MLB teams at each position. wRC+ is weighted runs created, 100 being average. Fangraphs’ WAR includes offense and defense with a positional adjustment.
What we see in this table is a lineup that features above average production at seven of the nine positions, with reason to believe that Parker Meadows in center field, Dillon Dingler starting behind the plate, and Baez back home at shortstop will yield even further improvement than where they started the season.
Of course, Hinch continues to plug n play his players around the diamond in positions as needed. This has allowed the club to keep rolling through injuries without missing a beat.
Pitching
Detroit’s starting rotation was the strength of the team in 2024, and that continues into 2025. Led by Tarik Skubal, the reigning Cy Young winner who won a rare pitching triple crown, leading the league in ERA, Wins and Strikeouts, the Tigers’ rotation has been solid once again.
What we see in this chart is that the Tigers’ rotation is clearly the strength of the pitching staff, ranking among the top six teams in several categories including Earned run average. The bullpen has been more average, ranking in the middle third often, not striking many batters out, but not allowing many walks.
Skubal is again the favorite for the AL Cy Young award, sporting a 2.23 ERA while leading MLB with an 11.79 K/9 ratio and a 10- 3 record. His 4.7 fWAR leads all pitchers. Casey Mize (3.15 ERA, 9- 3) and Reese Olson (2.97) when healthy, have also pitched well.
The Tigers’ relief corp has saved 69 percent of their save opportunities, which ranks 7th in MLB, and they’ve allowed just 26 percent of inherited runners to score, which ranks 4th.
It would seem that the bullpen is one area that GM Scott Harris might be looking to upgrade by the July31st deadline, and the team has no shortage of prospects in the pipeline, and they’re in good financial position to finance a serious title run.