The Detroit Tigers are in a bit of a pickle, sitting at 22-36 and languishing at the bottom of the AL Central, a whopping 11.5 games behind the Cleveland Guardians. The struggles are real, and if there’s one glaring issue that keeps rearing its ugly head, it’s the bullpen. And unfortunately for Tigers fans, it’s not a new problem, but it’s one that’s gotten worse.
As we wrap up May, the Tigers have already tallied 14 blown saves. Ouch.
And if that stat isn’t enough to make you wince, here’s another: they’ve endured seven walk-off losses this season, the most in MLB according to ESPN’s Jesse Rogers. It’s certainly not where Detroit envisioned themselves this season, but here we are.
Those blown saves are like a weight around the team’s neck, making it tough to climb out of this hole.
The blame for these blown saves doesn’t rest on one pair of shoulders; it’s a collective bullpen issue. Kyle Finnegan and Kenley Jansen are leading the pack with four blown saves each, while Will Vest has three, Drew Anderson two, and Tyler Holton one.
But let’s not just pile on Finnegan and Jansen without digging a little deeper. Jansen was supposed to be the rock at the back of the bullpen.
Instead, he’s been shaky, sporting a 4.80 ERA and converting only seven of his 11 save opportunities. And now, he’s on the 15-day IL with right groin issues, with no clear return date.
Vest, on the other hand, has been particularly damaging, carrying a 7.41 ERA over 17 innings and failing to convert any of his three save chances. Finnegan, though, is a bit of a puzzle. His 2.03 ERA in 26 appearances suggests effectiveness, yet he’s let four leads slip away.
The Tigers have been a mix of unlucky and self-sabotaging, with the bullpen leading the charge in both categories. Brant Hurter, Detroit’s standout reliever, has zero blown saves to his name, boasting a 2.84 ERA and a 0.07 WHIP over 25.1 innings.
But just when you thought there was a silver lining, he’s been sidelined, first to the 15-day IL and now the 60-day IL. It’s a brutal blow for a team desperate for stability.
Injuries have been relentless, hitting the Tigers hard. Alongside Hurter, Burch Smith, Ty Madden, and Bailey Horn are all on the IL, while Jackson Jobe is still recovering from Tommy John surgery.
And it’s not just the bullpen that’s taken a hit. The rotation has been battered too, with Tarik Skubal needing surgery and Justin Verlander out with a hip injury, though he’s expected back soon.
Casey Mize is also on the mend with a groin issue.
Position players haven’t been spared either, with Gleyber Torres, Kerry Carpenter, Javier Baez, and Parker Meadows all currently sidelined. It’s a team ravaged by injuries, and while the talent is there, the bullpen’s frequent collapses-averaging a blown save every four days-are simply untenable.
Remember 2025, when the Tigers blew a 15.5-game lead in the AL Central? Fans certainly do.
So, is there hope for a comeback this year, despite the 11.5-game deficit? It seems far-fetched, but if Skubal can return sooner rather than later, as his agent Scott Boras suggests, there might be a glimmer of hope for the latter half of the season.
The Tigers have promising players like Riley Greene and Spencer Torkelson, but they can’t carry the team alone. The bullpen needs to step up.
Finnegan has the potential to be dependable, and Anderson’s 39 strikeouts and 4.13 ERA show promise. Ty Madden should be back by June.
The pieces are there, but it’s time to put the puzzle together.
The silver lining? Things can improve.
The sobering reality? They need to, and fast, if Detroit wants any shot at October baseball.