The News’ Tony Paul gives his quick takes on the Tigers’ 4-2 loss to the Astros on Wednesday:
One thing I loved
Not much. At all.
After winning seven of their first nine games in June to give fans at least a little hope that the season wasn’t over yet, the Tigers have dropped four of their last five games and their last two series to fall to 30-44.
They’ve lost the last two series to Cleveland and Houston, two opponents they beat in the wild-card round of the playoffs the last two years. It’s been a harsh reminder that these aren’t the same Tigers. Not even close.
At least ace Tarik Skubal pitches Friday, returning to the Comerica Park mound for the first time since late April, and Justin Verlander pitches Sunday, making his first start at Comerica Park as a Tiger since August 2007. And who knows how many more starts Tigers fans will get to see either of them suit up in the Olde English D at Comerica Park. Skubal, the free agent-to-be, is almost certainly going to be traded, perhaps sooner than later. And Verlander is 43, has been on the injured list since early April with a lingering hip issue, and he might just be nearing the end of the road. We know he wants to pitch until he’s 45, but Father Time doesn’t negotiate much.
Tigers fans haven’t gotten to see the Tigers they expected in 2026. But at least this weekend against the (first-place!?!) Chicago White Sox, they can see two guys who represent what the Tigers were — before they’re gone.
One thing I didn’t
Another day, another trip to the shelf for Gleyber Torres.
The Tigers veteran second baseman missed nearly a month with a left oblique strain, returning to the lineup June 2. His return lasted two whole weeks. Torres is back on the IL, again with a left oblique strain. This marks the third trip to the IL in Torres’ two years with the Tigers, and that doesn’t include the multiple months he played hurt at the end of 2025, leading to offseason hernia surgery.
“I’m at a loss to describe (all the injuries),” manager AJ Hinch said before Wednesday’s game, as reported by News beat writer Chris McCosky. Outfielder Wenceel Perez also was out after a freak training-room accident.
Torres has proven to be a key figure near the top the Tigers’ lineup, when healthy, even starting the All-Star Game last year. He missed most of May this year, as the Tigers’ offense was abysmal. He returned, and they perked up big-time. Now, again without him, the Tigers have scored just four runs the last two games. They had four base runners in Wednesday’s loss, two on solo homers by Kerry Carpenter and Kevin McGonigle.
Even the Tigers’ typically spunky social-media admin was bored by this one. The Tigers’ X account had zero posts during the game, not even the video-clip highlights of the two homers.
Three stars
(Season total in parentheses)
Kevin McGonigle (20)
Peter Lambert
Jeremy Pena
Player of the game
(Season total in parentheses)
Kerry Carpenter (2)
Tigers’ uniform tracker
Next Tigers game
Game 75: White Sox at Tigers, 6:40 Friday, Detroit SportsNet, 97.1
ICYMI: Yesterday’s Tigers recap
tpaul@detroitnews.com
@tonypaul1984
This article originally appeared on The Detroit News: Detroit Tigers, Game 74: One thing I loved, one thing I didn’t
Reporting by Tony Paul, The Detroit News / The Detroit News
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Tony Paul, The Detroit News | USA TODAY Network
