It's been smooth sailing for the Detroit Tigers for much of the year, but September has proven to be a different story. The Tigers dropped to 5-9 in September after getting swept by the Cleveland Guardians on their home field. Now, at 85-68, Detroit's lead over Cleveland is down to 3.5 games in the AL Central with nine games still to be played, three of which are on the road against the Guardians.
The Tigers are still clear favorites to win the AL Central, but what once seemed like a formality is now anything but. Another bad week, particularly in their upcoming series against Cleveland, could lead to a disastrous outcome.
A series win against Cleveland would've all but locked up the AL Central. These five Tigers deserve to be blamed for allowing Cleveland to remain in the hunt in what's been a disastrous September.
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5) Zach McKinstry, infielder
Zach McKinstry came out of nowhere to make the All-Star team for the Tigers this season. He's been invaluable as a position player who can play all over the diamond while producing at an above-average clip at the plate. His September got off to a good start with seven hits in his first 17 at-bats, but his play during Detroit's recent rough patch has left a lot to be desired.
McKinstry has picked the worst time to slump, as he's now gone 16 at-bats without a hit after going 0-for-3 on Thursday. The infielder has not even drawn a single walk during this seven-game stretch. It's been bad.
McKinstry isn't expected to carry the offense by any means, but this guy wasn't an All-Star by accident. He's supposed to lengthen the lineup, and he's done anything but lately. The Tigers badly need him to turn things around.
4) Colt Keith, infielder
This is unfortunate timing because Colt Keith did drive in Detroit's only run on Thursday and he left the game with an injury, but his month of September has been very frustrating. Keith was slashing .220/.304/.293 with one home run and three RBI in 14 games entering Thursday's action.
Keith had spent the majority of the second half leading off for the Tigers, but his play lately has resulted in him getting bumped to the No. 6 and No. 7 spots of the lineup. He was once one of the key hitters in this lineup, but one extra-base hit in September just isn't going to cut it.
3) Charlie Morton, starting pitcher
The Tigers entered the trade deadline needing a rotation upgrade, and they hoped Charlie Morton would be that guy. Unfortunately, as his 5.92 ERA in eight starts with the Tigers would suggest, things haven't gone well. They've gone even worse in September.
Morton has a 9.28 ERA in three starts and hasn't gone beyond four innings in any of his September appearances. He has allowed 23 base runners, 11 of which have come via walks, in just 10.2 innings of work. Morton's struggles raise the question of whether he should even throw another pitch for the Tigers this season.
He has an excellent postseason track record, so perhaps he can turn things around once October begins, but the Tigers have to get there first, and he hasn't helped them at all in September. The Tigers had a disappointing trade deadline, and Morton is arguably the biggest reason why.
2) Gleyber Torres, second baseman
Gleyber Torres' first half was nothing short of electric, and it resulted in him not only earning an All-Star start but also serving as the lead-off hitter for the American League. His second half, though, has been a completely different story. Torres' numbers have fallen drastically, and his September has gone extremely poorly.
To his credit, Torres did go 1-for-2 and draw a pair of walks on Thursday, but he entered Thursday's action slashing .140/.290/.300 with two home runs and 10 RBI in 14 September games. Even after a good day on Thursday, Torres has just two hits in his last 20 at-bats.
He spent much of this season as Detroit's best right-handed hitter and a fixture in the No. 2 spot in the order, but while he's continued to bat second, things have gone so south for him production-wise. The Tigers desperately need him to turn it around if they went to fend off the Guardians.
1) Riley Greene, oufielder
Riley Greene hit right behind Torres in the American League All-Star lineup, and deservingly so. He had an unbelievable first half and has really had a breakout year overall. With that being said, after going 0-for-4 with two strikeouts, we can officially say that September has been a month to forget for the 24-year-old.
Greene entered the day slashing .208/.271/.377 with two home runs and seven RBI this month, and after his 0-for-4 day, his numbers are only worse. The strikeouts remain a major area of concern, and he's been hitting fifth in the order lately as opposed to third or fourth.
The Tigers might not even be in first place to begin with without Greene, so it's hard to criticize him too much, but knowing how great a player he is, it's tough to watch him slump in the middle of a playoff race. It's tough for any team to thrive when its best player isn't showing up, and the Tigers, clearly, are no exception.