The Detroit Tigers aren't a good story or an upstart team. They're World Series contenders, and the response from fans in the Motor City shows that they're fully invested in this team that broke a nine-year playoff drought last year, and has a real chance at an even deeper run in 2025.
According to Jon Morosi of MLB Network, the Tigers are selling standing room tickets for this weekend's series against the NL Central-leading Chicago Cubs. It's the beginning of June, and the Tigers are selling out their ballpark against a team that's not even in their league. This is what happens when you give fans something to cheer about.
Why Tigers-Cubs is drawing one of the biggest crowds of the season
It's pretty simple why Comerica Park will be packed to the brim this weekend — because both teams are really, really good. Detroit has used elite pitching (No. 3 in ERA and No. 4 in WHIP) and consistent hitting to take the lead in the AL Central with a 41-23 record.
Riley Greene and Kerry Carpenter have followed their strong 2024s with even stronger starts to 2025, Tarik Skubal is the best pitcher in baseball and Casey Mize appears, for now, to be meeting the sky-high expectations of a No. 1 draft pick.
Chicago is mashing baseballs (No. 2 in runs, No. 4 in OPS, No. 4 in SLG) behind the breakout of Pete Crow-Armstrong, Seiya Suzuki, Nico Hoerner and Kyle Tucker.
Tarik Skubal will be on the mound on Friday night, but this series will feature far fewer household names than a series between, say, the Yankees and Dodgers.
That doesn't mean the baseball will be any worse. Detroit is a threat to everyone in the AL, and the Cubs offense is supercharged enough to go blow-for-blow with anyone in the NL. This isn't the sexiest potential World Series preview to the casual fan, but it's well worth tuning into — and fans in Detroit don't have to be told twice to show out for their team.
Tigers-Cubs attendance: How many fans are expected at Comerica Park?
Comerica Park has a capacity of about 41,000. If the team is selling standing-room tickets, then seats are probably pretty much gone. Of course, not every sold seat will be filled (you can buy tickets on the secondary market) but I think there will be well over 100,000 fans in three combined days this weekend. That's an accomplishment for Detroit; packing out a ballpark for an interleague series in June deserves props.
Detroit sports fans haven't had a ton to cheer about in recent years; but the Lions, Pistons and Tigers have all become thrilling teams in recent years, and the good people of the Motor City have finally been rewarded for their loyalty.