Detroit Tigers look like the team to watch in winnable AL Central Division

CHICAGO — Don't schedule the parade just yet.

It's only three games.

But the Detroit Tigers look capable of winning the American League Central, the weakest division in baseball, in the 2024 season. Here is the plan, as previously outlined by president of baseball operations Scott Harris: The pitching staff stabilizes the team by keeping games close, while the young hitters develop.

The plan is working.

As a result, the Tigers have a 3-0 record for the first time since 2016.

"We expect our entire roster to be ready to play and win that day's game," manager A.J. Hinch said Wednesday, the eve of Opening Day. "I'm going to try to maximize their strengths as much as possible. I'm trying to put everybody in a position to be successful."

Ace-caliber starter to lead the rotation? That's Tarik Skubal. Several high-leverage relievers in bullpen? That's Jason Foley, Shelby Miller and Andrew Chafin, plus a few more. Depth to cover for potential injuries in the rotation and bullpen? That's Matt Manning and Beau Brieske.

The Tigers swept the Chicago White Sox, projected to be one of the worst teams in baseball, in three consecutive one-run games, winning 1-0 on Thursday, 7-6 on Saturday and 3-2 on Sunday.

The pitching staff kept each game within striking distance for the offense: Skubal in Game 1, a slew of relievers rescuing right-hander Kenta Maeda in Game 2, and right-hander Jack Flaherty in Game 3.

Skubal jumpstarted his Cy Young campaign by throwing six scoreless innings with zero walks and six strikeouts; Maeda got rocked for six runs across 3⅓ innings, but the relievers didn't allow another run; Flaherty kickstarted his comeback season by throwing six innings of one-run ball with zero walks and seven strikeouts.

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The offense needed the boost.

Spencer Torkelson, Riley Greene, Colt Keith and Parker Meadows — four of the five developing young hitters — combined to hit .130 (6-for-46) with one home run, six walks and 12 strikeouts across 52 plate appearances, while Kerry Carpenter hit .444 (4-for-9) with one homer and no strikeouts in 10 plate appearances.

Another reason for the sweep is the Tigers have one of the best managers in the game. From start to finish, Hinch dominated the managerial chess match against Chicago's Pedro Grifol.

"We just put our guys out there and react accordingly," Hinch said.

Hinch is masterful at maneuvering bullpen matchups, but two specific situations on offense stand out: the seventh inning Saturday and ninth inning Sunday.

In Saturday's seventh, the Tigers had Greene (left-hander), Carpenter (left-hander) and Mark Canha (right-hander) due up to start the inning. The White Sox called right-handed reliever Dominic Leone into the game with a two-run lead, even though he had an unfavorable matchup against the back-to-back lefties.

Greene made the White Sox pay by crushing a solo home run.

The White Sox might have benefitted from bringing in a lefty reliever to face Greene and Carpenter, but if that had happened, Hinch could have used Andy Ibáñez (right-hander) off the bench to pinch-hit for Carpenter.

Carpenter grounded out and Canha doubled against Leone, then the White Sox turned to left-handed reliever Tim Hill for a favorable matchup with Keith (left-hander). Although Keith grounded out, Carson Kelly (right-hander) hit a single to drive in the game-tying run.

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In Sunday's ninth, the Tigers had a runner on first base with two outs for Jake Rogers (right-hander), but Hinch pinch-hit Zach McKinstry (left-hander) against right-handed reliever Steven Wilson, creating back-to-back lefties with Meadows in the on-deck circle. The White Sox stuck with Wilson despite an unfavorable matchup against McKinstry.

The White Sox might have benefitted from bringing in a lefty reliever to face McKinstry, but if that had happened, Hinch could have used Ibáñez off the bench to pinch-hit for McKinstry.

McKinstry walked on six pitches, then the White Sox called the left-handed Hill to face Meadows. That's when Hinch countered with Ibáñez, who hit a single to drive in the winning run.

Twice, Hinch put Grifol in a lose-lose situation in a big moment.

The Tigers' players came through and the White Sox lost both games.

"I'm not going to go through every strategy," Hinch said. "I think the players that we have are really good with their strengths and offer a big challenge whoever they face. We have a reason behind doing it. It doesn't do me any good to give you the keys to the thought process. Good luck figuring it out."

Three games is 1.9% of the 162-game season, so the sample size is far too small to make any grand determinations. But the Tigers have shown an ability to utilize above-average pitching and strategic maneuvers to win close games, which will go a long way in search of reaching the postseason for the first time in 10 years.

And the players are invested in Hinch's chess match.

They'll do whatever it takes to win.

"It wasn't surprising at all," said Meadows, pulled for Ibáñez in Sunday's win. "He hammers lefties and got us a win."

"I've been preparing for this opportunity since the beginning of the game," said Ibáñez, who had a .939 OPS against lefties in his final 87 games last season. "I know what my role is within the team, and thank God that A.J. gave me the opportunity. I was working with the coaches and watching some videos on what this pitcher was about to throw, so I was really prepared for that."

Contact Evan Petzold at epetzold@freepress.com or follow him @EvanPetzold.

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This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Detroit Tigers look like the team to watch in weak AL Central