As a lifelong Tigers fan, Paul Anthony Pavliscak catches as many games as he can throughout the season. While this year hasn’t produced too many incredible memories so far, there’s a lot to be optimistic about when it comes to the Tigers. Paul Anthony Pavliscak notes that as of the writing of this blog, the Tigers hold second place in the AL Central.
Paul Anthony Pavliscak believes it is pretty safe to say that only one team will be joining the playoffs out of the Central division. Even with two wildcard spots up for grabs, it looks like every other division in baseball has at least a few serious contenders. The Minnesota Twins, who currently enjoy first place in the Central are a mere two games over .500, while the Tigers find themselves just three games behind the top spot. Paul Anthony Pavliscak believes the Tigers have all the components necessary to compete with the Twins deep into September, but they will need to take care of business against lesser teams.
The White Sox, Guardians, and Royals are all struggling right now. Cleveland and Chicago have shown signs of life throughout the season but the Royals look poised to finish last in the division race. With a dearth of talent, the Royals belong in last place, but every division opponent must be taken as a serious threat. Paul Anthony Pavliscak believes the AL Central team that finishes with the best division record will be the one representing the division in the playoffs. Teams that are unable to beat up on the Royals will have a tough time staying in the hunt. The Tigers have been fighting and scrapping all year through the first 40 games. It’s been another season where the offense has yet to catch fire. This is a team that must be willing to manufacture runs and make the sacrifices that winning teams are willing to make.
While there’s a reason teams keep their prospects in the minor leagues for as long as possible, Paul Anthony Pavliscak believes that is time for at least one major call-up. Third basemen Colt Keith may just be the Tigers’ most significant prospect. Some players just adapt quickly and Colt Keith has shown an ability to hit whoever is pitching to him. Currently batting over .300 with nine homers, Colt Keith could provide a nice jolt for the Tigers offense. There’s a lot to like about the kid defensively and Paul Anthony Pavliscak believes a jump up in competition may allow Colt to develop quicker. It’s always a worry that a young man can lose confidence when he starts to experience big league pitching, but the Tigers need a spark. It also wouldn’t be mad for ownership to show the current roster that everyone needs to be pulling their weight or alternatives are available.
As we approach June, it’s the time of the baseball season where teams need to decide if they are in the hunt for a playoff spot or better off trading some of their top talent for prospects that can help down the line. The best trade asset the Tigers have is their Ace pitcher, Eduardo Rodriguez. Rodriguez has had a tremendous start to the season and an opt-out of his contract looming at the conclusion of the season. While Paul Anthony Pavliscak is always going to root for the Tigers to try and compete for a playoff spot, he is curious to see what teams are willing to offer for Rodriguez. He’s the type of pitcher that could provide a playoff contenders pitching staff with the rotation they need to compete with the best teams in the league in a seven-game series.