Tigers Staring into the Mirror: Can Detroit Avoid the Twins’ 2024 Collapse?
Look at the picture: the Tigers logo staring into the mirror and seeing the 2024 Twins looking back. It’s a warning, a reminder that no lead in the American League Central is safe. Just last year, the Twins looked steady in August, only to unravel down the stretch. The Tigers were on fire, and it seemed there was no denying them a spot in the postseason. Now, in 2025, Detroit is in front — but the Cleveland Guardians are charging, having won 11 of 12, and the similarities to that collapse are impossible to ignore.
The 2024 Twins: Collapse in Real Time
Minnesota seemed secure by mid-August, but its bullpen faltered, its defense slipped, and its offense stopped producing in crucial moments. A division lead that looked safe eroded in September. The Tigers appeared to work magic, with Manager A.J. Hinch pulling all the right levers with the pitching staff. The Tigers’ wins kept piling up, and Minnesota’s stumble turned into a full-blown collapse that tarnished their season.
The 2025 Tigers: Holding the Cards, Feeling the Heat
This September feels eerily familiar. Detroit still leads the Central, but two straight losses to Cleveland have tightened the race. Even with Casey Mize and Jack Flaherty turning in solid starts, Cleveland’s starting pitchers — and their bullpen — have been just as good, if not better.
Tuesday’s extra-inning heartbreaker told the story. Kerry Carpenter delivered a thunderous, game-tying home run in the bottom of the ninth — a blast that instantly recalled his heroics in last year’s playoff series against Cleveland. For a moment, Comerica Park felt electric. The Guardians looked stunned, the crowd roared, and it seemed impossible that Detroit would let this one slip away.
But in the 10th, it unraveled. Will Vest came on and surrendered a string of doubles that cracked the game wide open for Cleveland. Just like that, the Tigers’ momentum vanished. It was the kind of bullpen collapse that defined Minnesota’s downfall last year — and it’s exactly the fate Detroit has to avoid.
Wednesday’s game lacked any drama at all…just four hits by Detroit, two of them by Parker Meadows. It was a night when the offence couldn’t generate anything that amounted to a real threat. The offence needs to heat up. With only ten games left on the schedule, four against Cleveland, there has to be a sense of urgency. A win on Thursday will go a long way to settling things down.
And then there’s the concern with Tarik Skubal. The Tigers’ ace is expected to be fine, but if he’s anything less than himself, Detroit’s margin shrinks to nothing. Pitching has to stabilize, and timely hitting has to return, or the Central will slip away just as it did for the Twins.
Parallels You Can’t Ignore
- The Hot Pursuer: Last year, Detroit was chasing Minnesota. This year, Cleveland is chasing Detroit — and catching up fast.
- Bullpen Trouble: Minnesota couldn’t hold late leads. Detroit just lost one the same way.
- Silent Bats: The Twins stopped getting clutch hits; the Tigers have scored only five runs in two critical games with Cleveland.
- Ace Reliance: Minnesota had no one to carry them. Detroit does in Skubal, but his health is everything.
How Detroit Writes a Different Ending
- Win the Rubber Match. Beat Cleveland in Thursday’s matinee, and momentum swings back.
- Stabilize the Pen. Mix arms smartly, don’t let one bad inning define a week.
- Hit Early, Hit Often. Put pressure on Cleveland’s staff before the bullpen door swings open.
- Stay Sharp on Defense. No extra bases, no free runs.
- Keep Skubal Standing Tall. He’s the ace, the stopper — if he’s right, Detroit can reset the tone.
Bottom Line
Will the Tigers lose their grip on the division? I doubt it. With their magic number at 7 games and 10 left on the schedule, it’s unlikely. Detroit still controls its destiny, but unless the bullpen steadies, the bats wake up, and Skubal anchors the staff, that possibility could become reality.
Tomorrow isn’t just another game. It’s a chance to ease the sting of losing the first two games of the series. For now, let’s enjoy the ride, as bumpy as it might be over the next 2 weeks.
