Charted: Detroit Tigers' shrinking division lead
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Panic is creeping into Tigertown with the team's once-firm grip on the AL Central Division loosening.
The big picture: Some fans figured Detroit had wrapped up the division title last month, when its lead stretched to a seemingly insurmountable 14 games.
- Detroit (66-50) has gone 7-16 since that July 8 peak.
Zoom in: After back-to-back losses to the lowly Twins this week, the team's lead over the second-place Guardians has shrunk to just six games.
Between the lines: Outfielder Riley Greene's monthlong slump, shaky starting pitching outside of ace Tarik Skubal and an unreliable bullpen are contributing to the team's struggles, the Free Press reports.
What they're saying: "We better worry about ourselves," manager A.J. Hinch said after Wednesday's loss. "I don't care if you have a one-game lead or a 20-game lead, if you don't play good baseball, I'm going to sit up here and tell you we got to be better."
What's next: A three-game series against the Angels starts Friday at 7:10pm.
- Tickets start at $33.