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The Detroit Tigers were one of the best stories in all of baseball in 2024 as they went on a surprise run to the ALDS. It is still early in the 2025 campaign, but the Tigers are once again the talk of the league with the combination of their success as a group combined with the breakthrough seasons being had by some of their top players. Former first overall picks Spencer Torkelson and Casey Mize have turned around their floundering careers to establish themselves as top players in the sport at their respective positions.
Now, Detroit is no longer the feel-good Cinderella story. Just as quickly as they established themselves as that, they've now proven that their ceiling is even higher. It's borne out in the data as well, as the Tigers have risen to a 15% chance of capturing the World Series championships according to Baseball Reference's simulation model .
Those are the best odds in the American League and second in all of MLB, trailing only the Chicago Cubs , who are just slightly ahead at 15.9%. Detroit's chances are nearly double that of their next-closest AL foe, as the New York Yankees currently have an 8.
1% opportunity. It should come as no surprise that the Tigers are so loved by predictive models, as their pitching staff is far and away the best in the AL. As a team, Detroit owns a sterling 2.
86 ERA and 1.12 WHIP, both of which are good for third in all of MLB. Reigning Cy Young Award winner Tarik Skubal has picked up where he left off, and Jack Flaherty, Jackson Jobe, Mize and Reese Olson all boast ERA marks of 3.
34 or lower. On the offensive side, Torkelson, Zack McKinstry and Kerry Carpenter all possess OPS numbers above .800.
Three different Tigers have hit at least six homers, providing a power surge that has eluded this franchise in recent years. With a dominant pitching staff and a deep and threatening lineup, the Tigers are simply a more complete team than anyone else in the AL at the moment. The Yankees are in trouble with their starting rotation without ace Gerrit Cole, and the Houston Astros have their own share of question marks.
Those two are the only other teams in the league above 8%, and while it's far too early to look ahead to the postseason, the Tigers are doing everything they can to build up a cushion to assure themselves of a ticket to the dance. Recommended Articles.
