Tigers Trending Today: New Report Reveals Stunning Population Rebound—But Experts Warn It’s Still at Risk

DETROIT — The Detroit Tigers’ May slide continued Saturday night as A.J. Hinch’s club squandered another early lead, falling 5-3 to the red-hot Cleveland Guardians and dropping their third straight game in front of 31,417 frustrated fans at Comerica Park. H2: Skubal’s strong start wasted again Left-hander Tarik Skubal looked every bit the early Cy Young contender through five innings, punching out nine and allowing just two hits. But a sixth-inning mis-located changeup to José Ramírez left the yard for a three-run blast, flipping a 3-1 Tigers advantage into a 4-3 deficit. Skubal’s final line (6 IP, 4 ER, 10 K) belied how dominant he was for most of the night, yet the loss pushed his record to 4-3 despite a sterling 2.92 ERA and 89 strikeouts in 62 innings. H2: Vierling returns, offense still sputters Saturday marked the long-anticipated return of Matt Vierling, activated from the injured list after missing the season’s first 50 games with a fractured hand. The versatile outfielder wasted no time making an impact, lining an RBI single off Guardians starter Logan Allen in the second. Kerry Carpenter followed with a two-run double for a quick 3-0 cushion, but Detroit’s bats went quiet from there, recording just two hits over the final seven frames. H3: Key offensive numbers (May 1-24) • Runs per game: 3.27 (28th in MLB) • Team OPS: .669 (26th) • Batting average w/RISP: .211 (29th) Until Spencer Torkelson and Riley Greene rediscover their April form, Hinch will continue to juggle lineups in search of a spark. Expect Vierling to see daily at-bats in either corner outfield spot while Carpenter rotates between DH and left field. H2: Bullpen under the microscope For the second time in three nights, the usually reliable Jason Foley surrendered a late insurance run, ballooning his ERA to 2.85 after opening the year with 15 consecutive scoreless appearances. Setup man Alex Lange is also battling command (14 walks in 20 IP). With Will Vest (triceps) unlikely to return until early June, Detroit could look to Triple-A Toledo right-hander Andrew Magno — sporting a 1.12 ERA and 35 K in 24 IP — for help as soon as next week. H2: Injury updates and roster moves • RHP Casey Mize (elbow soreness): Expected to make Tuesday’s start after a skipped turn. • 2B Colt Keith (hamstring strain): Began light running; earliest activation date June 3. • INF Jace Jung: Optioned to Toledo; INF Andy Ibáñez recalled for infield depth. H2: What the skid means for the AL Central race The Guardians have now won eight of nine to seize a 2.5-game lead over the Tigers, who entered May atop the division. With the Minnesota Twins looming just one game back, Detroit suddenly finds itself in a three-team dogfight: 1. Guardians 31-19 2. Tigers 29-22 (2.5 GB) 3. Twins 28-23 (3.5 GB) Sunday’s matinee finale pits rookie right-hander Jackson Jobe (3-0, 1.77) against Cleveland ace Shane Bieber (5-2, 3.04) before the Tigers embark on a daunting nine-game road swing through Houston, Los Angeles, and Kansas City. H2: Looking ahead — schedule at a glance • Sun, May 25 vs Guardians – 1:10 p.m. ET • Mon-Wed, May 26-28 @ Astros • Fri-Sun, May 30-Jun 1 @ Angels • Mon-Thu, Jun 2-5 @ Royals H2: Bottom line Detroit still owns a top-five rotation ERA and a plus run differential, indicators that a rebound is within reach. But unless the offense capitalizes with runners on and the bullpen halts the late-inning leaks, the surging Guardians will continue to widen the gap in the AL Central. Fans can catch Sunday’s rubber match on Bally Sports Detroit or stream via MLB.TV, while tickets for the next home stand (June 6-12) are available at tigers.com. Stay tuned to this space for real-time Detroit Tigers news, injury updates, and trade-deadline buzz as the 2025 MLB season heats up.