It's been a rough week in the Motor City, and Game 38 against the Red Sox was the final nail in a miserable coffin. The Tigers dropped this one 4-0, completing a three-game sweep that left fans shaking their heads. Let's break down the highs and lows from a forgettable Wednesday afternoon at Comerica Park.
What I loved: Jack Flaherty's resurgence
In a series defined by frustration, Flaherty gave Tigers fans a genuine reason to smile. The right-hander looked like his old self, striking out the first five batters he faced and finishing with 10 punchouts—his highest total since being traded to the Dodgers back in August 2024. He was pounding the zone with authority, throwing an impressive 70% of his pitches for strikes, his best strike percentage of the season by a wide margin. For a team desperately seeking starting-pitching solutions, this was exactly the kind of performance they needed to see.
What I didn't love: The defense let him down
Here's the frustrating part—Flaherty deserved a much better fate. He went five innings, allowing just three hits and one walk (a season low) while hitting one batter (unintentionally this time, promise!). Yet when he left the game, the scoreboard read 4-0. The Tigers' defense, which entered Wednesday dead last in MLB with negative-15 runs prevented according to Statcast, couldn't back him up. This team may not lead the league in errors, but they're statistically the worst defensive unit in baseball—and your eyes will tell you the same story.
The bigger picture
The Tigers (18-20) find themselves two games under .500 for the first time since April 12, and this series was a wake-up call. They lost their ace, lost their cool, saw their manager suspended for a game, and watched their second-best starter get hit with a five-game ban. They entered the series with just three home losses all season—and left with six, swept by a Red Sox team that fired their World Series-winning manager and five coaches less than two weeks ago. Sometimes, the best move is just to pack up and head to the next city.