PHOENIX (AP) — Don’t count on the Detroit Tigers making the World Series in 2024.
However, the Tigers, led by president of baseball operations Scott Harris, are employing some of the same strategies that helped the Arizona Diamondbacks reach the postseason. The Diamondbacks advanced to the postseason, outperforming industry expectations by at least one year, and defeated the Los Angeles Dodgers and Philadelphia Phillies to advance to the 2023 World Series.
After two seasons of 110 losses, the Diamondbacks have a chance to outwit the heavy-hitting, big-spending Texas Rangers for their first World Series title since 2001.
“I’m picking up on that vibe,” Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo said ahead of Game 1 of the World Series. “We’re getting some respect, and I like that.”
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The similarities between the Tigers’ philosophy under Harris and the Diamondbacks’ philosophy under general manager Mike Hazen, both of which operate as mid-market franchises, are a good sign for Detroit’s immediate future. It doesn’t guarantee the Tigers will make the World Series, but it serves as a reminder that the postseason is possible.
Examples include playing style and roster construction.
With their athleticism, defense, and preparation, the Diamondbacks have suffocated their postseason opponents. The Tigers finished in the middle of the league in all-around defense, and they’re actively working to improve their roster’s athleticism.
In the postseason, Arizona’s hitters appear to be strategizing at an elite level, practically on a count-by-count basis, to predict the most likely pitch. On their way to the World Series, the Diamondbacks performed significantly better against starting pitchers than relief pitchers, most likely due to their daily advance scouting.
Under Harris’ direction, the Tigers, too, implemented new offensive strategies in the 2023 season. Former No. 1 overall pick Spencer Torkelson frequently discussed attempting to eliminate a specific pitch from the starting pitcher in order to focus on a different pitch while exploiting in-zone errors. During his sophomore season, he hit 31 home runs in 159 games, including 26 in his final 97.
With all due respect to the D-backs, the Tigers may be closer to the postseason than the industry anticipates.
After all, the D-backs won 84 games during the regular season in 2023.
The Tigers won 78 games in a row.
‘Wisdom baseball decisions’
To make the playoffs, the Tigers must continue to do what Harris has preached since taking over as Detroit’s president of baseball operations.
“I don’t believe in strict five-year plans,” Harris said at his inauguration press conference on September 20, 2022. “I believe that if we keep our heads down, make smart baseball decisions, and string them together through winters and trade deadlines and draft opportunities and international signing opportunities, we’ll look up and have a darn good baseball team.” That has been my intention since Day 1 and will continue to be my intention throughout my tenure here.”
