The Detroit Tigers dropped back-to-back games to the Seattle Mariners in disappointing fashion, a poor showing for a team that holds the best record in Major League Baseball.
Allowing a staggering 27 runs over two games and matching their longest losing streak of the season at three games has been a tough pill to swallow.
Starting pitcher described last game as “another frustrating one” after lasting only three innings and surrendering six runs — a performance that followed ace Tarik Skubal’s shaky outing the night before.
Detroit has one game left against the Mariners before the All-Star break. No matter the outcome, the Tigers will still boast the league’s best record as players head to Atlanta for the All-Star festivities.
Top star, clearly disappointed with what was arguably his worst performance of the year, tried to reflect on the bigger picture — a strong first half that earned him his first All-Star selection.
“I’m looking at this from two angles,” Mize said. “We lost today and that’s largely on me. I didn’t give us a chance to win, and that’s frustrating. I feel like I’ve consistently done that this year, but today I didn’t.”
He continued, “At the same time, the first half of my season is over and when I look at the full body of work, I’m proud to have contributed to the team with the best record in baseball — and I’m going to my first All-Star Game. Both things are true. I’ll take responsibility for today, but I also recognize my role in our success.”
The Tigers have been rolling all season, leading the American League by three games and holding an 11.5-game lead in the AL Central.
These lopsided losses are especially damaging against a Mariners squad in the thick of the Wild Card race.
Still, this team isn’t known for panicking — even if these back-to-back blowouts are among the worst under manager A.J. Hinch’s tenure.
Detroit has typically bounced back quickly from defeats, but with one game left before the break, avoiding their first four-game skid of the season is a clear priority.
“These were obviously some ugly games, and it’s not like our pitching to dig such deep holes,” Hinch said. “We’ll regroup and aim to be better tomorrow.”