Detroit Tigers Struggle Early in 2026 Season

Manager A.J. Hinch says team is working to get back to winning baseball

Apr. 9, 2026 at 12:07am

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A cubist-style painting featuring sharp, overlapping geometric shapes in navy blue, orange, and emerald green, conceptually representing the fragmented nature of the Detroit Tigers' early-season performance.The Tigers' early-season struggles are a puzzle to be solved, with the team's manager trying to find the right pieces to get them back on track.Today in Detroit

The Detroit Tigers have started the 2026 MLB season with a 4-7 record, placing them in fourth place in the American League Central division. Despite ranking in the middle of the pack for offense, pitching rotation, and bullpen, the Tigers have lost 7 of their last 9 games. Manager A.J. Hinch is focused on getting the team to play to its brand of winning baseball without overreacting to the early struggles.

Why it matters

The Tigers are one of the more prominent franchises in the American League, so their early-season struggles are drawing attention. Hinch is trying to strike a balance between addressing the team's issues and not overreacting to a small sample size of games.

The details

Through 11 games, the Tigers rank 12th in MLB for offense, 16th for the starting rotation, and 14th for the bullpen. Several Tigers hitters, including Gleyber Torres, Spencer Torkelson, and Riley Greene, are chasing fewer pitches than the league average. On the pitching side, starters like Justin Verlander, Framber Valdez, and Casey Mize are throwing first-pitch strikes at a higher rate than the MLB average.

  • The Tigers have a 4-7 record through 11 games played in the 2026 season.
  • The Tigers have lost 7 of their last 9 games.

The players

A.J. Hinch

The manager of the Detroit Tigers, who is focused on getting the team back to playing its brand of winning baseball.

Gleyber Torres

A Tigers hitter who is chasing pitches at a 15.4% rate, well below the MLB average of 29.9%.

Justin Verlander

A Tigers starting pitcher who is throwing first-pitch strikes at a 68.4% rate, higher than the MLB average of 59.8%.

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What they’re saying

“Team-wise, you're always pushing to play winning baseball. Right now, we haven't done that. We're trying to find ways to get back to our brand of baseball that produces those wins without overreacting.”

— A.J. Hinch, Manager

The takeaway

The Tigers' early-season struggles highlight the fine line managers must walk between addressing issues and overreacting to a small sample size. Hinch is focused on getting the team back to playing its brand of winning baseball, which includes improved plate discipline and first-pitch strikes from the pitching staff.