The Tigers Are Fifth in MLB in Home Runs and Nobody Saw This Coming

The team we all said had no power is now fifth in baseball in home runs AND fifth in OPS. Detroit’s offense isn’t just hot — it might actually be legit.

Remember when the Tigers offense was the question mark? When we were all worried about whether this lineup could score enough to support that filthy pitching staff?

Yeah, about that.

Detroit is currently fifth in Major League Baseball in home runs. Fifth. The team with “no power” is mashing. They’re also fifth in OPS and seventh in on-base percentage. First in the league in taking the extra base from first to third. This offense isn’t just surviving — it’s thriving.

And the craziest part? It feels sustainable.

Why This Tigers Offense is Built Different

The reason you can buy into this lineup isn’t because Spencer Torkelson is on pace for 48 home runs — he’s not finishing there, let’s be real. The guy has too many 2-for-24 stretches for that.

No, the reason this offense is sustainable is the balance. When Riley Green went cold, somebody else stepped up. When Colt Keith slumped, the lineup kept producing. When Torkelson struggled, the Tigers didn’t collapse.

That’s new. That’s different. That’s what good baseball teams do.

Look at the unexpected production: Zack McKinstry is seventh in the league in on-base percentage. Javy Báez — yes, THAT Javy Báez — is first on the Tigers in WAR. You’re not expecting those things. But that’s what keeps you afloat when your studs aren’t hitting.

And now? Riley Green is back. Torkelson is back. Colt Keith is heating up. You’ve got Verling returning soon, Parker Meadows on the way, Wenceel Pérez progressing. This thing could get even better.

The Role Players Are Actually Playing Their Roles

In the past, when the big dogs went down, the Tigers lost games and became a .500 team. Nobody could pick up the slack.

Now everybody’s chipping in. Dylan Dingler. McKinstry. Trey Sweeney dropped six RBIs out of nowhere. Even Naido — a guy who can’t hit his way out of a paper bag — is being effective behind the plate and contributing.

The role players are doing a hell of a job carrying the weight until the studs get going. And when you combine that with the best pitching staff in baseball? You get the best record in the American League.

This team is buying into everything AJ Hinch has preached since Day One. Own the strike zone. Don’t swing at pitches off the plate. Punish pitchers when they come inside. Be aggressive on the bases. Javy Báez isn’t swinging at stuff two feet off the plate anymore. That alone tells you something has changed.

Does This Team Have 2006 Vibes?

Here’s the thing about Tarik Skubal: you literally cannot have a five-game losing streak when he’s your ace. It’s not possible. The guy doesn’t lose. And people sleep on how massive that is over 162 games.

But it’s not just Skubal anymore. Reese Olson hasn’t given up a run in four starts. Casey Mize is dealing. Jackson Jobe and Flaherty are contributing. It’s a six-leg parlay and somehow they’re hitting it.

The summer of “I’m Back” is real. Javy, Mize, Torkelson — they’re all back. And now Detroit has the best record in the American League.

Is it too early to call what we’re seeing special? Maybe. But the wind is at this team’s back. They don’t lose consecutive games. When they get beat badly, they come back the next day and win by double digits. They’re resilient. They bounce back.

It feels different. And sometimes that’s all you can say — it just feels like it’s going to be their year.

The Takeaways

• Tigers are fifth in MLB in both home runs and OPS despite being labeled a ‘no power’ team all offseason
• The balance is what makes this sustainable — when stars slump, role players like McKinstry, Dingler, and yes, Javy Báez are stepping up
• You can’t have a prolonged losing streak when Tarik Skubal is your ace — and the rest of the rotation is finally matching his energy

Watch the full segment on YouTube: The Tigers Offense is one of the best in the MLB! Can they sustain their success?