After a near-perfect homestand, the Detroit Tigers jumped three spots in the latest MLB power rankings to second.
The Tigers swept the AL-West-leading Houston Astros by a combined score of 18-2 (+16) and then took two out of three games from the Kansas City Royals.
Detroit (78-54) now has the best record in the American League and the second-best mark in all of baseball behind the Milwaukee Brewers (81-50), who topped the power rankings for the fourth straight week.
How the Tigers jumped in the rankings
The Tigers looked like the best team in the majors earlier this season, but tough times came in July during a stretch of 12 losses over 13 games. Detroit is 18-8 since and back in the conversation as a title contender.
The Tigers’ best winning streak this season is five games, one fewer than their longest losing streak (six). But Detroit has done the former five times, according to MLB.com’s Jason Beck, and the latter only twice.
That’s why the Tigers are still in prime position to land home-field advantage throughout the American League playoffs. Detroit hasn’t had home-field advantage in a postseason series since the 2006 World Series, per Will Leitch of MLB.com.
Royals first baseman Vinnie Pasquantino praised the Tigers’ resilience on Sunday after Detroit erased an early 6-1 lead and never quit in an eventual 10-8 loss to Kansas City.
“We took that one, and that’s what we need to do, … but they wouldn’t go away,” he said, per Beck. “I mean, you’re up 6-1. That’s why they’re so good. That’s why you’ve got to tip your hat to them all the time. Because they’re never out of it, the way they were able to string things together.”
Now, the Tigers’ focus turns to the Athletics, whom they begin a three-game series with tonight at Raley Field before heading to Kansas City.
