Detroit Tigers’ Postseason Rotation Options Beyond Tarik Skubal

The Detroit Tigers are heading into the postseason with a clear ace in Tarik Skubal. Manager A.J. Hinch plans to lean on his deep bullpen rather than push long outings from the rest of his starting rotation.

The pitching staff looks stable. But the Tigers face a real challenge with an offense that strikes out way too often, which limits how much they can actually take advantage of their speed on the bases.

Let’s dig into how Hinch’s strategy, bullpen depth, and the Tigers’ offense could shape Detroit’s October run.

Tarik Skubal: The Tigers’ Postseason Anchor

No surprise here—Tarik Skubal will lead the playoff rotation. He’s been dominant, and Hinch knows he can expect length, efficiency, and real ace-level stuff at least once every series.

The lefty’s workload and his knack for shutting down opposing hitters set the tone for everything the Tigers hope to do this October. He’s the foundation, plain and simple.

Beyond the Ace: Rotation Flexibility

After Skubal, things get a lot more flexible. Jack Flaherty looks like the Game 2 starter, but his season’s been a rollercoaster.

Then there’s veteran Charlie Morton, who hasn’t finished strong. Hinch might move him to the bullpen, a move he’s made before when they were together in Houston.

Casey Mize gives them another option—he can start or come in as a bulk reliever if the matchups call for it. That kind of flexibility might be huge in a short series.

The Bullpen-Centric Strategy

Hinch has shown all year that he doesn’t hesitate to go to his bullpen early. He’ll probably keep doing that, especially since this is one of the deepest relief groups Detroit’s had in a while.

Relievers to Watch

There are a few arms that could really matter:

• Troy Melton – He’s young, but he doesn’t seem rattled in big moments.
• Tyler Holton – Can give them multiple innings if needed.
• Kyle Finnegan – Handles high-pressure spots and has the experience to prove it.

If José Urquidy and Paul Sewald get healthy in time, that’s even better. Right now, though, it’s not clear if either will be ready for the Division Series.

Strength in Depth, But With Caveats

This bullpen looks deep, but there’s a catch: they don’t strike out many hitters. In October, when you’re facing the best lineups, that can be a real problem.

Some of their regular-season success might’ve come from good luck and smart defensive shifts. That’s not always something you can count on when the pressure ramps up.

How It Could Play Out

Hinch will try to shorten games and make opponents deal with his bullpen as much as possible. But with fewer strikeouts, the Tigers might need to lean on strong defense and smart pitching to get through close games.

The Offense: Boom or Bust

If the Tigers come up short, it might be the bats that let them down. They strike out a ton, and that really cuts into their ability to use their speed and aggression on the bases.

You just can’t steal first base, right? If they’re whiffing too much, those scoring chances dry up fast.

Keys to Offensive Improvement

For Detroit to hang around in October, the lineup has to do a few things:

• Put the ball in play more often and keep innings alive.
• Actually use their speed once someone’s on base.
• Cash in on chances when they face tough playoff pitching.

Final Thoughts: Balancing Talent and Tactics

Detroit’s postseason identity really comes down to a few things. Skubal’s brilliance, Hinch’s bullpen-first strategy, and whether the offense can actually show up at the right moments all matter.

This roster’s got depth and flexibility, giving Hinch some real options. But October doesn’t forgive much—one slip and you’re done.

If the bullpen keeps doing its job and the strikeout-heavy offense finds a way to deliver clutch hits, Detroit could surprise people. Playoff baseball is wild like that sometimes.

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Here is the source article for this story: How the Tigers might approach their postseason rotation beyond Tarik Skubal