“The Tigers, well… they’re a mess” - MLB analyst gives the Detroit Tigers a scathing review after team falls to 16 games under .500

This season, the Detroit Tigers have been like a plane that's crash-landing but hasn't exploded yet. They've been on a downward spiral since the season's outset, gradually slipping further and further below the .500 winning-percentage mark.

As of right now, they're 26-42, giving them an abysmal .382 winning percentage. They're fourth place in the American League Central, better only than the league-worst Kansas City Royals.

The Tigers have been so bad this season that their run differential has almost reached -100. It's trending in that direction, and they're sure to hit it before the season's even halfway over. Right now, it sits at -96.

"The Tigers, well... they're a mess. Detroit's 2022 season amounts to a series of harsh reality checks," writes @Ken_Rosenthal. "It's a result of multiple failings by the organization." - The Athletic MLB

The worst part about the Detroit Tigers' failure of a season is their roster because it's not terrible. On paper, it's better than many other squads. Coming into this season, the Tigers had more batters who had hit over .250 in 2021 than the Pittsburgh Pirates. Their pitching staff's earned-run average was also better. Despite all that, the Pirates have managed two more wins than the Tigers this season.

The Tigers have no excuses left. They've lost eight of their last 10 games. They can't even seem to win when their best hitter, Javier Baez, is playing well. Over his last four games, Baez is batting .412 with two home runs and three RBIs. His team is just 2-2 in that stretch.

Where do the Tigers go from here? MLB analyst Ken Rosenthal gave his thoughts on that question in a recent article for "The Athletic."

MLB analyst Ken Rosenthal gives the Detroit Tigers a scathing review after team falls to 16 games under .500

Despite hitting .412 in his last four games, Detroit Tigers second baseman Javier Baez is hitting just .209 on the season

Rosenthal summarized the Tigers' 2022 season as "a series of harsh reality checks."

"For the Tigers, the 2022 season amounts to a series of harsh reality checks, one stinging slap after another," wrote Rosenthal.

Their biggest mistake, he thinks, was signing second baseman Javier Baez this offseason. Baez is having one of the worst seasons of his career. He's batting .209 with just five home runs. His on-base plus slugging percentage is a meager .599. Rosenthal thinks the Tigers should've seen this coming.

"With Báez, the Tigers banked on a hitter notorious for his lack of plate discipline," he wrote.

"Javier Baez Is The Worst Hitter In Baseball Right Now" - @Starting 9

Rosenthal thinks the Tigers also went wrong signing a couple of other players, namely Eduardo Rodriguez and Austin Meadows.

"With [Eduardo] Rodríguez, they bet on a pitcher who never had led a rotation," said Rosenthal.

Austin Meadows has shown that he has trouble staying healthy. To date, he's started in just 36 games and only recorded 147 plate appearances for the Tigers.

As Tigers general manager Al Avila said, the Detroit Tigers' woes aren't one or even two players' faults this season. The blame belongs to everyone.

"We’re all angry. And we’re all accountable, including the players," he said."... when this happens, it’s not one person or one department or one player. This is team-wide.”

The struggling Tigers look forward to a series against the Arizona Diamondbacks this weekend.