A.J. Hinch hates to talk about the standings. So I went to Comerica Park on Monday to ask the Detroit Tigers manager about the standings.
OK, not really. But sort of. In a roundabout way, at least.
The Tigers opened a four-game homestand Monday night against the Minnesota Twins in what seemed like one of their last-gasp chances to salvage another disappointing season.
This series, plus next week’s two-game set in Minneapolis, marks the Tigers’ last reasonable chance to make up significant ground on the American League Central Division leaders. If the Tigers have even the slimmest hope of winning baseball’s weakest division and locking up an improbable postseason appearance for the first time since 2014, that hope will either live on or die this week.