Tigers Celebrate Historic Start to the Season With Big Announcement
By Jon Vankin | Updated June 13, 2025
The Detroit Tigers are enjoying their best performance through 70 games since their 2006 campaign, when they made a long-awaited return to the World Series after a 21-year drought. That year, they won 95 games and stood at 46-24 after 70 games. In 2025, they’re just a step behind that mark with a 45-25 record — tied for the best in Major League Baseball — and a massive improvement over last year’s 34-36 at this point.
Only one other team, the New York Mets, shares the same 45-25 record. But while the Mets carry a massive $324.2 million payroll (second only to the Dodgers), the Tigers have managed this success with a much more modest budget — $144.1 million, ranking 18th in MLB. Detroit is achieving top-tier performance at just 44 percent of the Mets’ cost.
What’s behind Detroit’s impressive season? Pitching is leading the charge. With a team ERA of 3.22 — fourth-best in the majors and second in the AL — the Tigers’ rotation has been lights-out. Their starters, anchored by ace Tarik Skubal (last year’s AL Cy Young winner with a 1.99 ERA over a league-high 90 1/3 innings), hold the second-best ERA in baseball at 3.03, just behind the Mets’ 2.79.
The bullpen has also stepped up, ranking 11th in ERA at 3.54. Notably, three Detroit relievers have been dominant with sub-2.00 ERAs across 30+ innings: Will Vest (1.83), Tommy Kahnle (1.50), and Brant Hurter (1.75).
Off the field, the Tigers are winning too. The team announced on Friday that their TV ratings have surged. “Tigers games on FanDuel Sports Network Detroit are among the most-viewed in baseball this season,” the announcement said. Through June 9, household viewership on traditional broadcasts has increased by 82% compared to the same point in 2024 — the highest jump of any MLB team (except Toronto). Locally, the Tigers average a 4.46 rating per game, ranking second league-wide. Streaming figures have also exploded, up 93% from last season.
As they continue their hot streak, the Tigers host the Cincinnati Reds this weekend at Comerica Park. Brant Hurter will start Friday’s game — his third of the season — as part of a planned bullpen day for Detroit.
Leave a Reply