Less than 24 hours after handing the Chicago Cubs a 3-1 loss, the Detroit Tigers found themselves outpitched and outslugged in their own ballpark. The Cubs made a stunning comeback, ripping 5 home runs in a 6-1 victory at Comerica Park. Leading the Cubs was their own $68 million star. He dominated the Tigers from the pitching mound. And off it, he sent a message to all the MLB rivals to put them on alert.

Across seven innings, against the Tigers, Jameson Taillon gave up just three hits and allowed only one runner to make it to second base. Meanwhile, the Tigers, who just stacked a win the night before, were evidently struggling. After a leadoff walk in the third that was erased by a double play and a leadoff single in the fourth, Taillon and the Cubs made sure to bounce back stronger after last night’s loss.

After the Cubs dominated the Tigers, Taillon, in his classic self, sent a subtle warning to all the teams in the league.

“It’s a really deep lineup. You know, we can beat you by hitting homers, we can beat you by stealing bases, taking the extra base, and working counts. Some days, we’re aggressive, like when that’s the game plan. Sometimes, we let pitchers come to us a little bit.” Taillon said during a post-game media appearance. Well, he’s not talking big. His performance backed up every bit of his bold warning. The Cubs protected their lead from the beginning. And during the seventh inning, they extended it.

It was Taillon who finished off seven innings, allowing three hits and just one runner past first base. “You know, I think it’s really cool that it can come—the production can come from anywhere at any time. It feels like at any given time we will have a couple of guys carrying us.” But what if even that’s not enough?

Ask Taillion. He will tell you, “Then those guys will cool off a bit, and then we have a couple more guys ready to step up and carry us for a while. So that’s kind of what makes us dangerous.” This isn’t an exaggeration.

The Cubs are currently at 40-24 after defeating the team with the best MLB record as of June. But the Detroit Tigers still have a record of 42-24, leading their division and the league.

The Detroit Tigers have been picked best benefactors of massive off-season moves

The Tigers’ 6-1 loss to the Chicago Cubs on Saturday was unsettling cause they are arguably one of the most dangerous teams this season. Well, Cubs pitcher Jameson Taillon might disagree, but it’s a fact. The Tigers are at 42-24 right now and have the best record in the league as of now.

This year’s success is a clear reflection of the fact that the front office knew exactly what the team required. As a result, they’ve been picked as the best by an MLB insider, Thomas Harrigan, for making off-season moves.

Players like Riley Greene, Tarik Skubal, Kerry Carpenter, and Matt Vierling are the core of the 2024 playoff run. And these names are still very much in shape. No doubt there. However, it’s the Tigers’ off-season moves that have helped them be ahead in the league right now. The Tigers are currently being talked about as a serious World Series contender. As surprising as it is, it’s true.

The one who brought it in on a one-year, $15-year deal is Gleyber Torres. Before being a Tiger, he had a roller coaster of a time as a Yankee in the Bronx. Currently, he has a slash line of .264/.379/.396, and most importantly, he’s working more instead of striking out.

Then there’s pitcher Jack Flaherty, who returned to the Tigers after some time with the Los Angeles Dodgers. Making a strong comeback, he has an ERA of 3.72 and a 1.09 WHIP. It shows how crucial he has been for the Tigers. Meanwhile, for the bullpen, Tommy Kahnle’s arrival has been another great addition for the Tigers.

The team has also seen major growth from their young stars like Spencer Torkelson and Colt Keith, and overall, the team looks in perfect shape for the playoffs.