DETROIT — The last time the Tigers had a perfect homestand of at least seven games, Jim Leyland was managing them to their third straight American League Central title. That was in 2013.
The last time Detroit won seven in a row at any point in a season, it was trying to climb back in a playoff race behind Justin Verlander and J.D. Martinez. That was in 2016.
As the Tigers slugged their way in front Thursday afternoon and held on for a 7-5 win over the Rangers, their 7-0 homestand didn’t have nearly the same implications for October baseball — though Detroit’s regular-season schedule runs through Oct. 3. But considering the doldrums where this team has been recently — not just in recent years, but this season — it’s a big milepost on the journey towards where the Tigers want this club to be.
The Tigers had a golden opportunity to pick up momentum in July with a four-week stretch against teams with losing records. A four-game sweep in Minnesota before the All-Star break seemingly spoiled that, but the Tigers used this homestand out of the break to heat up, sweeping those same Twins and then the Rangers. Detroit outscored its opponents by a 41-11 margin this homestand, and trailed after only one of 60 innings.
The Twins and Rangers became the sixth and seventh teams swept by the Tigers in series of three or more games this season. Detroit had six such series sweeps over the previous three seasons combined.
Had the Tigers split their series in Minnesota before the break, Thursday’s win would’ve moved them to .500, an incredible feat for a team that suffered a 9-24 start. Detroit still has an opportunity to get there with 10 more games against sub-.500 teams, including an upcoming road trip to Kansas City and Minnesota, and a four-game home series against the Orioles around the Trade Deadline. If the Tigers win seven of those 10 games, they’ll be a .500 team when the Red Sox visit Comerica Park on Aug. 3.