Tigers manager AJ Hinch gives Blue Jays credit after another brutal loss

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Tigers manager AJ Hinch gives Blue Jays credit after another brutal loss

Brayden Haena · ClutchPoints

Sat, Jul 26, 2025 ·

3 min read

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The post Tigers manager AJ Hinch gives Blue Jays credit after another brutal loss appeared first on ClutchPoints .

The Detroit Tigers are in a tailspin — and manager AJ Hinch isn't sugarcoating it. After Friday's 6-2 loss to the Toronto Blue Jays at Comerica Park, the Tigers have now dropped five straight and 11 of their last 12, slipping to 60-45. It's their worst stretch of the 2025 season and has turned a once-commanding lead in the AL Central into a fragile one.

"This has been a rough couple of weeks," Hinch said postgame. "Right now, we're trying to keep our chins up, keep our chest out, realize we're still a first-place team, and we're one good game away from potentially taking off again."

For the second straight night, Detroit jumped out to an early lead only to watch it evaporate. Wenceel Pérez singled and scored on a Dillon Dingler double in the second, but starter Keider Montero couldn't hold the 1-0 edge. In the fourth, Toronto took the lead on a pair of doubles and a throwing error by shortstop Javier Báez .

Then came the fifth, when the Jays strung together four consecutive hits — including doubles from Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Bo Bichette — that blew the game open.

"When we talk about putting multiple at-bats together, they put four extremely good at-bats together that produced a ton of pressure," Hinch said. "Contact matters. Zone control matters. They took some swings with definite intent."

Tigers drop Game 1 to Blue Jays, led by Bo Bichette

While Detroit managed just two runs, one came via Spencer Torkelson 's 23rd homer of the season. José Berríos limited the Tigers to those two runs across six innings and fanned six to notch his 1,500th career strikeout — fittingly, against his brother-in-law Báez.

Beyond the box score, Hinch remains the steady hand guiding the ship. Despite the brutal stretch, he isn't changing the team's process.

"I've managed 100-plus-win teams that have gone through six- and seven- and eight-game losing streaks," Hinch said. "You gotta love it in the bad times, too. You're not just allowed to love sports when you're going well and hate sports when you're going poorly."

Hinch also addressed the absence of key offseason pitching addition Alex Cobb , who's yet to debut in 2025 due to hip inflammation and a grueling rehab.

"You guys don't even really know Alex Cobb, and that's unfortunate," Hinch said. "It's hard on a player who's been so much of a center of attention, being on the mound every five or six days."

The Tigers could use reinforcements — and a spark. They've now lost six straight at home, their worst streak at Comerica since 2022.

"We're handling it as well as we can," said Dingler. "Obviously, it's getting pretty redundant saying, 'Turn the page,' but there's nothing else you can do."

Detroit turns to ace Tarik Skubal (10-3, 2.19 ERA) Saturday — if he's activated from paternity leave in time. Toronto counters with Kevin Gausman (7-7, 4.01 ERA), who's won both his starts against Detroit this season.

With their season tilting, the Tigers badly need Skubal to play stopper — or risk spiraling further.

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