The Detroit Tigers are on a hot streak right now, despite the blow of losing two top-level arms in the starting rotation, Tarik Skubal and Casey Mize. Winners of four straight, the Tigers are just on the outskirts of the final AL Wild Card spot with the rest of August and September to play.
Sure, Detroit took a hit losing two of its homegrown players in deals with two National League West contenders, but the Tigers aren't giving up hope of making it back to the playoffs. If their offense continues to play how it has, they might be a hard team to stop.
Detroit now turns to other homegrown talents to get the job done, and one of the more underrated players on the roster is beginning to play better all around: Colt Keith. Keith collected three hits in Tuesday's series opener against the Seattle Mariners, propelling Detroit to an 8-0 shutout victory.
Detroit Tigers third baseman Colt Keith (33) runs after hitting an RBI single. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Following the victory Tuesday night, Keith joined broadcast reporter Daniella Bruce in a post-game interview to offer his thoughts on the MLB Trade Deadline and how no one in the Tigers' clubhouse has given up on the season, despite no longer having two of the biggest assets.
"Losing Skub and Casey was a big blow for us, especially on the pitching side , but we're just going to be resilient and continue to go out there and win ball games," Keith said. "I still think there's a winning team in there and we just gotta prove it the rest of the way. We've got a ton of talent."
Entering game two against Seattle, Keith is hitting .273 with eight home runs and 29 RBIs with an OPS of .749. The power is down a tad compared to his first two seasons in the league, but Keith is starting to make solid contact, prioritizing the fastball in his approach at the plate.
"Being on time for the fastball, for me, that's my approach against most pitchers, to go out there and be on time and I felt that way today."
If Keith can add some more extra-base power, having hit 13 doubles and four triples alongside his eight long balls, the Tigers could have a dangerous, young lineup to roll out on the field almost every day.
Keith is coming off a month of July hitting .322 at the plate with three home runs and eight RBIs and has gotten August off on the right foot as well, hitting .625 with five hits in eight at-bats going into game two against Bryan Woo and the Mariners.
This article was originally published on www.si.com/mlb/tigers/onsi as Colt Keith Shares Optimistic Outlook After Detroit Tigers' Trade Deadline Moves .
