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Detroit Tigers snap 7-year streak of losing seasons, have bigger goals within grasp
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- Detroit Tigers snap 7-year streak of losing seasons, have bigger goals within grasp
BALTIMORE — The streak of losing has ended.
In 2024, the Detroit Tigers — led by second-year president of baseball operations Scott Harris — won't have a losing season for the first time since 2016 .
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The Tigers clinched their first non-losing season in seven years with Saturday's 6-4 win over the Baltimore Orioles at Oriole Park at Camden Yards, then clinched a winning record with Sunday's win.
"It feels good," said right-handed reliever Beau Brieske , who pitched out of a seemingly impossible jam in the ninth inning Saturday . "It feels like things are changing. That's what you want to be a part of. That's what you look forward to."
CHARACTER WIN: Beau Brieske, Trey Sweeney step up for Tigers in epic comeback win vs. Orioles
Detroit Tigers runner Matt Vierling (8) slides in with the game winning run in the 10th inning ahead of a tag by Baltimore Orioles catcher Adley Rutschman (35) at Oriole Park at Camden Yards in Baltimore on Saturday, Sept. 21, 2024.
Only three players on the Tigers' roster were in the organization during the 2016 season: Wenceel Pérez (international signee, July 2, 2016), Jason Foley (undrafted signee, Aug. 2, 2016) and Keider Montero (international signee, Aug. 25, 2016).
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It's also the first non-losing season in the four-year tenure of manager A.J. Hinch.
But the Tigers have postseason aspirations in 2024.
"We need as many wins as we can," Hinch said after Saturday's comeback victory. "We can only get one per day. Obviously, we're getting to a number that is an accomplishment, especially with where we've been. I don't think that we're really focused on any one win or any one number, but I know good things happen around the league when we win."
Entering Sunday, the Tigers are a half-game behind the Minnesota Twins for the third and final spot in the American League wild-card race , with seven games remaining.
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The Tigers haven't advanced to the postseason since 2014 , a nine-year drought. Back then, the Tigers rolled out a roster of superstars, namely Miguel Cabrera , Ian Kinsler , J.D. Martinez , Victor Martinez , David Price , Max Scherzer and Justin Verlander .
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Ten years later, the incredible postseason push from the Tigers has been anchored by up-and-comers such as Kerry Carpenter , Riley Greene , Tyler Holton , Colt Keith , Parker Meadows , Reese Olson , Tarik Skubal and Matt Vierling .
The Tigers have MLB's third-youngest roster.
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"We're playing gritty ball right now," said catcher Dillon Dingler . "Everybody is doing their part. We're all bought in to doing anything to get the team a win. Each of us understands our role."
Contact Evan Petzold at epetzold@freepress.com or follow him @EvanPetzold .
Listen to our weekly Tigers show "Days of Roar" every Monday afternoon on demand at freep.com, Apple , Spotify or wherever you listen to podcasts. And catch all of our podcasts and daily voice briefing at freep.com/podcasts .
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Detroit Tigers snap 7-year streak of losing seasons
