DETROIT – With their win over the Chicago White Sox on Tuesday, the Detroit Tigers guaranteed they will finish the season with a winning record at home for the first time in five years.
The Tigers earned their 41st win at Comerica Park in style, beating the first-place White Sox with three go-ahead runs in the bottom of the seventh inning. They’re now 41-36 at home this season, with four games remaining -- one against the White Sox and three against the Kansas City Royals.
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Nobody has been worse than the Tigers at home over the past five years. Since the start of 2017, Detroit is just 106-164 inside the friendly confines of Comerica Park.
Last season, the Tigers went 12-15 at home. In 2019, Detroit had by far the worst home record in MLB, at 22-59. Only four teams in the league had fewer than 35 wins at home, and the next-worst home record belonged to the Baltimore Orioles, at 25-56.
The Tigers were a bit better in 2018, finishing 38-43 at Comerica Park. They were still among the five worst home teams in the American League, though.
In 2017, Detroit’s 34-47 record at home was the worst in MLB by a full three games.
It’s no coincidence that the last time the Tigers were in serious playoff contention was also the last time they had success at home. They went 45-35 at Comerica Park in 2016 -- the year they were eliminated from the wildcard race the final week of the season.
To be a contender in MLB, winning at home is a must. Take a look at the home records for teams currently in playoff spots:
- Tampa Bay Rays: 48-29
- Chicago White Sox: 49-27
- Houston Astros: 47-28
- Boston Red Sox: 48-29
- Toronto Blue Jays: 43-31
- Atlanta Braves: 37-36
- Milwaukee Brewers: 42-34
- San Francisco Giants: 49-26
- Los Angeles Dodgers: 52-23
- St. Louis Cardinals: 42-33
With the exception of the Braves -- a true outlier -- these teams dominate in their home ballparks. Winning more often at Comerica Park is another promising sign for the direction of the Tigers.
