Last year, no one from the Detroit Tigers organization ever seemed particularly surprised by the team’s remarkable — and improbable — late-season winning streak that led to their first MLB playoff appearance since 2014. For those of you who need a recap: On August 10, 2024, the Tigers were eight games under .500 (55-63), their season seemingly drawing to another unremarkable finish. The team had even sold off starting pitcher Jack Flaherty, catcher Carson Kelly, and left-handed reliever Andrew Chafin at the MLB trading deadline.

A large part of the fun of being a baseball fan is speculating about the future of our favorite team. Many of us believe that we could ultimately mastermind success for our “local nine” like we attempt to do with our fantasy baseball teams.