DETROIT – If you hear a sports-talk radio guy this week tell you that the Tigers will be OK and still have a shot to make the playoffs, turn the station. That take is disingenuous.
The Tigers simply don't have enough pitching to win the American League Central for a fifth straight season. Or, for that matter, win a wild card spot.
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It's so obvious. Since June 1, David Price and Anibal Sanchez are a combined 11-2. The rest of the Tigers' pitchers are a paltry 6-20.
"We need to get better starting pitching," Tigers' starter Justin Verlander said after the Tigers' 9-3 loss to the Baltimore Orioles at Comerica Park on Sunday afternoon. "I need to do a better job.
"A lot of guys need to do a better job, just being consistent. And really, it starts with looking in the mirror with myself. I need to be more consistent."
The Tigers, with their bloated $170-million payroll, had bigger goals than simply making the postseason in 2015. They had its sights set on winning their first World Series since 1984.
After the All-Star break, many fans wanted to believe the Tigers could finally right their ship.
The struggling Orioles in town and the Tigers had their best three starters scheduled to pitch.
Instead of mopping the floor with the O's - who were just 3-7 in their previous 10 games - the Tigers dropped two of three games.
"We need to play better, consistent baseball," Verlander said.
The only thing worse than just another loss is that Verlander lost the game.
The Tigers' hopes for coming back in 2015 hinge on Verlander's performance. The Tigers needed another stud starter to emerge with the struggles of Alfred Simon and Shane Greene.
In his six five starts after coming off the disabled list following a right triceps strain, JV was 0-3 with a 6.62 ERA. But Tigers' fans felt better after Verlander's last start.
Although he didn't get a win, JV looked like JV of old, allowing just one run on five hits in 7 2/3 innings of work against the Twins.
Verlander, however, couldn't build on that start. He was blasted by the O's. JV gave up seven runs on eight hits in 3 2/3 innings and he allowed two home runs.
Many thought JV had turned a corner. But one good outing isn't a significant sample size.
The Tigers entered the game with the second-worst ERA in the AL. Only last-place Boston was worse. Coming into the Red Sox's game against the Angels Sunday night, the Tigers had allowed a league-most 428 runs to Boston's 423.
Manager Brad Ausmus said he still believes in his staff: "We have to get it done."
The Tigers' lack of pitching has shown up at home, a place they used to dominate. The Tigers are now 23-25 at Comerica Park.
That's not good enough to make it to the postseason. The Twins are killing it at home with a 31-16 home record.
Worse, the Tigers have been basically a .500 team since last June. This season shouldn't totally come as such a big surprise.
The Tigers are now 45-46, below .500 after the All-Star break for the first time since Oct. 2, 2010.
"I'd definitely say I'm surprised," Verlander said. "I'd say this entire team is surprised.
"We expect to play better baseball. At the same time, you talk about the talent in this room, it allows us the opportunity to say that this isn't over."
No matter how much it hurts to accept it, the pitching spells doom for the Tigers.
The Tigers won't make the playoffs with the pitching staff currently assembled.