DETROIT – In baseball, the word "disaster" isn't used lightly. It's such a long season, with hundreds of variables, and things can change on a dime.
But there's no better way to describe the Tigers' four-game series in Cleveland this week.
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In four games, the Tigers mustered just five runs on 20 hits while being outscored by 13. Cleveland, which ranks last in baseball in OPS, scored nine runs (six earned) Thursday against the Tigers' best pitcher. The Tigers never held a lead in 36 innings.
It's not the end of the world to get swept in April, especially when the team doesn't expect to contend for a playoff spot. But there are some significant concerns for the Tigers as they return to Detroit, especially involving young players who could be part of the future.
Here are the top five concerns to come from the four-game sweep at the hands of the Indians.
5. James McCann's lack of power
This series: 0-10, 4 strikeouts
James McCann was one of the lone bright spots for the Tigers offense last season, hitting 13 home runs and slugging .415 in 106 games. As a catcher, McCann's offensive numbers were strong, as he finished with a .733 OPS, 29 extra-base hits and only 89 strikeouts.
But this season has gone much differently through his first nine games. McCann has just five hits in 34 at-bats -- four singles and a double. His hard contact rate is more than 10 percent lower than his career mark, and he's making weak contact more frequently.
McCann was a quiet breakout candidate this season after posting an excellent hard-hit rate of 38.2 percent last year. He's 27 years old, so it's a prime time for a breakout season, and while that could certainly still happen, the first couple of weeks have been discouraging.
It's worth noting that McCann's walk rate is slightly up so far this year, while his strikeouts are down. That's a good sign for a young player struggling to find his stroke.
4. Daniel Norris' inconsistency
This season: 3 innings, 7 hits, 1 walk, 4 earned runs, 3 strikeouts
The first appearance of the season was a positive sign for Daniel Norris, as he struck out six batters and got 13 swinging strikes in 3.1 innings. He only allowed three base runners and one run.
But consistency has been an issue for Norris early in his career, and it struck again at Cleveland. Norris was called upon as the de facto starting pitcher Wednesday after Jordan Zimmermann was hit in the head by a line drive in the first inning.
Norris lacked the swing-and-miss stuff that made him so special last week against the Chicago White Sox. He only recorded three swinging strikes despite facing 17 batters, and he allowed four earned runs on seven hits.
Norris didn't allow an extra-base hit, but most of the singles he gave up were hard-hit, and when he got into trouble, everything fell apart in the fourth inning.
He's only 24 years old, and the raw talent is clearly there, but the Tigers are hoping Norris can be more electric every time he takes the mound. As the organization's former No. 1 prospect, he is still expected to compete for a spot at the top of the rotation in the future.
3. Michael Fulmer's strikeout rate
This series: 3 innings, 8 hits, 6 earned runs, 2 strikeouts
Before bringing up concerns about Michael Fulmer, it's important to note that he's a very good pitcher, and one bad start doesn't change that. He's expected to be the ace of the staff this year, however, and there are underlying numbers that suggest he might not be at that level just yet.
Fulmer had two very strong starts to kick off 2018, allowing just one run over 13.1 innings against the Pittsburgh Pirates and White Sox. He only allowed 10 hits and five walks, but the strikeout numbers were way down.
He's never been a big strikeout pitcher for the Tigers, but Fulmer's whiff rate went way down last season. He averaged fewer than 6.5 strikeouts per nine innings, and in an era of strikeouts and home runs, that leaves him vulnerable to offensive outbursts.
That's what happened in Cleveland. Fulmer only got two swinging strikes in 72 pitches while the Indians teed for two homers, two doubles, four singles and nine total runs.
Fulmer is only getting swings and misses on 6 percent of his pitches this season, and while it's possible to be an effective pitcher with a low strikeout rate, that's a significant drop from his career swinging strike rate of nearly 10 percent.
Again, it's only three starts, and Fulmer has been mostly incredible over 51 starts that last two seasons. But there are always things to worry about in baseball, so Fulmer's strikeout rate is something to watch the next couple of weeks.
2. Jeimer Candelario's defense at third base
This series: 32 innings at third base, 6 assists, 1 error
It's obvious the Tigers think very highly of Jeimer Candelario, not only because they traded Justin Wilson for him last year, but also because they thrust him into the most important spot in the batting order for his first full season.
Candelario has spent the first 12 games in the No. 2 hole, which is the spot in a lineup that gets the most high-leverage opportunities. His history of strong plate discipline and gap power made Candelario one of baseball's top 100 prospects when he came from Chicago to Detroit.
But defense has always been a bit of a question for the 24-year-old, as scouts worried about his quickness and range at third base. So far, it's been a struggle for Candelario at the MLB level.
Only two third basemen have made more errors than Candelario so far this season, and his ultimate zone rating ranks 19th out of 24 qualified fielders. While he's got a good arm from the hot corner, he ranks last among third basement in terms of range.
Right now, he ranks as a below average defensive player.
Candelario doesn't need to be Nolan Arenado at third base, but the Tigers have suffered from poor defense at third base for years. If he gets on base as much as the Tigers expect, his defensive mistakes will be forgiven, but new manager Ron Gardenhire is certainly hoping Candelario can be more reliable in the field.
1. Jose Iglesias can't get on base
This series: 0-9, 3 strikeouts
Jose Iglesias has never been an offensive powerhouse, but his stats so far this season are downright alarming for the Tigers.
This is Iglesias' fifth straight season as an MLB starting shortstop, and at 28 years old, he should be in the midst of his peak offensive years. Instead, he has two hits in 35 at-bats.
April slumps aren't uncommon in baseball, and even one as ugly as Iglesias' isn't unheard of. But he's hitless in his last 17 at-bats with five strikeouts, and there's been very little hard contact.
Iglesias has put the ball in play 27 times in 38 plate appearances, and he's only hit the ball hard three times. His 11.1 percent hard-contact rate is among the worst in baseball for regular position players.
On the other hand, Iglesias has made weak contact twice as often, and most of it has been to the pull field. His plate discipline has always been an issue, as he doesn't just reach for pitches outside the zone, he puts them in play for easy outs.
Iglesias is an exciting shortstop because he has great range and a strong arm. But with a .175 on-base percentage and a .261 OPS, he's been worse at the plate than dozens of National League pitchers.
Iglesias has been involved in possible trade rumblings the last couple of years, but if he takes another step back offensively, the Tigers won't find much value for him on the market.
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