Detroit Was a World Series Pick, and Their 23-38 Record Is Why The League Is Stunned

Alright, Seattle, we're almost 40% into the MLB season, and while some teams are absolutely crushing it, others are just straight-up falling apart before our eyes. You see the Rays, Braves, and Guardians making their moves, looking solid. But then you look at a few other squads, and it's like, what in the world happened? These are teams that came into 2026 with real hype, real expectations, and they are delivering absolute disappointment. We're talking major lows, people. It's tough to watch, even if they're not in the Emerald City.

The Tigers Are Already Trading Their Ace, And It's Brutal

Remember all the talk about the Detroit Tigers? After a brutal collapse in 2025, they had a surprisingly good postseason run, and the media was buzzing. Some even pegged them as a trendy World Series pick for this year, for real! Well, they're sitting at a dismal 23-38, a universe away from their preseason win total projection of 85.5. When you play this poorly for nearly three months, it's not bad luck, it's just who you are. Yeah, injuries have absolutely hammered their pitching staff, no doubt. But the lineup? It’s been one of the worst over the last 162 games. They're 26th in runs scored, 27th in OPS, 20th in homers, and 22nd in strikeouts. Even with a healthy rotation and bullpen, that offense isn't cutting it. The worst part? They're most likely going to trade their ace, Tarik Skubal, at the deadline. That's a full-stop on their championship window. Ouch.

Mets' New Guys Are a Disaster, Royals' Pitching Fell Off a Cliff

Then we've got the New York Mets. Another team that had a horrific collapse last year to miss the postseason. That usually means your team is just not built right, plain and simple. They let Pete Alonso walk in free agency, and his big-name replacements, Bo Bichette, Marcus Semien, and Luis Robert Jr., have combined for a mind-boggling -0.8 WAR this season. Seriously, negative WAR! It’s wild because their pitching has actually been competitive, boasting the 8th-best ERA in baseball. But the National League is absolutely stacked this year, and with their 26-34 record against a 90.5 preseason win total, the Mets will definitely be sellers at the deadline unless they somehow love those +390 playoff odds. Not to be outdone in the disappointment department, the Kansas City Royals are right there with them at 23-37, way off their 82.5 preseason win total. Most folks had the Tigers winning their division, but the Royals were supposed to be close behind, with their pitching carrying them if the offense could just be average. Nope. The offense is still garbage, 26th in OPS. And the pitching? It fell off a cliff, going from 6th in ERA last year to 20th this season. Brutal. The only bright spot for Royals fans is Bobby Witt Jr. having another MVP-caliber season. But even with that, they’re probably looking at making some deadline moves and hoping to compete next season. Man, to be in early June and already staring down the barrel of selling at the trade deadline, that's a tough pill for any fan base to swallow. It just shows you how quickly expectations can turn into a nightmare in this league. For these three, the rest of the season is going to be about damage control and planning for 2027. What a ride, huh?

This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.