Detroit Tigers proving some life is better than no life: 'It’s not a morgue in here'

The Detroit Tigers weren't expected to be great this season. In fact, many around Detroit felt that new general manager Scott Harris' rebuild of Al Avila's failed rebuild was destined for 100 losses.

It was supposed to be an evaluation year for Harris, after all. If all the Tigers got out of it was clarity moving forward and the development of young players like first baseman Spencer Torkelson and center fielder Riley Greene -- that would have been enough.

Don't tell that to this scrappy group of Tigers, though.

After starting the season off with a sweep at the hands of the Tampa Bay Rays and a 2-9 start to the season, the Tigers have won 15 of their last 25 games and find themselves perilously close to .500 ball at 17-19. They're also perilously close to being interesting in the AL Central, just 2.5 games back of the division-leading Minnesota Twins.

So what has been Detroit's secret? Torkelson seems to think it's the fact that the team can bounce back from the lows of losing. It's a mindset thing for this relatively young squad.

“We come in after a loss, and it’s like, ‘We lost. We’re gonna lose," Torkelson said, via Cody Stavenhagen of The Athletic. “It’s not a morgue in here. I feel like last year you came in here and everyone was all sad.”

The Tigers could have cratered after the terrible start against Tampa and they suffered through a four-game losing skid much in thanks to the Baltimore Orioles (and the AL East in general) simply having their number. Against the St. Louis Cardinal, they throw away a Jake Rodgers grand slam by giving up seven runs in the next half inning.

Despite some really low lows, though, Detroit has always found a way to bounce back. To Torkelson's point, the Tigers have been scrappy. They've won three series in a row and are at least playing competitive baseball.

That's a low bar to clear, but watching Detroit baseball has been equivalent to being in a morgue over the past few seasons.

Some life is better than no life.