As the once far-fetched possibility of missing the playoffs becomes increasingly real for the Detroit Tigers, the "what ifs" grow louder and louder.
What if the Tigers had been more aggressive at the trade deadline, when they were in first place? What if the veteran arms they did acquire in Chris Paddack and Charlie Morton had managed to stick in the starting rotation? What if their pitching staff and key depth players had remained healthy? What if they hadn't cycled their relievers in a series-by-series approach to expand their bullpen?
That last one is really coming back to bite the Tigers now, as they find themselves having lost their grip in their most important season of the series against the Cleveland Guardians.