Fri Jul 25 00:40:00 UTC 2025: **Detroit Tigers Plagued by Mental Mistakes in Loss to Pirates, Continue Recent Slide**

PITTSBURGH — The Detroit Tigers suffered an 8-5 loss to the Pittsburgh Pirates on Tuesday night, marking their eighth loss in the last nine games. The defeat was marred by a series of uncharacteristic mental errors, raising concerns about the team’s focus and execution.

“We had a really bad mental game today,” said manager A.J. Hinch after the game. “That’s really rare for this team. We paid for it.”

The miscues were glaring. In the third inning, a dropped ball in the outfield, a throwing error by first baseman Spencer Torkelson, and a lack of urgency by Torkelson in retrieving the errant throw allowed the Pirates to score an unnecessary run. Other errors included a baserunning blunder by Wenceel Pérez, a wild pitch extending an inning, and a catcher’s interference.

“Everyone knows that was terrible,” Torkelson said of his play. “I just, mentally, didn’t even look. He’s aggressive, and I got to know that after that play, he’s thinking I’m falling asleep, and I did.”

Despite the recent struggles, which include a 1-8 record since July 9th, the Tigers (60-42) still hold a commanding nine-game lead in the AL Central. Right-hander Casey Mize, who struggled in his start, echoed this sentiment: “We’re still leading the division by a ton, and we have 60 wins. That’s probably more so who we are than the last 10 games or so.”

Players are taking responsibility for the poor play. “We just need to clean up the hustle,” said catcher Jake Rogers. “We’re a hustle team, and we have fun. Once we get both those things back, we’re going to hit the ground running.”

The Tigers remain optimistic about turning things around. “We definitely lost some focus on those plays,” Torkelson said. “But if it’s going to happen, it’s a fine time to let it happen now and then refocus and ball out for the next 50-whatever games.”

While the recent skid has shrunk their division lead, the Tigers are still in a strong position. They hope to quickly address the mental lapses and regain their early-season form as they continue their push towards the playoffs.

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