The boos raining down at Comerica Park on Tuesday night were impossible to ignore.
And after another brutal collapse in the Detroit Tigers’ 10-6 loss to the Los Angeles Angels, manager A.J. Hinch made it clear that he understands exactly why fans are frustrated.
“You have to wear it,” Hinch said after the game. “When fans turn frustrated with you, and the only way they really show it is by those boos.”
For a Tigers team that entered the 2026 season with massive expectations, the scene inside Comerica Park felt almost unthinkable just two months ago.
Detroit was not only viewed as a legitimate contender to win the American League Central. Many around baseball believed this roster had a real opportunity to represent the American League in the World Series.
Instead, the Tigers are now tied for the worst record in Major League Baseball.
Tuesday’s loss felt like a breaking point for many fans.
Detroit carried a late lead into the eighth inning before everything collapsed again. Vaughn Grissom’s grand slam flipped the game, and boos quickly echoed throughout the stadium as fans headed for the exits.
The Tigers have now lost seven straight home games and fallen to 5-18 during the month of May.
Hinch admitted hearing those reactions while wearing the Tigers uniform hurts.
“Does it feel good to wear this uniform, home white, English D, and get booed?” Hinch said. “Of course not.”
The mention of the iconic Old English D carried weight.
Hinch understands what playing for Detroit means, especially with expectations this high.
Despite the frustration, Hinch did not push back against the crowd’s reaction.
Instead, he acknowledged the responsibility falls on the team to change the energy around the ballpark.
“But you gotta play better to bring better energy to the ballpark,” Hinch said.
That has become the central issue for Detroit.
The Tigers are not simply losing games. They are losing them in painful fashion. Bullpen collapses, missed opportunities, poor situational execution, and mounting frustration have all combined during a disastrous stretch that has completely changed the tone of the season.
What once looked like a potential championship-caliber club now looks shaken.
The difficult part for Detroit is that expectations are not disappearing anytime soon.
This roster still features talented young players, established veterans, and one of the most respected managers in baseball. On paper, the Tigers should still be capable of turning things around.
But baseball seasons can snowball quickly when confidence disappears.
And right now, Comerica Park feels far different than anyone expected it would entering 2026.
The boos Tuesday night made that impossible to deny.
