What happened: MLB insider Jon Morosi noted that Detroit fell again in a game where the pitching staff surrendered three runs or fewer, the ninth such loss of the season. The defeat continues a pattern in which run support, not run prevention, has been the deciding factor.

Why it matters: When a club loses nine times while holding opponents to three or fewer runs, the problem points squarely at the offense rather than the staff. For a Detroit team that has shown it can put up crooked numbers in stretches, the inconsistency at the plate undercuts otherwise winnable games and pressures the lineup to find more length.

What to watch: Watch whether Detroit's lineup can generate more consistent run support, and how the rotation outside of Flaherty holds up over the next turn.