DETROIT — In the ninth inning of Wednesday’s series finale against the Houston Astros, the Tigers trailed by two runs. Spencer Torkelson was at the plate. Behind him in the lineup, left-handed thumper Kerry Carpenter waited.Rather than Carpenter grabbing a bat and stepping into the on-deck circle, another player emerged from the dugout. It was Jahmai Jones, a right-handed hitter who is 0-for-21, 4-for-57 and hitting only .129 this season.Jones is a positive presence, a beloved teammate, a terrific human story with deep ties to Detroit.Unfortunately, he has also become a symbol of a Tigers season that has gone off the rails.Torkelson struck out to end the game, but the sheer fact Jones was on deck in yet another crucial spot — this time against fearsome Astros closer Josh Hader, who dominates lefties and righties alike — is telling.The Tigers pinch hit more than any other team in the league. It is a philosophy seemingly grown out of president of baseball operations Scott Harris’ time in San Francisco. The Giants led the league in pinch hitting every year from 2019 to 2023. The Tigers now operate similarly.Detroit led baseball with 209 pinch hit plate appearances last season. The next closest team was the Guardians at 168.This year, the Tigers again top the league with 105 pinch hit appearances. No other team has more than 94.Though Tigers pinch hitters have largely thrived in the past — they generated a 106 wRC+ last season, seventh in the league — the results have dried up this year in stunning fashion. Their overall output, based on their 22 wRC+, ranks 29th in MLB.