by It appears the Detroit Tigers have finally risen from the ashes of their long, grueling rebuild – and it’s not a moment too soon. Detroit was baseball’s biggest surprise last season, as the team went from being a seller at the July trade deadline to knocking out Houston, a perennial World Series contender, in the postseason.
Despite an imperfect roster with several holes, thanks to a combination of gritty players, a little luck and a manager in AJ Hinch who kept it all together, the Tigers found a way to become the Cinderella team of 2024 And now, this offseason offers Detroit a unique opportunity to build on its success and become a powerhouse in the AL Central again.
Detroit has quietly developed a handful of talented players to the big league level, including Riley Greene and Kerry Carpenter. Greene is a budding star who earned his first All-Star appearance last season and is a fixture in the middle of Detroit’s lineup. Carpenter became one of the best left-handed bats in the American League, and although he spent time in ’24 on the injured list, he posted an impressive .932 OPS with 18 home runs and looked very good. comfortable in the playoffs.
The jewel of the Tigers’ turnaround is none other than Tarik Skubal, winner of the 2024 AL Cy Young Award. He has been one of the best pitchers in baseball since returning from left flexor tendon surgery in late 2023. His performance has increased skyrocketed last season as he became arguably the best starter in MLB.
While many wondered during his phenomenal season whether the Tigers would trade Skubal, the decision not to move the young star was arguably the biggest turning point of Detroit’s season. And while Skubal continued to dominate the second half of the season, Detroit continued to win.
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After their surprise success in 2024, the Tigers still have a young and inexperienced squad. The team’s moves this winter should be focused on raising the ceiling while supporting key pieces of the current roster so they can take the next leap.
From an offensive standpoint, the Tigers were one of the most left-handed teams in baseball last season. They would benefit immensely from the addition of a right-handed stick or two. One of the more intriguing options available is third baseman Alex Bregman. He would bring a large amount of veteran and playoff experience to a young team on the rise and fill a big hole at third. Not to mention this duo would give him the opportunity to play for his former manager at Hinch.
The other question Detroit needs to answer on offense is: What will the Tigers do with Javier Báez and Spencer Torkelson? Báez has been a disaster in Detroit and missed most of the second half of 2024 with a hip injury. Detroit acquired rookie shortstop Trey Sweeney in the July trade that sent Jack Flaherty to the Dodgers, and now Sweeney needs a place to play. Báez will at least have to show he can hit against lefties if he hopes to see time consistently next season.
As for Torkelson, he hasn’t lived up to the hype that accompanied him when he was the No. 1 pick in the 2020 MLB Draft. His inability to hit consistently at the big league level has been a speed bump in the Tigers’ rebuild. Although Torkelson will likely have one more opportunity to show he belongs in the big leagues, there is room for improvement in the market. Free agent Christian Walker would provide Detroit with some serious defense and elite defense early on. If the Tigers aren’t looking to spend at this level, someone like Carlos Santana could offer similar traits for much less.
Detroit could also use a few veteran weapons to add to its rotation behind Skubal. Detroit’s turnover, or lack thereof, was one of the main reasons its season ended in the ALDS. The Tigers did not have enough starting pitchers for a full postseason run and were forced to make do with openers and bullpen games.
The Tigers would especially benefit from some experience to go with their relatively young rotation. Starters such as Walker Buehler and Sean Manaea could be the type of experienced arms that would fit the Tigers’ needs.
The AL Central surprised the entire sport this year, with three teams reaching the playoffs in the Tigers, Royals and Guardians. All three advanced at least one lap. Moving forward, the Tigers’ advantage over other teams in the division lies in their ability to spend. Their 2024 payroll was $98.5 million, and they have a projected payroll of just $79 million for 2025, which would rank them 27th in the league, according to Spotrac. Historically, the Tigers have never been afraid to flex their financial muscle in free agency or make a splash on the trade market.
And outside of Báez, who is owed $73 million over the next three years, the Tigers don’t have huge financial commitments, and most of their roster is still in pre-arbitration. With Miguel Cabrera’s massive contract finally off the books, Detroit has the kind of financial flexibility the organization hasn’t enjoyed in over a decade.
In his two years with the Tigers, president of baseball operations Scott Harris has been methodical in his approach to building the roster. But after Detroit’s excellent 2024 with a team that had some holes, a few key additions this winter could give the Tigers a strong chance to make back-to-back playoff appearances for the first time since 2013-14.
