April, the month that brings 30 Major League Baseball (MLB) teams clean slates and new opportunities that could lead to them hoisting the World Series Trophy in October. For the Detroit Tigers, who last year snuffed a 10-year playoff drought, they look to return to the playoffs in a less-miraculous fashion, officially establishing themselves amongst the contenders. Under the new mantra of the “Gritty Tigs”, improving team consistency in the summer months of July and August will be crucial in order to make the dance.
Finishing with a record of 86-76 last season, the Tigers are projected to maintain a similar record, with a heavier reliance on their pitching lineup. The rotation is led by the 2024 unanimous Cy Young winner, Tarik Skubal, an award given to the best pitchers in the American and National Leagues. Behind him is exciting upcomer, Jackson Jobe, former first overall pick Casey Mize, and Jack Flaherty, who won a World Series with the LA Dodgers in 2024. On the other hand, the offense has already become muddled with injuries to Parker Meadows and Matt Vierling, who may be out longer than the Tigers would’ve hoped for. Players that will be expected to step up and stay healthy include Riley Greene, Kerry Carpenter, Colt Keith, and the inconsistent but young Spencer Torkelson. It’ll be major for the Tigers if Torkelson is able to work through some of his timing issues on fast balls that have sent him to Triple A before. The defense is the weakest point of this team though, with a lot of question marks in the eyes of the national media.
However, the biggest question mark, or exclamation point, may be the youth of the Tigers. While the Tigers were fortunate to not lose any major players to free agency, they remained stagnant themselves, not signing any big fish in the sea, a sign that the Tigers are willing to bet on their young players, despite any growing pains that may hurt them early on. This also means that if the youth starts to find themselves in the midst of breakout seasons and the spring and early summer prove to be successful for the Tigers, they could become much more aggressive buyers at the July trade deadline. While the Tigers may not win their division, the AL Central, they are still absolutely in the conversation for a Wildcard spot and the overall playoff picture.
