It appears that the Detroit Tigers have finally emerged from the ashes of their long and grueling rebuild — and not a moment too soon. Detroit was baseball’s biggest surprise this past season, as the team went from being a seller at July’s trade deadline to knocking off perennial World Series contender Houston in the postseason.
Despite a flawed roster with various holes, thanks to the combination of gritty players, some good fortune and a manager in AJ Hinch who kept everything together, the Tigers found a way to become 2024’s Cinderella team. And now, this offseason provides Detroit a unique opportunity to build off their success and get back to being a powerhouse in the AL Central.
Detroit has quietly developed a handful of talented players at the big-league level, including Riley Greene and Kerry Carpenter. Greene is a budding star who earned his first All-Star appearance this past season and is a staple in the middle of Detroit’s lineup. Carpenter has become one of the better left-handed bats in the American League, and while he spent time in ’24 on the injured list, he posted an impressive .932 OPS with 18 homers and looked very comfortable hitting in the postseason.
The crown jewel of the Tigers’ turnaround is none other than 2024 AL Cy Young Award winner Tarik Skubal. He has been one of the best pitchers in baseball since his return from left flexor tendon surgery in late 2023. His performance skyrocketed last season as he turned himself into arguably the best starter in MLB.
While many wondered during his phenomenal season if the Tigers would trade Skubal, the decision to not move the young star was arguably the biggest turning point of Detroit’s season. And as Skubal continued to dominate in the season’s second half, Detroit continued to win.
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Coming off their surprise success in ’24, the Tigers still have a young and inexperienced roster. The team’s moves this winter should be focused on raising their ceiling while supporting the core pieces on the current roster so they can take the next jump.
From an offensive standpoint, the Tigers were one of the more left-handed lineups in baseball last season. They would benefit tremendously from adding a right-handed bat or two. One of the most intriguing options available is third baseman Alex Bregman. He would bring a boatload of veteran and postseason experience to a young team on the rise and fill a big hole at third. Not to mention,…