It appears 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 last season, as the team went from being a seller at the July trade deadline to knocking off perennial World Series contender Houston in the postseason.
Despite a flawed roster with several holes, thanks to the combination of brave players, some luck and a manager in AJ Hinch who held 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 their success and become a powerhouse in the AL Central again.
Detroit has quietly developed a handful of talented top-level players, including Riley Greene and Kerry Carpenter. Greene is a budding star who earned his first All-Star appearance this past season and is a fixture in the middle of Detroit’s lineup. Carpenter has become one of the better left-handed hitters in the American League, and although he was on the injured list in ’24, he posted an impressive .932 OPS with 18 home runs and seemed 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 returning from left flexor tendon surgery in late 2023. His performance has been blazing last season when he established himself as perhaps the best starter in the MLB.
While many wondered if the Tigers would trade Skubal during his phenomenal season, the decision not to move the young star was perhaps the biggest turning point of Detroit’s season. And while Skubal continued to dominate in the second half of the season, Detroit continued to win.
After their surprising success in ’24, the Tigers still have a young and inexperienced roster. The team’s moves this winter should be focused on raising the ceiling and supporting the core pieces of the current roster so they can make the next leap.
From an offensive standpoint, the Tigers were one of the more left-handed lineups in baseball last season. They would benefit greatly from adding a right-handed bat or two. One of the most intriguing options available is third baseman Alex Bregman. He would bring a wealth of veteran and postseason experience to a young team on the rise and fill a big hole at third. Not to mention that this combination would give him the opportunity to play for his former manager in Hinch.
The other question Detroit needs to answer on offense is: What will the Tigers do with Javier Báez and Spencer Torkelson? Báez was a disaster in Detroit, missing most of the second half of 2024 due to 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. In any case, Báez will have to show that he can hit against left-handers if he wants to see consistent time next season.
As for Torkelson, he hasn’t lived up to the hype that accompanied him when he was the No. 1 overall pick in the 2020 MLB Draft. His inability to score consistently at the highest level has been a speed bump in the Tigers’ rebuild. While Torkelson will likely get another chance to show he belongs in the big leagues, there are potential upgrades on the market. Free agent Christian Walker would initially give Detroit a serious punch and an elite defense. If the Tigers don’t want to spend at that level, someone like Carlos Santana could offer similar traits for much less.
Detroit could also use some veteran weapons to expand its rotation behind Skubal. Detroit’s rotation, or lack thereof, was one of the main reasons the season ended in the ALDS. The Tigers didn’t have enough starting pitching for a full postseason series and were forced to opt for openers and bullpen games.
The Tigers would especially benefit from some experience to go with their relatively young rotation. Starters like Walker Buehler and Sean Manaea could be the kind of veteran players that would fit the Tigers’ needs.
The AL Central surprised the entire sport this year, with three teams reaching the postseason in the Tigers, Royals and Guardians. All three advanced at least one lap. Going forward, the advantage the Tigers have over the other teams in the division is their spending power. Their 2024 payroll was $98.5 million, and they have a projected payroll of just $79 million for 2025, which would rank 27th in the league according to Spotrac. Historically, the Tigers have never been afraid to leverage their financial power through free agency or make a big 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 obligations, and most of their roster is still pre-arbitration. With retired Miguel Cabrera’s massive contract finally off the books, Detroit has the kind of financial flexibility the organization hasn’t enjoyed in more than 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 standout 2024 with a team that had some holes, a few key additions this winter could give the Tigers a strong shot at making back-to-back postseasons for the first time since 2013-14.
