Hope springs eternal with the Detroit Tigers. After toiling in or near the cellar of the AL Central Division for eight seasons, the Tigers broke through last season to finish in second place in the division behind the Minnesota Twins. No longer are the days when Tigers fans would only come to the game to see the since-retired Miguel Cabrera break another MLB record.
So, who are these upstart Tigers who intend to make more noise this year? Let’s preview the 2024 Detroit Tigers.
The Tigers Catcher and Infield
Jake Rogers will be the primary catcher for the Tigers. He is good defensively and added some pop to his bat hitting 21 home runs last season. Carson Kelly will spell him on his days off.
The Tigers Young Power Hitter
Power hitting Spencer Torkelson will start at first base. He hit an impressive 31 home runs in 2023. He needs to shore up his defense and cut down on his strikeouts (171 in 2023) to be even more effective.
Super Rookie Colt Keith is slated to start at second base. He’s a terrific hitter who has some work to do on his defense. He has already been rewarded with a big contract from Tigers without having played one Major League inning.
Reliable Gio Urshela will man the hot corner. He is a subtly effective player. He will however be pushed by Matt Vierling, Andy Ibanes, Zack McKinstry for playing time. Fortunately, the latter three players can all play multiple positions making them valuable commodities for the short-benched Tigers.
Rounding out the infield is veteran shortstop Javier Baez. Baez has experienced two disappointing seasons at the plate since coming to the Tigers. The team hopes for a revival from this former All-Star. Fortunately for the team, his defense is still very solid.
Outfield
Newly arrived Mark Canha will patrol left field for the Tigers. He is a critically needed righthanded bat who is versatile and knows how to get on base.
The speedy Parker Meadows is the new Detroit centerfielder. Coming off a great spring, this elite defender will also bring some speed to the Tiger lineup.
Tigers Outfielder Greene is a Budding Star
Budding star Riley Greene moves over from centerfield to right. He sported a 3.2 WAR last season while hitting 16 home runs and driving in 79 runs. The sky is the unlimited for this talented youngster.
The everyday DH will be Kerry Carpenter. He has good pop in his bat, and he can spell the corner outfielders when they are given a rest day.
Starting Pitchers
Tarik Skubal is the unquestioned ace of the staff. Kenta Maeda sports a good variety of pitches and will give the Tigers a veteran presence in their rotation. Jack Flaherty has struggled the past few seasons. Injuries and control issues relegated him to the bullpen late in the 2023 season. He and the Tigers hope that he has a rebound season.
Casey Mize is recovering from “Tommy John Surgery.” But he was stretched in spring training and appears ready to go. Reese Olson beat out Matt Manning for the final rotation spot. But if Olson falters, expect Manning to be right on his heels if he is able to solve his control issues.
Bullpen
Tigers’ manager A.J. Hinch prefers a closer by committee model. But for now, pencil Alex Lange as the closer. Expect Jason Foley to also receive some closer opportunities. And the job could be his if Lange flames out.
Alex Faedo learned to throw a changeup and his control numbers improved. Joey Wentz was out of options, but he had a strong spring with 19 strikeouts. Tyler Holton and newly acquired Andrew Chafin represent a strong southpaw tandem in the Tigers’ bullpen.
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Greg Simbeck covers a variety of sports for Total Apex Sports. He specializes in MLB coverage. Greg has covered various sports for numerous other publications over the years.
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