After falling in last year’s ALDS, the Detroit Tigers begin the 2025 regular season with hopes of another postseason run. Here’s a preview for the upcoming season in Motown:

 

LAST YEAR’S REMARKABLE RUN

The “Gritty Tigs” created their own Cinderella-esque story last season, winning 31 of their last 42 games to earn an American League Wild Card spot. Detroit finished the regular season 86-76, snapping a nine-year playoff drought. They went on to beat the Houston Astros in the Wild Card round before falling to their division rival, the Cleveland Guardians.

Pitching was a key piece in this turnaround, as the Tigers boasted the AL’s second-best earned run average of 3.61. Cy Young winner Tarik Skubal led the charge with an 18-4 record, a 2.39 ERA, and 228 strikeouts at the top of the rotation for manager A.J. Hinch.

At the plate, Detroit struggled with consistency all season long. They ranked below the league average, finishing 19th in runs scored and 24th in batting average. A notable standout was outfielder Riley Greene, who led the Tigers with 24 home runs and 74 RBIs.

The Tigers split their success last year both in the Motor City and away from home. They posted 43-38 records in each category and notably excelled in one-run games, securing 31 wins in 55 decisions.

 

THIS YEAR’S ROSTER

Detroit brought back nearly all the pieces from last year’s playoff team. The only notable loss was bullpen specialist Shelby Miller, who signed a deal with Arizona this offseason. Other players on expiring deals, including pitchers Beau Brieske, Jason Foley, Casey Mize, Will Vest, Tarik Skubal, and outfielder Matt Vierling, were all re-signed to one-year contracts.

While nearly everyone returned, General Manager Jeff Greenberg showed no signs of settling. The young GM made key additions this offseason, including former Tiger starting pitcher Jack Flaherty, Yankee infielder Gleyber Torres, Guardians pitcher Alex Cobb, and Yankee relief pitcher Tommy Kahnle.

The Tigers’ projected starting rotation brings plenty of strikeout potential this year, featuring Skubal, Flaherty, Reese Olson, Jackson Jobe, and Casey Mize. The bullpen, which boasted the second-best WHIP in baseball last year at 1.14, includes Foley as the projected closer, along with Vest, Kahnle, Brieske, Tyler Holton, Andrew Chafin, Kenta Maeda, Bailey Horn, Alex Lange, Ty Madden, Brenan Hanifee, John Brebbia, and Brant Hurter.

For Detroit’s defense, which ranked 12th in fielding percentage last year, Colt Keith and Zach McKinstry will anchor the hot corner, while Torres and Javier Báez handle the middle infield. Andy Ibáñez, Trey Sweeney, and Spencer Torkelson will also see time in the infield.

The talented trio of Greene, Wenceel Pérez, and Kerry Carpenter will man the outfield for Detroit. Justin-Henry Malloy and newly signed Manuel Margot will serve as backups.

Behind the plate, the Tigers will rely on the two-man team of Jake Rogers and Dillon Dingler at catcher. For the designated hitter spot, Torkelson, Carpenter, Keith, and Greene will likely rotate.

Parker Meadows and Matt Vierling will also see time once they return from the injured list. Prospects Max Clark, Jace Jung, and Thayron Liranzo are ones to watch for potential call-ups in 2025.

A projected batting lineup has not been finalized at this time.

 

THREE THINGS TO WATCH

One thing to watch for the Tigers this year is the team’s overall health. With Vierling, Meadows, and Cobb already banged up, Detroit’s depth could be tested if other players sustain injuries early on. Early minor league call-ups would likely be manager A.J. Hinch’s counter, as Detroit boasts one of the best farm systems in Major League Baseball.

Secondly, the Tigers must show better consistency at the plate. Signing Torres adds some pop to Detroit’s lineup with his .378 slugging percentage last year, but a lack of power still stands out on paper. Eyes will be on bounce-back opportunities for Torkelson, who has a team-high .340 batting average and 11 RBIs in Spring Training this year, and Báez, who showed power at the plate despite a high strikeout rate last season.

Third, the strength of the AL Central remains a factor. Last year, the division had three teams—Detroit, Kansas City, and Cleveland—with over 86 wins, along with Minnesota at 82. This division has long been seen as a gauntlet, so whoever dominates divisional games could have a legitimate shot at a deep postseason run. Cleveland proved this last year, winning the division and reaching the ALCS.

 

HOW TO LISTEN

Listen to every Detroit Tigers baseball game on NewsRadio WBRN all season long via 96.5 FM and 1460 AM. For weekly game times, visit the right-side column on WBRN.com. 

Detroit will open the season on the road against last year's World Series Champion, the Los Angeles Dodgers, on Thursday, Mar. 27. First pitch is slated for 7:00 p.m. with pregame beginning at 6:45 p.m. The Tigers' home opener is on Friday, Apr. 4 against the Chicago White Sox.