Detroit Tigers Fans Will Love This Shockingly Massive Prediction for Next Season
The Detroit Tigers shocked the baseball world with the unprecedented run they went on late in the 2024 season.
Ahead of the MLB trade deadline, they were one of the few franchises who were clear sellers.
Starting pitcher Jack Flaherty, relief pitcher Andrew Chafin, catcher Carson Kelly and outfielder/first baseman Mark Canha were all traded away with an eye toward the future.
Despite that stance, they became the hottest team in the MLB post-trade deadline, earning a Wild Card spot and even advancing to the ALDS, where they were defeated by the Cleveland Guardians after beating the Houston Astros in the ALWC.
Given their unexpected success, many people thought they would be aggressive this offseason seeking out upgrades for the roster.
To this point, they have been calculated when it comes to additions, as they have yet to sign a free agent to a multi-year deal - starting pitcher Alex Cobb and second baseman Gleyber Torres both signed one-year, $15 million deals.
Cobb, when healthy, is a solid addition to a rotation anchored by Cy Young Award winner Tarik Skubal but lacks established options behind him. The upside is there with Reese Olson and Jackson Jobe as talented youngsters.
Torres brings some much-needed experience to a young lineup. He has the potential to provide the team with an infusion of power, with a 162-game average of 25 home runs and 28 doubles, owning a career .441 slugging percentage.
With continued development from their young core, another step forward should be taken in 2025 by the team, which is why Will Leitch of MLB.com is predicting a massive leap by the Tigers during the upcoming season.
In a recent piece, he shared his predictions for who will be participating and winning the next 10 World Series.
For 2025, he has boldly predicted Detroit will represent the American League but will be defeated by the Los Angeles Dodgers, who will take home the championship for a second consecutive campaign.
“As for their opponent: Spoiler alert, I’m going to pick the Tigers to win the AL Central this year, and they look better positioned for the postseason than they did in 2024,” Leitch wrote.
That is certainly a bold prediction, but not the first one to come from an MLB analyst when taking a look at Detroit’s outlook for the upcoming season.
Emerging star left fielder Riley Greene was predicted to win the AL MVP award, which would certainly imply that the Tigers are capable of having an excellent regular season and would be ready to make noise in October.
The roster certainly looks to be improved with the veteran additions, but it wouldn’t hurt to make one or two more tweaks.
Adding a player of Alex Bregman’s caliber to the mix would help push them into that next tier.
Kenneth Teape is an alumnus of SUNY Old Westbury and graduated in 2013 with an Honors Degree in Media Communications with a focus on print journalism. During his time at Old Westbury, he worked for the school newspaper and several online publications, such as Knicks Now, the official website of the New York Knicks, and a self-made website with fellow students, Gotham City Sports News. Kenneth has also been a site expert at Empire Writes Back, Musket Fire, and Lake Show Life within the FanSided Network. He was a contributor to HoopsHabit, with work featured on Bleacher Report and Yardbarker. In addition to his work here, he is a reporter for both NBA Analysis Network and NFL Analysis Network, as well as a writer and editor for Packers Coverage. You can follow him on X, formerly Twitter, @teapester725, or reach him via email at teapester725@gmail.com.