Detroit Tigers Shockingly Fall in Way-Too-Early Next Season MLB Power Rankings
The 2024 season will live on forever for the Detroit Tigers and their fans.
Seemingly packing things in ahead of the deadline with how they operated as sellers, an incredible stretch followed. Despite being double-digit games out of a playoff spot, they got red hot and clawed their way back into the mix.
They ended up earning the No. 2 wild card spot in the American League and a matchup with the Houston Astros. They swept the first two games on the road, advancing to the ALDS.
That is where their storybook season ended, as their AL Central rivals the Cleveland Guardians won the series in five games. A disappointing finish for sure, but the team should be proud of how far they went.
Given how well they played, their timeline has been adjusted heading into the offseason. The development of their young players is still important, but adding a few established veterans to upgrade weaknesses on the roster can help turn them into perennial contenders.
Despite their outlook being so strong, David Schoenfield of ESPN has actually dropped them in his way-too-early 2025 MLB power rankings. In the final 2024 edition they were 12th. Now, they are in the bottom half of the league at No. 16.
“It was a magical ride to end the season, as the Tigers finished with a 31-13 run that propelled them from also-rans to playoff team. It was all pitching as the staff posted a 2.72 ERA over those 44 games. It was ace Tarik Skubal, manager A.J. Hinch pulling the right strings at the right time and a bullpen that turned unhittable for eight weeks. It's just unclear whether the pen can replicate that over a full season -- and the offense still has holes, with only Kerry Carpenter, Riley Greene, Matt Vierling and Parker Meadows posting an OPS+ over 100 among those with 250 plate appearances. The good news is that everyone is back, Jackson Jobe should enter the rotation, and while the Tigers are stuck with Javier Baez's $25 million salary, there should be payroll flexibility for president of baseball operations Scott Harris to make a couple of significant additions,” the MLB expert wrote.
One of those significant additions should be to the lineup as the Tigers are in desperate need of some pop. They ranked in the bottom half of the league in virtually every hitting statistic except for triples in 2024.
The younger players could develop more power as their careers move along, as Kerry Carpenter looks to have 25+ home run potential. But adding another slugger certainly wouldn’t hurt.
On the mound, reinforcements are needed behind likely unanimous Cy Young Award winner Tarik Skubal. For most of the second half of the season, he was the only starter A.J. Hinch had to rely on, as he turned to his “pitching chaos” game plan with openers and bullpen games.
It worked and is a nice tool to deploy in a pinch during the season. However, success with that strategy is hard to sustain. Better help and one or two additions to the rotation and Detroit will be set on the mound as their bullpen is loaded with talented arms.
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.