Detroit Tigers Skipper Touted as Best Decision the Franchise Made in Past Decade

When looking at the state of the Detroit Tigers, the hiring of their current manager A.J. Hinch has been heralded as the best decision this franchise has made in a long time.

Detroit Tigers manager A.J. Hinch (14) walks off the field after a pitching change during the eighth inning at Comerica Park in Detroit on Sunday, May 12, 2024. / Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK

It's been a long time since the Detroit Tigers were relevant.

Their last playoff appearance was back in 2014 when they were swept out of the American League Division Series, and their last winning season came two years later.

Since that time, the franchise has been searching for a way to get back into contention, undergoing a long rebuilding process that finally seems to have a light at the end of the tunnel with so many star prospects seemingly ready to become impact Major League players.

While the youngsters are getting much of the attention right now, the man who is in charge of the clubhouse could be the most important factor in ensuring the Tigers start contending again.

In fact, Brandon Day of SB Nation's Bless You Boys has tabbed the hiring of manager A.J. Hinch as the best move the organization has made in almost a decade.

"Seriously folks, hiring A.J. Hinch was probably the single best move Al Avila made in running the Tigers. Everything you're seeing in coaching and overall player development throughout the entire system goes back to him more than anyone else in the organization. It's not like he's been handed some aces and a bunch of good veteran hitters," he wrote.

Considering Al Avila was promoted to general manager and executive vice president of baseball operations in 2015 when Dave Dombrowski was released from his contract, and Hinch wasn't hired until October 2020, that just shows how middling things have been in Detroit.

Of course, the hiring of Hinch was met with controversy.

Fired by the Houston Astros in 2020 after winning the World Series three years prior because he was manager during their cheating scandal, it took some guts from Avila to bring in the skipper.

While the results might not jump off the page with a 284-331 record, that would be underselling the job that he's done since taking over.

Like Day pointed out, a lot of the optimism surrounding this franchise has to do with the young players looking like future stars, something Hinch and his coaching staff have had their hands in.

Avila isn't currently able to reap the benefits of his choice to hire Hinch since he was fired on Aug. 10, 2022, but his decision could go down as the turning point for the Tigers if they are able to become contenders in the near future.