Tigers Failure to Supplement Emerging Young Core Will Be a Regret This Season
Coming into the offseason, the Detroit Tigers knew there were a few weaknesses on their roster that had to be addressed.
Despite the incredible run they went on in the second half of the 2024 campaign, some of those performances were unsustainable. Not having a reliable starting pitcher beyond Tarik Skubal, eating innings with bullpen games and openers with bulk pitchers wasn’t going to work again.
The team successfully addressed that issue, signing Jack Flaherty and Alex Cobb in free agency.
Despite Cobb already being injured, the team has a ton of quality depth to work with.
Casey Mize emerged this spring along with Reese Olson and star prospect Jackson Jobe rounding out the rotation. If they can remain healthy, the Tigers have one of the best high-upside rotations in the American League.
With an excellent bullpen also in place, where Detroit has the biggest remaining concern is with its lineup.
Scoring runs were a struggle at points last year and without major improvements from their emerging young players, it could be an issue again in 2025.
The only addition the Tigers made in free agency to their lineup was Gleyber Torres, who will be taking over at second base. His addition is pushing Colt Keith, who had a strong rookie campaign, over to first base.
Torres should help offensively with his track record, but the keystone was far from their biggest need.
Their inability to land an established player for the left side of their infield is something they will come to regret.
The player whom they were connected to the most was third baseman Alex Bregman of the Houston Astros.
A two-time World Series champion, he would have helped the franchise in every regard with his talent and veteran leadership. Manager A.J. Hinch knows him well from their time together in Houston and he would have been the perfect fit.
Alas, they weren’t able to get a deal done, which Tim Kelly of Bleacher Report believes will be their biggest regret of the winter, as he agreed to a three-year, $120 million deal with the Boston Red Sox that includes an opt-out after Year 1.
“If this had been a six-year deal, it would have made sense to pass. But for three years — and perhaps only one if he opts out next offseason — Bregman made a ton of sense for the Tigers, because he would have added another big bat to their lineup and a veteran presence on a young team,” Kelly wrote.
Detroit is on the right track and has a lot more talent moving through their minor league system that will elevate the team in the near future.
But adding a player of Bregman’s caliber would have helped accelerate their timeline and fill a major void on the roster.
Right now, the Tigers don’t have a single MLB-level starter for shortstop or third base and that could be their downfall.
Recommended Articles
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.