Previewing the 2022 Detroit Tigers

The tiger stature outside of Comerica Park in Detroit <Photo credit: Getty Images>

The Detroit Tigers, like most MLB teams, have been through a lot to get to this point. 

Following a shockingly competitive 2021 season - in which the team went 77-85 and finished third in the American League Central - the front office decided it was time to spend. Their new outlook on the offseason resulted in the busiest signing periods for Detroit in over half a decade. 

The fanbase was booming once again. The Tigers were back - they picked up a premier shortstop in Javier Baez to fill a position of need, got an emerging ace in Eduardo Rodriguez, and traded for Tucker Barnhart, one of the best defensive catchers in the game. 

Finally, the city of Detroit had hope in the Tigers again. Hope that maybe, just maybe, a playoff spot could be had for their team in 2022. All they had to do was get through the rest of the offseason, and then Tigers baseball would be back and better than ever in the D.

Easier said than done. 

The remainder of the offseason was marred by a league-wide lockout over discrepancies in the new CBA deal between the owners and the players. Trades and signings were put on hold, players changed their profile pictures and for a good portion of February and March, it looked like the 2022 season may never happen. 

It was one step forward, two steps back for the owners and players in their negotiations, and every time the fans were given a glimmer of hope that a deal might be reached, it was snatched from under them in a matter of seconds. 

Thankfully, after three long months of waiting, the owners and players were able to strike up a deal. Opening Day would be delayed and Spring Training would be shortened, but at the end of the day, baseball was finally back. 

Now, the Tigers set their sights on a new season. One sure to be filled with excitement and (hopefully) competitive baseball - I mean, there's no reason to believe the Tigers can’t hold their own this year. 

With the best analytical mind in the game steering the ship in manager A.J. Hinch, the Tigers are set to feature the most dangerous lineup they’ve had in years. Baez is the clear impact guy, but on-base machine Robbie Grossman, Jonathan Schoop, team-MVP Jeimer Candelario, recently-acquired Austin Meadows and the always-formidable Miguel Cabrera make up just a few of the potentially great bats for this team.

And, let’s not forget about the kids. Spencer Torkelson and Riley Greene are going to play in Detroit this year. If anything is to signify the end of the Tigers’ rebuild, let it be that. 

On the pitching side of things, Rodriguez is set to be the number one guy after gaining traction as an underrated piece in the Red Sox rotation, and someone who can deliver in high-leverage situations. 

The three-headed monster of Casey Mize, Tarik Skubal and Matt Manning are also back, and they’ll look to build on what has been established in their first major-league season together. 

The bullpen has the potential to be the strongest it’s been in a very long time, and while that’s not saying much for the Tigers given their bullpen output even in their most competitive seasons of late, it’s something to be excited about. 

Now, it’s important to note how quickly things could turn south for this team. There’s a lot riding on the continued maturation of Mize, Skubal and Manning, and it’s still only their second season pitching together. 

Who’s to say Torkelson and Greene will make the kind of impact we’re hoping for in just their first major league seasons? The Red Wings got lucky with the immediate stardom of Lucas Raymond and Moritz Seider just across Woodward Avenue. Will the Tigers also be that fortunate?

While there is a lot left to be seen for this Tigers club, at the end of the day, it’s good to feel excited about the team again. Despite all that’s up in the air for the team, there’s so much potential for a great season, too. The pieces are most definitely there for them to compete for the playoffs, and that’s all that the fans can ask for after a grueling stretch of baseball. 

The Tigers are going to be good this year, and they might even be great for the years to follow. The road to a fifth World Series, whenever that may be, begins today.