By George B. Eichorn
Hope springs eternal for the Detroit Tigers as they make final preparations for the 2025 MLB season. The team opens the new campaign by visiting the Los Angeles Dodgers, March 27-29, at Dodger Stadium. That’s followed by a three game series in Seattle with the Mariners. ESPN televises Detroit’s road and season opener at Dodger Stadium this Thursday as L.A. raises its 2024 World Series championship banner.
The festive and holiday-like Opening Day in downtown Detroit is Friday, April 4 against the Chicago White Sox. Comerica Park will be rocking as a sell-out crowd of more than 42,000 is expected for the 1:10 p.m. first pitch. The game is televised by FanDuel Sports Detroit and WJBK-TV Fox-2. Expect thousands of fans without tickets to pack nearby block parties, bars and restaurants.
Manager A.J. Hinch is back for a fifth consecutive season. He and his coaching staff got the most out of the Tigers pitchers and hitters in their dazzling 31-13 pace over the final 44 games a season ago. The Tigers made the postseason playoffs for the first time in 10 years.
Detroit took down Hinch’s former team, the Houston Astros, 2-0, in the Wild Card round, a best of three. The Tigers battled the Cleveland Indians in the Divisional Series, losing 3-2 in the five game series. The Tigers had the city and state pumped. It wasn’t just the Lions or Big Ten football hogging the headlines last September and October!
Can an encore performance be in the cards for 2025? The Tigers starting pitching is solid and anchored by AL Cy Young Award winner lefty Tarik Skubal (18-4, 228 strikeouts, 0.92 WHIP and 2.39 ERA). Next up is Jack Flaherty whom team president Scott Harris lured back to the Tigers from the Dodgers this winter. Reese Olsen, rookie Jackson Jobe and Casey Mize round out the Tigers’ starters on the mound.
The bullpen has Jason Foley, Tyler Holton, Will Vest, Beau Brieske, Kenta Maeda, John Brebbia, Tommy Kahnle, Kenta Maeda and one of these three: Brant Hurder, Brenan Hanifee and Andrew Chaffin.
The Tigers are not as strong at the plate. Outfielder Ricky Greene is an all-star but the injuries to center fielder Parker Meadows and outfielder/third baseman Matt Vierling cast a shadow on Detroit’s offense on the eve of a new season.
Scott Harris tried to lure Astros third baseman and all-star Alex Bregman to Detroit but instead the slugger landed with the Boston Red Sox. Hinch will likely use a rotation of Zach McKinstry, Andy Ibanez and Javier Baez at third. Rookie Jace Jung, who is being groomed to play third, had a difficult training camp and was sent to AAA Toledo. Vierling also plays third when healthy.
The signing of New York Yankees second baseman Gleyber Torres helps Detroit. Colt Keith has shifted from second to first. Trey Sweeney and Baez handle shortstop. Last season’s first baseman, Spencer Torkelson, may not make the team after a rough 2024. He’s battling Justyn-Henry Malloy and Jahmai Jones for one of the last roster spots.
Joining Greene in the outfield: Kerry Carpenter, Wenceel Perez, Malloy, 9-year veteran Manuel Margot, and Vierling and Meadows when healthy. Jake Rogers is the starting catcher with Dillon Dingler as number two backstop. At designated hitter Hinch will rotate Carpenter, Greene, Keith and Torkelson.
The AL Central is a flawed division despite the fact three clubs made the playoffs last fall – Cleveland, Kansas City and Detroit. The Tigers have a shot to win the division yet so do the aforementioned and the Minnesota Twins. It could be a wide-open race.
On the broadcast side, Tigers’ FanDuel Sports Network TV analyst Kirk Gibson of the ’84 Champion Tigers is leaving the booth. Jason Benetti returns for his second year as the Tigers’ lead play-by-play voice. Dan Dickerson fills in when Benetti is doing national telecasts. Ex-Tigers Dan Petry and Andy Dirks are primary analysts with Daniela Bruce, Todd Jones and Carlos Pena adding features and commentary. Ten games will air free on local Fox station channel 2 beginning Opening Day. This is the first time since 2007 Tiger fans can watch multiple games on local TV.
Dickerson handles most radio play-by-play with Greg Gania of the Tigers’ Double-A affiliate Erie SeaWolves stepping in when Dickerson shifts to telecasts. Dirks and Bobby Scales are primary radio analysts. All 81 home games are also broadcast in Spanish with Carlos Guillen and Barbaro Garbey mikeside.
The Tigers are bringing back giveaways on Saturday home games. Fans will need to arrive early to be among the first 15,000 to secure the giveaway item. In addition, The club has dozens of home games honoring universities, cultural, heritage, community and holidays. These include an item such as a hat or t-shirt.
Eichorn’s prediction: Tigers 85-77 and AL Central champs. Reach him at [email protected] or @Sandgsports99 on X (formerly Twitter). Order his book:
Detroit’s Sports Broadcasters: On the Air: Eichorn, George B, Introduction Harwell, Ernie.
