By George B, Eichorn
Tigers Baseball is back! Hand me a hot dog, peanuts and some Cracker Jack.
For a second consecutive season, the Detroit Tigers will open their new campaign on the west coast. Last year the Tigers were swept in three games by the Los Angeles Dodgers. This season opens on March 25 at the San Diego Padres – the club the Tigers defeated for their last World Series title in 1984.
Owner Chris Ilitch, president Scott Harris, general manager Jeff Greenberg and manager A.J. Hinch won’t be satisfied to merely make the playoffs; they want a championship banner to join the others at Detroit’s Comerica Park. The home Opening Day is Friday, April 3 as the Tigers host the St. Louis Cardinals who they defeated in the historic 1968 World Series which united this city.
Trades and free agent signings have Tigers fans excited. The pitching staff is an upgrade from last year’s AL Division Series club who went 86-76 yet blew a 15-1/2 game lead to the eventual AL Central champion Cleveland Indians. Detroit can ill afford to let this happen again.
The Tigers open their 126th season and 27th at Comerica Park which will be rocking as the city celebrates with a packed stadium, block parties, tailgating, crowded bars and restaurants and the holiday spirit reserved for Opening Day in downtown Detroit.
The off season wheeling and dealing landed several new pitchers. Former Tiger and fan favorite Justin Verlander (2005-2017) is back after his stint with San Francisco. Although much older (43), the Tigers hope JV’s return adds a veteran presence among young pitchers on the team. The biggest signing was Framber Valdez, 32, a former Houston pitcher under Hinch, to a three-year, $115 million contract.
The future of Tarik Skubal – called the best pitcher on earth by many experts – is in question following this season. The Tigers have a terrific one-two punch with Skubal and Valdez. The two-time defending Cy Young Award winner Skubal won a huge baseball arbitration 1-year $32 million contract. The Tigers probably won’t give him the expected $400 million-plus multi-year deal he probably demands to keep the all-star hurler in 2027 and beyond.
Jack Flaherty and Casey Mize are in the starting rotation along with Skubul and Valdez. Harris brought in ex-Tiger Drew Anderson, signed for 1-year. following his Korea league stint. In other pitching moves the Tigers gave 1-year deals to Kenley Jansen with his 476 career saves, Will Vest (team-high 23 saves) and Tyler Holton. Kyle Finnegan inked a 2-year deal. Other relief pitchers looking to make the final cuts are Brant Hurter, Brenan Hanife and Enmanuel De Jesus, another Korean league product. Troy Melton, Reese Olson, Beau Brieske and Jackson Jobe are injured or rehabbing pitchers.
The Tigers offense needs to improve this season. Two-time All-star outfielder Riley Greene (team high 36 HR, 111 RB!) needs to cut down his 201 strikeouts from a season ago and improve his runners-in-scoring position success rate. Other outfielders are Parker Meadows, Wenceel Perez, Jahmai Jones, Kerry Carpenter and Matt Vierling, who looked great in the Lakeland training camp following right shoulder inflammation that limited him to 31 games in 2025.
Spencer Torkelson is back at first base, Gleyber Torres at second, Colt Keith at third. Veteran Javier Baez, Zach McKinstry and possibly 21-year-old top prospect Kevin McGonigle battle for playing time at shortstop.
Catchers are Dillon Dingler – back after having arthroscopic right elbow surgery – and Jake Rogers who looked better at the plate this spring. Carpenter and Jones will be Hinch’s primary designated hitters.
It’s worth noting that Flaherty and Torres made the decision to stay in Detroit instead of pursuing multi-year offers elsewhere.
Off the field, the Tigers (and Red Wings next season) started their new broadcast network – Detroit SportsNet – after FanDuel Sports dropped its regional networks. Jason Benetti and Dan Dickerson have TV play-by-play with analysts Andy Dirks, Dan Petry, Todd Jones and Carlos Pena. Radio network features Dickerson or Greg Gania with analysts Bobby Scales, Petry and Dirks. Daniella Bruce, Johnny Kane, Dannie Rogers and Natalie Kerwin.
The Tigers have 16 games on national TV this season starting Easter Sunday, April 5, 7 p.m. on Peacock against the Cardinals. Verlander is scheduled to start that Easter Sunday game. Other national networks are NBC, FOX, FS1 and TBS.
George Eichorn prediction: Tigers win AL Central, AL Division Series yet lose to the Yankees in the ALCS. Reach him at geichorn@yahoo.com.
