Madelyn Furstenau ‘26, Lyonlife.org Editor-in-Chief
The Detroit Tigers are famous for being one of the worst teams in the MLB, and they have maintained this unfortunate title for quite some time. The team has steered away from the playoffs—and a decent record—for over a decade, disappointing their fanbase year after year. After losing game-changing players like Max Scherzer in 2014 and Justin Verlander in 2017, the Tigers fell into a prolonged slump with no signs of recovery. That is until now, when the team’s younger players might just save the Tigers in 2024.
In 2022, baseball fans predicted that rookies Spencer Torkelson and Riley Greene would bring the Tigers out of the dark. While the two performed very well in their debut seasons, it is nearly impossible for two players to lead a long-time struggling team to victory alone. Additionally, the Tigers suffered a crushing loss when starting pitcher Casey Mize underwent Tommy John surgery. The operation entails the replacement of an arm’s torn ligament with a healthy tendon extracted from the arm or leg. Tommy John typically puts a player out for multiple seasons. A few months later, another Tigers starter, Tarik Skubal, underwent season-ending flexor tendon surgery. Along with losing Mize and Skubal, left-hand pitcher Eduardo Rodriguez left the team for several months of the season due to marital issues. The 2022 Detroit Tigers’ pitching staff was far from peak performance, and this compilation of unfortunate breaks put the team back in their anticipated spot: the bottom.
The Tigers’ 2023 season showed improvement, but not enough to take them to the playoffs. The team inched toward a winning record, finishing the season at 78-84 and placing second in the American League Central Division. The Tigers were only six wins away from their first playoff spot in nine years—but they fell just short to the Minnesota Twins, who finished the regular season with a record of 87-75. Much to the fans’ dismay, the Tigers’ organization focused more on home-field renovations and upgrades than making trades that would significantly improve the team. Thankfully, with this year’s trades and comebacks, the Tigers are back on track for playoff contention.
Fortunately, Mize will be ready to go in time for spring training in February. If he has fully recovered, his skills will certainly complement the Tigers’ pitching staff this year. Mize said he is ready to “throw as much as they let [him]” in 2024. The Tigers have also re-signed relief pitcher Andrew Chafin, who was a crucial asset to their bullpen in 2022. After spending the 2023 season with the Arizona Diamondbacks and Milwaukee Brewers, Chafin returned to Detroit and signed a one-year $4.25 million contract with a $6.5 million club option in 2025. Joining Chafin and Mize on this year’s pitching staff are right-hand pitchers Jack Flaherty, Shelby Miller, and Kenta Maeda. While the Tigers struggle in many areas, their lineup of pitchers is typically one of their strongest suits. Detroit fans hope these signings and returns will lead to a title-clinching 2024 season.
The Tigers did not solely focus on pitching; they have recently welcomed outfielder Mark Canha and infielder Colt Keith to the 313. Keith is already a candidate for the 2024 American League Rookie of the Year, and the aspirational 22-year-old has not even touched major league dirt yet. Keith’s impressive .306 average with 27 home runs in Triple-A ball gives a promising outlook to championship-starved Tigers fans. After his major league signing, Keith said, “My mission is to be the best player possible and help win a World Series Championship for Tigers fans everywhere.” His optimism and hope for the team enlightened fans who have stuck together through tough-to-watch seasons.
Although the future is bright, the Tigers’ repetitively poor track record remains in the back of everyone’s mind; however, it is safe to say that the team has a solid shot at clinching the American League Central Division title this year. This achievement would put them directly into the playoffs for the first time in a decade. If they make it to the postseason, their upgraded roster will increase their potential to dominate the competition. Hopefully, the team’s ambitious youth will give Detroit fans what they want the most: a winning season.
Lyon Life 