Thursday, March 27

The Tigers turned around their 2024 season right around the time they honored legendary manager Jim Leyland at Comerica Park in August to celebrate his Hall of Fame induction and retire his number. It was there that Leyland told fans and media that the young Tigers had all the ingredients to make a great cake. He also told the players to win the game.

As they try to follow up their first winning season since 2016 and first postseason berth since 2014 while acknowledging the weight of heightened expectations, they could do well to listen again to the old skipper, who knew a thing or two about pressure. 

Big expectations, Leyland liked to say, is good pressure, and players should embrace it. 

As the Tigers head into Dodger Stadium to open their season against the defending World Series champions and begin a challenging early schedule, they’re ready to show that last season was more than a hot streak. 

What needs to go right: Pitching needs to carry the load 

President of baseball operations Scott Harris said in the wake of injuries that Detroit might have to plan their path to victory around pitching and defense until position players get healthy. It’s a track they’re familiar with from last year, and it starts with the rotation. Tarik Skubal and Jack Flaherty have shown they’re capable of carrying the load. Reese Olson, Jackson Jobe and Casey Mize need to step up behind them and translate their impressive arsenals into low-scoring performances to support the lineup.  

Great unknown: What happens in center field and at third base? 

The Tigers are down to their fourth option in center after Parker Meadows, Matt Vierling and Wenceel Pérez suffered injuries in Spring Training. With no clear answers left, Detroit needs to find solutions until one or more of the aforementioned players return. Meanwhile, the hot corner has been in flux since Alex Bregman signed with the Red Sox. Jace Jung will open the season in Triple-A after a rough Spring Training performance, leading Detroit to begin with a platoon of Zach McKinstry and Andy Ibáñez, a mix that seems unlikely to last the full season. Jung or Hao-Yu Lee -- ranked by MLB Pipeline as Detroit’s No. 8 prospect -- could get a call, or Vierling could take over once he returns from the injured list. 

Team MVP will be: Riley Greene 

While Skubal gives the Tigers an incredible chance to win, he pitches once every five games. Not only is Greene an everyday presence, the All-Star is arguably the pulse of a calm, focused clubhouse at age 24. With mixing and matching around him in the outfield and the lineup, Greene is the constant, a player worth 5.4 wins above replacement last year (per Baseball Reference) who could’ve surpassed that with a little better health. His focused at-bats and mature approach in Spring Training suggest he’s ready to take the next step in his career and become an MVP candidate. 

Team Cy Young will be: Tarik Skubal 

Not surprisingly, Skubal isn’t resting on his laurels after last year’s success, especially after that heartbreaking game in Cleveland. He posted a 24-to-1 strikeout-to-walk ratio over 19 1/3 innings in Spring Training, threw a 100 mph fastball in his first inning of Grapefruit League work, asked to go on the road split squad for his final tune-up, then tossed six innings of one-run ball with nine strikeouts against an Orioles lineup full of regulars. He’s locked in, and as long as he’s healthy, he’s the most intimidating pitcher in the league at the moment. 

Bold prediction: Jackson Jobe wins Rookie of the Year 

The Tigers put Jobe in their season-opening rotation because he earned the job in camp, but they also did it knowing his performance could net them an extra Draft pick next year if he wins Rookie of the Year. His arsenal through camp gives every reason to believe he’s capable of that kind of season, combining an upper-90s fastball with an array of breaking balls, including a buckling curveball that has the chance to draw swings and misses when he sets it up. Detroit will be mindful of his innings, but officials aren’t likely to pull the plug as long as the team's top prospect is putting up zeroes. 

Skubal will be the fourth defending Cy Young winner to make his season debut against the defending World Series champions. Who was the last? 

A. Doug Drabek 

B. LaMarr Hoyt

C. Randy Jones

D. Jack McDowell

The Tigers put a limited number of tickets, including standing room, on sale over the weekend for the April 4 home opener against the White Sox. Check out what’s left or visit tigers.com/tickets for more information.  

D. McDowell

McDowell won the AL Cy Young award with the White Sox in 1993, then opened the 1994 season against the Blue Jays in Toronto. (Hat tip to the great Sarah Langs and Elias Sports for that bit of trivia.)

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