“The city deserves a playoff team,” manager A.J. Hinch said in October. “We’re trying to build toward that. On this day, I don’t know what that’s going to look like yet, but the tone behind the scenes is always going to be to find ways to improve, find ways to get more wins.”
Let's take a closer look at what awaits the club in 2024.
Biggest question before Spring Training
Will the Tigers add one more bat to extend their lineup? President of baseball operations Scott Harris has been consistent on keeping opportunities open for young hitters to crack the roster, namely slugging infielder Colt Keith. But if a potentially useful veteran falls through the cracks and becomes available on a short-term deal, could Harris turn opportunistic and use the chance to push Keith and/or third baseman Matt Vierling?
Who's poised for a breakout season?
So far, we’ve only seen Tarik Skubal’s dominance in small servings, mostly due to injuries. Now, he's healthy, he has his body in good shape thanks to rehab and he ended the year by earning AL Pitcher of the Month honors for September/October to cap a season in which he went 7-3 with a 2.80 ERA in 15 starts. With Rodriguez gone -- and Kenta Maeda and Jack Flaherty stepping in -- the opportunity is there for the 27-year-old Skubal to take a place at the front of Detroit’s rotation.