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2025 season: 87-75, second in AL Central, eliminated in ALDS

With the Tigers eliminated by the Mariners in Game 5 of the ALDS, let’s take a look at the season that was in Detroit, the questions the team must address this winter and the early outlook for next year.

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Read more: MLB offseason previews 2025: What’s next for the White Sox, Pirates, Twins and more?

Things that went right

The good news in Detroit starts with Tarik Skubal, the front-runner to win a second consecutive Cy Young Award this year. The lefty led the majors in ERA (2.21) and WHIP (0.89), and since coming off the IL in the middle of the 2023 season, he has logged a ridiculous stat line, with a 2.39 ERA, 0.90 WHIP and 11.0 K/9. In 2025, he allowed zero runs in 12 of his 31 starts and recorded a double-digit strikeout total on 10 occasions. Naming Skubal the American League starter for the 2025 All-Star Game was an easy call for AL manager Aaron Boone, and having Skubal anchor the Tigers’ rotation took substantial stress off the bullpen and other starters. Case in point: He recorded a career-high 14 strikeouts in Detroit’s Game 1 wild-card win and struck out 13 in his team’s ALDS Game 5 loss.

Speaking of the bullpen, Tigers manager A.J. Hinch settled on a reliable pair to finish games in Will Vest and Kyle Finnegan. Although he wasn’t treated as a full-time closer, Vest easily led the team with 23 saves and also earned six wins while logging strong ratios (3.01 ERA, 1.21 WHIP). Finnegan arrived from Washington at the trade deadline and picked up four saves while recording a 1.50 ERA and a 0.72 WHIP.

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The lineup was productive through a group effort, ranking 11th in runs scored despite not having a regular contributor with an OPS over .806. Riley Greene was the offensive anchor, hitting a career-high 36 home runs and finishing fourth in baseball with 111 RBI, though he cooled off significantly in the second half. Against right-handers, he was joined in the heart of the lineup by Kerry Carpenter, who needed just 433 at-bats to accumulate 26 home runs.

Spencer Torkelson was the team’s comeback player, as he rebounded from a miserable 2024 to rank second on the club in homers (31) and RBI (78). Dillon Dingler deserves mention, as he took hold of the No. 1 catcher role, was solid at the dish (.752 OPS) and ranked fourth among catchers with a +12 fielding run value, per Statcast. Finally, Zach McKinstry was an underrated contributor. He started games at six different positions, produced a career-best .771 OPS and led the team with 19 steals.

Things that went wrong

The Tigers’ second-half collapse will be remembered for a long time. After all, Detroit owned a 15.5-game division lead on July 8 and still had a 12.5-game advantage on Aug. 25. But then a miserable stretch, in which the Tigers went 1-11 from Sept. 11-24, including five losses to Cleveland, paved the way for the Guardians to win the AL Central. Detroit was rarely competitive during that 12-game span, outscored by 41 runs. And while the Tigers still made the playoffs and bounced back to defeat Cleveland in the wild-card round, they ultimately ran out of steam (and offense and pitching) against the Mariners in a 15-inning loss in Game 5 of the ALDS.

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There were a few letdowns on a pitching staff that would’ve been average at best if not for the impact of Skubal every five games. Jackson Jobe was one of baseball’s most hyped prospects at the outset of the season. Unfortunately, he logged mediocre ratios (4.22 ERA, 1.49 WHIP) across 10 starts before undergoing Tommy John surgery in June. He will likely miss all of next season. Chris Paddack was acquired at the trade deadline to eat innings at the back of the rotation; he let his new team down by posting a 6.32 ERA. Jack Flaherty deserves credit for making 31 starts, but he was disappointing as well, as his ERA rose by 1.47 from his 2024 mark.

Most Tigers met expectations offensively, with Trey Sweeney being the most obvious exception. His .548 OPS was the second-lowest mark of any player who recorded at least 300 plate appearances. And he didn’t make up for his offensive shortcomings in the field, as his defense at shortstop was no better than average. Of course, timing is everything, and many key Tigers slumped when the games mattered most in September. Although they were effective overall, Greene, Dingler, Colt Keith and Javier Baez all struggled at the plate down the stretch, and the team ranked 24th in baseball with a .672 OPS in September. That said, it’s worth noting that Baez rebounded with a strong postseason, batting 10-for-32 across eight games.

[Get more Detroit news: Tigers team feed]

Offseason outlook

Despite their disappointing second half to 2025, the Tigers are an ascending team that has finally finished a lengthy rebuild. Teams in that position typically have most of their key players under contract for the following year, and the Tigers are no exception.

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Dingler will be the team’s No. 1 catcher for several years, which is great news for Detroit pitchers. Torkelson and Colt Keith will return to hold down the corner infield spots, though Keith could slide from the hot corner to second base if the team needs a replacement for pending free agent Gleyber Torres. Detroit’s front office will need to decide if Sweeney is the answer at shortstop, and McKinstry will be ready to cover any position.

Beyond Greene in left field, there are plenty of decisions to be made among the outfield options. Javier Báez has two more years on a lucrative contract. He wasn’t terrific in 2025 but bounced back well enough from two miserable seasons to continue playing regularly between center field, shortstop and third base. Wenceel Pérez is another young player who had a productive season. He can play center or right and will try to show in spring training that he’s a lineup regular rather than a fourth outfielder. Matt Vierling and Parker Meadows are also in the mix; both were expected to log heavy workloads in 2025, but they instead suffered through ineffective, injury-impacted seasons.

The rotation is in good shape for 2026, though the organization might want to start looking farther down the road. Skubal will be supported by Flaherty and Casey Mize for one more year, but all three hurlers are pending free agents after next season, so some pivotal decisions are on the horizon. Convincing Skubal to sign his name on a long-term contract will be critical for an organization that is flush with young talent but lacks other superstars in their prime.

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Elsewhere in the rotation, Reese Olson’s regular season ended in late July due to a shoulder strain, but he should be ready for spring training and might be the team’s second-best starter. The final rotation spot will be hotly contested by a few young arms, including Sawyer Gipson-Long, Keider Montero and Troy Melton. José Urquidy could be in the mix as well, as the team holds a $4 million club option on the 30-year-old who is recovering from 2024 Tommy John surgery.

Vest will return to anchor the bullpen, but Finnegan and Tommy Kahnle are headed to free agency. Still, there are some key members under contract for 2026, including Tyler Holton, Brenan Hanifee, Chase Lee and Brant Hurter. As good as Vest has been, acquiring an experienced closer should be an offseason consideration for Detroit.

Prospects on the horizon

Kevin McGonigle has shot up prospect rankings to the point that he has a case to be considered the No. 1 prospect in baseball. The 21-year-old has an absurd hit tool, which allowed him to log a .408 OBP and a .991 OPS while shooting through three minor-league levels this year. McGonigle finished the campaign in Double-A but could jump straight to the majors or spend a brief period in Triple-A next year. A natural shortstop, he could replace Sweeney or slide over to fill the vacancy at second base.

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The organization has three other elite prospects who will debut late in 2026 or in ‘27. The closest one might be outfielder Max Clark, who was the third overall pick of the 2023 MLB Draft and is currently McGonigle’s teammate in Double-A. Clark has plus speed, improving power and an incredible ability to control the strike zone. Josue Briceño is also at Double-A, though he has yet to dominate that level to the same degree as McGonigle and Clark. Briceño can play catcher or first base, which opens possibilities for him to join the roster late next season. The final name to remember is Bryce Rainer, who was the team’s first-round pick in 2024 and is at least a year behind the others.

Melton, mentioned above, is the team’s best pitching prospect. In fact, he is the only Tigers prospect who projects to make a real impact on the 2026 rotation or bullpen. Melton could open 2026 in a swingman role before becoming a full-time starter. He will be especially valuable if the team needs to replace multiple starters going into 2027.

Goals for 2026

Although Tigers fans were undoubtedly frustrated by the team’s decline in the second half and exit in the ALDS, this is a team that should be a contender for several years. The next step for president of baseball operations Scott Harris and general manager Jeff Greenberg is to determine the best way to put the finishing touches on this roster to make the Tigers favorites in October series against the best teams in the American League.

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Given the volume of elite hitting prospects on the way, finding short-term solutions to vacant positions is likely a good goal. Of course, elite players aren’t always going to take short-term contracts, but the club found a good fit this year with Torres. As for major moves, those would be best made with pitchers, given that the organization has little help on the horizon on that front. Adding an elite starter to pair with Skubal would take the rotation from solid to great, and a similar impact could be made by adding an elite closer to the bullpen.

The Tigers’ late-season collapse not only led to frustration within the organization and fan base but also created a sense of urgency to add to the roster this offseason. The front office was mostly quiet at the July trade deadline, which was arguably one of the prime reasons the team fell short of expectations. Despite the looming arrival of some talented prospects, Tigers fans will hope that some impact veterans are added over the winter, especially with Skubal’s free agency looming in a year.

Fantasy focus

Skubal will be the first pitcher off the board in nearly every 2026 draft. Depending on the scoring system, he could be a top-five pick in some leagues. There will be a bit of a wait before a second Detroit player is selected, which will happen when Greene has his name called in the range of Round 4-5.

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There are a handful of Tigers who will be coveted middle-round picks, including Torkelson, Carpenter, Flaherty and whoever is expected to open the season as the team’s closer. McGonigle could skyrocket up draft boards if he has a strong spring, and it wouldn’t be surprising to see him selected among the top 100 picks in some leagues.

Olson, Mize and Keith will be selected in the second half of drafts, as will Torres, whether he returns to the Tigers or departs for another team.

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