This post is dedicated to the Detroit Tigers 2024 season. Going into this year I wasn’t fully sure what to expect of the Tigers this year. The team had some promising young players that showed signs of serious potential at the end of the 2023 season, however the reality was they were still a team that finished below .500 and missed the playoffs. There weren’t any big moves in the offseason, no big free agents, no big trades, only a handful of signings that were made to provide some depth in areas Detroit was lacking in 2023. The Detroit Tigers 2024 season was set up to be defined by how much growth the Tigers young core would have and if they could finally find a way to put together some wins.
Some of the things that were top of mind for me were: Could Skubal stay healthy? We know he’s good but he had yet to produce a full season without injury. Would Tork finally make consistent contact and finally become that power hitter that was at the heart of the lineup every game? Could Riley Greene and Kerry Carpenter also stay healthy and produce a full season of good baseball? Both had shown real promise, but akin to Skubal, neither had put together that full season of healthy, performant baseball. Will Javy ever learn to not swing at the low and outside curveball that led to league leading K %? Can the young rookie Colt Keith contribute and buck the recent trend of slow starts for Tigers rookie hitters? And finally, would the Tigers be competitive? I wasn’t expecting the Tigers to win the World Series this year, but I really wanted to know if this would be a team that after the season was over I could look back on and think “that was a good season of baseball and I’m glad I followed along for the whole year”. Well it’s November 2024 and I have answers to my questions, for better or for worse.
Setting the Stage
First, let’s do a quick profile of the team as it was on Opening Day, along with some names that would join later on. The team was led by manager A.J. Hinch and a front office headed by Scott Harris. The rotation was solid. The Tigers had Skubal, who, if healthy, could be one of the best pitchers in baseball; Jack Flaherty, who had previously shown he was an above-average starting pitcher but had struggled in recent years with injuries; and Kenta Maeda, an MLB veteran who was the Tigers' biggest offseason signing in terms of salary and profiled as an average starter. Reese “Baby Face” Olson, one of the young Tigers who had pitched well in 2023, was also part of the rotation, though the Tigers often struggled to score runs when he was on the mound. Rounding out the rotation was Casey Mize, a former first-round pick whose career had been hampered by injuries and who was coming off a less than ideal arbitration process in the offseason. On paper, the rotation probably looked average around the league, but thanks to fan bias, I believed it could be above average, with a healthy Skubal leading as the ace.
In the field, the Tigers were led by outfielders Riley Greene, Parker Meadows, Matt Vierling, Kerry Carpenter, Mark Canha, and eventual call up Wenceel Perez. Greene was an all around player who looked like an All-Star caliber player toward the second half of the 2023 season. Parker, the lanky center fielder, had elite speed and size, enhancing his defensive playmaking abilities. Vierling, one of the more veteran players relative to the Tigers' young roster, could play multiple positions and was a reliable bat. Carpenter was every right-handed pitcher’s nightmare, lefties not so much. Canha, one of the other notable offseason signings, was an experienced MLBer signed to provide some stability in the middle of the lineup. And finally, there was Wenceel Perez, who didn’t start the season on the Opening Day roster but joined early on as a switch hitter and would become one of my favorite players of the 2024 season.
The infield consisted of Jake Rogers, Spencer Torkelson, Colt Keith, Andy Ibáñez, Javier Báez, Zach McKinstry, Trey Sweeney, Gio Urshela, and Jace Jung, with an honorable mention of Justin Henry-Malloy as DH. Rogers was the go-to catcher—not necessarily a great hitter, but he could call a game and had a killer mustache to boot. Torkelson was the first baseman of the future (?), coming off a 31-home-run season. Keith, the rookie, had dominated in the minors and inked a deal indicating the Tigers considered him a cornerstone for the future. Ibáñez, a utility player, could mash against lefties. Javy, a.k.a. El Mago, was the shortstop who could wow on defense but also leave you scratching your head, especially at the plate. McKinstry, a Central Michigan Chippewa, was also a utility player. Trey Sweeney, who eventually took over shortstop, helped kickstart our hot streak. Urshela, an offseason signing, was brought in to fill the hole at third base. Jung, another promising rookie, wouldn’t join the team until later in the season but was part of some memorable games. And finally, Malloy (JHM), the last rookie mentioned, played DH and showed real power. Now let’s bring up the rear, the Detroit Tigers' bullpen. For those who followed the Tigers all season, there’s great appreciation for these guys, especially as the season wore on and they were called upon day after day. The bullpen featured Jason Foley, Tyler Holton, Keider Montero, Will Vest, Beau Brieske, Shelby Miller, Andrew Chafin, Alex Faedo, and Joey Wentz. Several others contributed, but these were the main guys. Foley was the go-to closer, one of the most experienced bullpen arms, trusted to secure wins in tight games. Holton, one of the best stories in baseball, was once left for the vultures but found a home in Detroit and proceeded to dominate opposing batters. Montero, originally thought of as a bullpen guy, ended up becoming a bona fide starter. Vest, a returning Tiger, could be counted on to get a few outs when needed. Brieske, another returning Tiger, could throw some heat. Miller, an MLB journeyman, provided depth. Chafin, a fan favorite, had a mustache rivaling Rogers' for sheer wow factor. And finally, Faedo and Wentz, both returning Tigers, were there to provide depth as well.
The Season Begins
The season kicked off on a crispy spring day in Chicago at the White Sox. One perk of living in the Windy City is that even though you don’t live in Detroit, you can still guarantee the Tigers will play in Chicago multiple times a year. This game had all the hype factors you could ask for: Skubal on the mound, division rival, young potential ready to make a difference, arguably the biggest attention draw my friend Christian having to attempt the 9-9-9 challenge (9 hot dogs - 9 beers - in 9 innings) thanks to coming in last place from the previous year’s fantasy football season, and lastly sending off our dear friend Horn to Colorado. If you remember that game, Skubal went out and started the season with a quality start, but the offense for both teams were seriously lacking. I don’t think anyone could quite fathom what the White Sox season would have in store for southside fans but we can save their storybook season for later. The Tigers got the win 1-0, but unfortunately I left the game with more questions than answers, primarily on if the Tigers could find a way to consistently produce runs this season? For those curious, Christian gave a solid effort but failed at the 9-9-9 challenge, probably due in part to the game not even lasting 2 hours.
Fast forward through the first 30 games and the Tigers had a modest 17-13 record. The initial takeaways at this early point in the season consisted of mixed positives and negatives. Skubal looked like a legit Cy Young contender. He was displaying great command, an arsenal of pitches, pitch speed breaking into the 100s, and just straight up making batters look silly. The rest of the rotation was looking solid other than Kenta Maeda who struggled with his first few outings. Flaherty was flashing his previous form of a real ace, with a strikeout ability that could potentially produce a nice return at the trade deadline thanks to his team friendly deal. Reese Olson was also pitching at a high level, sadly for him though the offense was damn near producing negative runs every time he took the mound leading to a win-loss record not necessarily reflective of his performance on the mound. Speaking off the offense, shout out Katy Perry’s 2008 hit Hot n Cold because whew, the team was either loading the stat sheet or putting up straight stinkers. Tork was starting off the year extremely disappointing, failing to muster a single home run. Parker was flirting with going back to triple A, Keith was displaying rookie struggles, and Javy was striking out in ways I didn’t know was possible. I will give Riley Greene a shoutout though because he was one of the few bright spots not only on offense but defense as well, looking like a potential all star.
Midseason and the All-Star Break
Moving on to the midpoint of the season, it’s July and officially the All Star Break! The Tigers limped into the mid-season break with a 47-50 record, battling what appears to be the best division in baseball in the AL Central (excluding the White Sox). The Tigers did end the first half on a high note with a series win against the Dodgers, including a ridiculous 5 run comeback in the bottom of the 9th inning to force an eventual extra innings win in the 10th. At this point Skubal looked like the AL Cy Young favorite and deservedly so (yes he got snubbed the AL all star starter). Tork and Parker had been sent to Triple A to figure things out. Flaherty was continuing his success and getting calls from high performing teams, looking like a prime trade candidate for any potential contenders. The offseason signings were all underwhelming, including Maeda whom at this point had been moved to the bullpen. There were a handful of injuries that certainly hampered the Tigers but on the bright side this led to the emergence of Wenceel Perez! The Tigers switch hitter had been called up and was performing at an above average level, while flashing some plays on defense. Keith was starting to show progress that indicated he could live up to the preseason hype. And to round out the break Riley Greene had done the thing and was indeed an all star. At this point in the season it was hard to determine if this was meeting or below expectations. The Tigers certainly weren’t expected to be dominating the division by any means but it also felt like the inconsistent play and disappointment by some of the young core made it hard to be hopeful for the second half.
While already a little over halfway through the season the Tigers were arguably not the most exciting team to tune into day in and day out, I would feel remiss if I didn’t acknowledge Dan Dickerson and Jason Benetti. In terms of finding someone to call a game whether you were listening to the TV broadcast or radio call, I’m not sure you could find two guys better for the job. Most folks familiar with the Detroit sports radio scene are already well antiquated with the legend Dan Dickerson. Someone who was extremely passionate about calling a game for the Tigers and could describe a game in ways you would almost feel like you were watching the game live. Dan is such a legend of the game, the Tigers even honored him with a bobblehead night to celebrate his 25th anniversary on the horn this season. One of the other cool things about this season is Dan actually partnered with the aforementioned Jason Benetti to create a podcast about the Tigers called “Have a Seat” to provide fans a more intimate look into the team’s organization. Benetti, who was already well familiar with the Tigers thanks to him calling games for the division rival Chicago White Sox, joined the broadcast crew prior to the season, much to the dismay of Sox fans. And let me tell you, what a treat for Tigers fans as Benetti was great to have in the booth. If you’re not familiar with Benetti, he calls multiple sports with baseball being his primary. He does a good job of calling the game and providing insight into what’s happening, while simultaneously using a bit of quirky humor to keep you entertained. Special thanks to Dan and Jason, as while not every game went the Tigers way, they did a great job of keeping you paying attention and enjoying the game.
Also special shoutout to the White Sox for having solid food. Here's a Chicago dog from when the Tigers visited the White Sox in the second half of the season.
We entered the second half of the season following the all star break and the trade deadline was around the corner. The Tigers were expected to be sellers and indeed they were just that. Flaherty went to the Dodgers in exchange for prospects Trey Sweeney and Thayron Liranzo. Mark Canha to the Giants, backup catcher Carson Kelly and Andrew Chafin to the Rangers all in exchange for prospects. The second half of July and beginning of August was pretty meh, the Tigers were sitting 5 games below .500 at 59-63 entering a series with the Yankees. Most fans, me included, were thinking something along the lines of “ok, let’s end the season on a high note, we probably won’t make the playoffs but if the young guys can continue to show progress that’ll be a win”...
The Gritty Tigers Emerge!
ENTER THE GRITTY TIGERS! In perfect theme with the mantra the Detroit Lions had latched onto during their rebuild over the last few years and eventual run into the playoffs last year, the Tigers adopted the same mentality and began to personify grit. To quote Dan Campbell: “Grit man, that is our core foundation”, the Tigers decided the season was indeed not over. The game that comes to mind to me that helped spark the hot streak was the Little League Classic played in Omaha against the Yankees. The game itself was low scoring with not a lot of action till the end of the game when the Yankees took a 1-0 lead and the ESPN crew essentially chalked the game up as over with Clay Holmes entering the game in the 9th to try and save the win. Rookie Jace Jung had other ideas and with two outs hit the RBI single to tie the game up in the bottom of the 9th sending the game to extra innings. We entered the 10th and the Yankees got a run in to take the lead 2-1. The Tigers once again facing a deficit had Zach McKinstry step up to the plate and notched a hit to tie it up 2-2. Recently recalled Parker Meadows sealed the deal with a hit to send McKinstry diving into home, winning the game 3-2. As Big Papi once said: “The Jankees lose!” Funniest part about the whole game was when they cut back to ESPN headquarters, who clearly were not prepared for a Tigers win as they flashed Skubal highlights who had not even pitched in this game. This win would ultimately kick start a run of baseball Tigers fans had not seen in over a decade.
With over 10 games back from the playoffs following the Yankees series win, the Tigers faced an uphill battle. What would go on to proceed the baseball played in the latter half of August and the month of September can only be described as magical. The Tigers rattled off win after win in ways I still can’t believe. Miraculous catch to win the game here, clutch hit with two outs there, play after play, win after win, eventually leading to the Tigers clawing their way into a position to secure a wild card spot entering the final series of the year against the White Sox. The Tigers essentially needed one win in a best of three series at home to clinch a wild card spot into the playoffs that would mean playoff baseball for the Tigers for the first time in a decade. I alluded to this at the beginning of this piece, but the White Sox happened to be having a storybook season as well. The only problem with the story for the White Sox is it was a horror story and not a feel good, warm and fuzzy story. The White Sox were having the worst season of all time and a loss to the Tigers meant securing the worst record ever by a major league team. Talk about opposite sides of the spectrum. The Tigers would go on to win the first game in the series 4-1, sending the White Sox to MLB infamy as the worst all time, featuring one of their patented bullpen games, which at this point had become a staple as part of the rotation.
The Tigers clinched their first October baseball game since 2014 and had successfully breathed life into a fanbase and franchise that had been yearning for success for far too long. It’s a little difficult to put into words to fully describe what this meant as a fan, but it really was something special. To go a decade without reaching the playoffs is frankly quite absurd to think about. The last time I saw the Tigers in the playoffs I was starting college and since that point, friends had gotten married, people moved cities, friends had kids, and a list of other life events had transpired. The feeling of cherishment could only be short lived though, as much fun as it was to actually make the playoffs there was still work to be done. The Tigers were the hottest team in baseball with good enough pitching to seriously prompt the question “why not us?”. The odds may not be in the Tigers favor, but if the last few months had proven anything, it was that truly anything can happen.
Playoff Run
The Tigers drew a best of three wild card matchup against the Houston Astros. It was the matchup with plenty of storylines: AJ Hinch going against his former team, the Astros riding a postseason streak of seven straight ALCS appearances, Verlander once the Tigers poster player was now in the opposing dugout. There was plenty to make this series tantalizing for any baseball fan. Well lucky for the Tigers they had a star ace and expected AL Cy Young winner, Tarik Skubal on the mound for game one. The Tigers exploded for 3 runs in the second inning and never looked back, thanks in part to 6 scoreless innings by Skubal to eventually secure the win 3-1. Note, this game wasn’t without some serious sweating as the Tigers did think about blowing the game in the 9th with bases loaded, but thankfully a reinvigorated Spencer Torkelson who had returned from Triple A duty caught a laser to log the final out. The Tigers opted to go bullpen game for game two and thanks to a Hinch masterclass won the game 5-2. The win included a Meadows home run, a brief deficit, and then an Ibanez double with bases loaded to get the job done. The Tigers had once again done something they hadn’t done in over a decade and won a playoff series.
Next up for the AL Divisional Series was a best of five matchup with division rival and AL Central champion, the Cleveland Guardians. Cleveland was having a great year led by José Rameriz, Josh Naylor, Andrés Giménez, Steven Kwan, and arguably the best bullpen in baseball featuring Emmanuel Clase. The Tigers headed into the first game with Cleveland led by young star Tyler Holton who up until this point in the season was pitching at the highest of calibers and rarely surrendering any runs. Well unfortunately everyone has an off day and that day for Holton just so happened to be game one of the series. Cleveland exploded out the gate with a 5-0 first inning and that was pretty much it, Guardians took the first game with a 7-0 win. Thankfully for game two, the Tigers once again had Tarik Skubal. Skubal put on an elite pitching display like he had time after time all season, going 7 innings, allowing only 3 hits, recording 8 strikeouts, and refusing to give up any runs. Unfortunately for the Tigers, Cleveland had no plans to give up any runs either thanks to the help of Tigers legend Matthew Boyd. The game entered the bottom of the 9th inning tied 0-0, with Clase pitching for Cleveland and no signs of that changing, extra innings feeling inevitable. It should be noted Emmanual Clase had only barely given up a run all season and had Skubal not been having the season he was having could possibly be in the conversation for AL Cy Young even as a closer. Except Cleveland forgot one thing, the Tigers were GRITTY! Jake Rogers stepped up to the plate, no one on and two outs already. Rogers somehow makes contact and reaches first base with a single, Clase was indeed mortal. Next up was Trey Sweeney, the prospect the Tigers had acquired in the Flaherty trade with the Dodgers. Sweeney makes contact, sending Rogers to third and reaching first base. Now if you’ve never heard of Kerry Carpenter then that’s unfortunate for you. Reddit user cogginsmatt accurately describes him as “imagine if Barry Bonds was a church kid who could only hit righties”. Barry Bonds indeed, as Kerry Carpenter cemented himself into Tigers lore by launching a Clase pitch deep for a walk off home run to win the game 3-0! The Tigers had tied the series and we’re going back to Detroit for a pivotal game three matchup.
Playoff baseball in the Motor City. There’s a nice ring to that when you say it out loud. The Tigers were once again hosting a playoff baseball game and looking to take a 2-1 series lead in the hopes of winning another playoff series. You could tell the city was abuzz with energy, videos on Twitter were going around of Comerica packed to the brim, almost as if electricity was in the air. Game three didn’t quite have the same rollercoaster of emotions as the prior, thanks to a game winning RBI in the first by Riley Greene as the Tigers would go on to shut out the Guardians in another 3-0 win securing a 2-1 series lead. A win away from advancing to the ALCS! With the Tigers on the verge of the ALCS, I knew that I had to make the trip to the game as I was already in Michigan and it had been far too long since I had been to Comerica. I called up my buddies Justice and Ruby who needed little convincing to go to game four and tickets were procured for right field. Now I’ve been fortunate throughout my life to attend some exhilarating sporting events with amazing atmospheres. Game four of the ALDS in Detroit was a top 5 environment for me personally. The city was rocking, streets were packed, and Comerica was filled with a record attendance of 44,885 people. I’ll spare all the details as ultimately the Tigers ended up losing this game 5-4. That being said, this was a game that won’t soon be forgotten as it had everything you could ask for in terms of every pitch felt like it was the most important pitch in the world until the next, a back and forth tug of war with clutch hit after clutch hit shifting the momentum. Sadly Cleveland just happened to have a little bit more in them and David Fry ended up being the player responsible for leveling the series 2-2.
We move on to game five, winners take all to try and continue the quest for a World Series. The Guardians had the momentum coming from David Fry’s heroics in game four, but once again the Tigers had the luxury of calling on the best pitcher in baseball Tarik Skubal. Alas, all good things must come to an end. A grand slam for Cleveland in the bottom of the fifth inning put the Guardians ahead 5-1 and that all but sealed the Tigers fate. The Tigers would attempt to mount a comeback at various points but they were unable to ever really get much going, ultimately succumbing to Cleveland 7-3 and having their season end.
Final Thoughts
Now the Tigers season didn’t quite end in the fairy tale ending of a World Series but what a season it was. I said in the beginning I wasn’t quite sure what to expect this season and was hoping that the Tigers would show just enough to instill belief for the future. Well the Detroit Tigers did just that. Not only did the Tigers shatter expectations and accomplish something they hadn’t done in over a decade, but they did so in a way that provides inspiration for more to come. The Tigers will effectively bring back the vast majority of their team for 2025, including future 2024 Cy Young winner Tarik Skubal. Top pitching prospect Jackson Jobe is expected to join the mix. So many of the young bats showed promise, that if said promise continues to compound will produce a lineup that can consistently score runs. If the team can add some more talent in the offseason and continue to build on the momentum from this 2024 season, then I can’t wait to see what can be accomplished in 2025. Bless you boys and here we go Tigers. Thank you for a helluva season.