Just days after top prospect Riley Greene’s fractured foot forced him out of the Opening Day lineup for the Detroit Tigers, GM Al Avila made a stunning late-night trade to bring another left-handed bat into the lineup in 2019 All-Star Austin Meadows. It was stunning because most insiders believed that with Greene only out until around June, the Tigers would try to fill the spot internally, with Willi Castro and Victor Reyes, with reports about the Tigers looking to trade surfacing only a few hours ahead of the deal. It was stunning because the Tigers sent one-time top prospect Isaac Paredes out the door in exchange for Meadows. But most of all, it was stunning because it was the type of deal that fans have not come to expect from the GM in his time in Detroit, but it proves that the talk about contending this year is not just lip service.
While fans are fretting about where Meadows will fit into Detroit’s already improved lineup, they should remember that manager AJ Hinch isn’t one to fall in love with ONE lineup and this gives him another fantastic tool in his tool box. Meadows hit .234/.315/.458 last year with a career high 106 RBI, good for seventh in the AL, 22 more than Jonathan Schoop’s team lead. Meadows was also clutch, driving in 19 game winning and 29 go ahead runs. His 29 doubles last year tied a career high and would have put him third on the Tigers behind Jeimer Cadelario and Schoop and his 117 adjusted OPS would have been second, again behind Candy. However you feel about Victor Reyes, he’s not going to put up those kinds of numbers even if he got 500 plate appearances. Meadows will step right into the lineup and do damage.
Here's what I'm hearing on Riley Greene, now that Austin Meadows has joined the outfield mix:
When Greene is healthy, he will be the #Tigers' starting center fielder.
After the shock wore off, fans found themselves wondering what this meant for the Tigers outfield once Greene returns from injury. Tigers Freep beat writer Evan Petzold put worries to rest pretty quickly, sharing the news that he’d heard: the plan is to put Greene in center field once he’s back. This unleashed a new wave of concerns about…too many good outfielders. We are 3 years removed from Christin Stewart and Mikie Mahtook being in the Opening Day lineup and now we’re worried about too many good outfielders. At any rate, it’s actually a wonderful situation for the team. Akil Baddoo, Riley Greene, Robbie Grossman and Meadows as your 4-man outfield is better than any other combination previously available. This scenario allows Hinch to move batters up and down the lineup when the situation calls for it (something he loves to do), keep Baddoo and Greene’s ABs wherever he thinks they need to be, and probably give Miggy some days off from the DH spot. Even if Baddoo and Greene prove to be every day players themselves, a sometimes platoon of Meadows and Grossman could be very effective. Meadows struggled against LHP last year, but put together a 137 wRC+ against RHP. Grossman’s 135 wRC+ against LHP almost matches that. Again, Hinch has options, and high performing ones at that.
With Opening Day just a few days away, Avila’s offseason additions really stack up well. Javy Baez and Meadows bring two big WAR improvements from last year. Tucker Barnhart’s work with the pitching staff has been among the biggest talking points of the Spring. E-Rod and Michael Pineda should prove to be excellent anchors to a talented, but young rotation. Of course, the proof is in the pudding and nobody has thrown a pitch or had an at bat in a regular season game just yet, but Avila has given Hinch the tools he needed, wanted, to take this team back to the playoffs and this latest move might be the one that puts them there.
The Tigers have high hopes to compete for a playoff spot in 2022 and while the defense and lineup look to be improved, it’s the growth of the pitching staff that will determine if they’re still playing once the regular season wraps up. Two free agent additions will add a much-needed veteran presence to a youthful rotation, but the development of Casey Mize, Tarik Skubal and Matt Manning will determine how far this team goes.
The Rotation
Eduardo Rodriguez
2021 stats: 31 GS 13-8 record 4.74 ERA 9.4 K/9 1.8 WAR 2022 projected stats*: 29 GS 12-9 record 3.47 ERA 9.6 K/9 3.3 WAR
The biggest splash the Tigers made in the pitching free agent market has already been given the nod as the Opening Day starter. Rodriguez will be expected to be a steadying influence on the Tigers young core of starters while they have what is undoubtedly their most important year of development. E-Rod knows a thing or two about perseverating through adversity, but don’t forget he’s also flirted with a 20-win season. If he gets back to the right side of 3.00 with K/BB ratio, he’ll find himself right back on top.
Casey Mize
2021 stats: 30 GS 7-9 record 3.71 ERA 7.1 K/93.3 WAR 2022 projected stats*: 30 GS 8-8 record 4.20 ERA 7.4 K/9 1.9 WAR
You could almost write the same blurb for Mize and Skubal and not sound too bad. This is the biggest year in Mize’s development and will go a long way in determining if he’s going to be their future #1 or if the club will have to dip back into free agency again to find an ace. Mize has shown the ability to pitch incredibly efficiently at times, but he’s also had incredibly frustrating spurts where he seemed to have totally lost his command. It isn’t so much that he walks a ton of guys, but it puts him in a spot where he throws way too many pitches, resulting in him not getting deep into games. A #1 gets you deep into almost every start. Is Mize that guy?
Tarik Skubal
2021 stats: 29 GS 8-12 record 4.34 ERA 9.8 K/9 1.7 WAR 2022 projected stats*: 29 GS 10-10 record 4.25 ERA 9.7 K/9 1.8 WAR
What’s the best pitch in baseball? A first pitch strike. No Tigers’ starter provides better evidence of that than Skubal. When ahead in the count in 2021, opponents hit .168; when behind in the count, that jumped up to .283. As A.J. Hinch said, “When he falls behind, he gets hit. When he doesn’t, he doesn’t.” In that regard, he’s not too dissimilar than Matthew Boyd. However, he’s only 25 and if he could push that K/9 north of 10, where it was for his entire minor league career, he becomes an incredible #2. But again, this year will go a long way in determining that.
Michael Pineda
2021 stats: 21 GS 9-8 record 3.62 ERA 7.24 K/9 1.4 WAR 2022 projected stats*: 28 GS 9-10 record 4.57 ERA 7.16 K/9 1.5 WAR
Brought in on a one-year, $5.5 M deal, Pineda should slot in as the Tigers’ #4 and really solidify the rotation. His signing gives them another veteran presence, allows Manning to bump to the 5 slot-where he’ll be able to be skipped occasionally, helping preserve his arm-and puts the versatile and valuable Tyler Alexander into the pen. The signing is an Avila special in that it is low-risk, high-reward and, if he has a great first half and the team isn’t in contention, he can look to move him. If that’s the case, it’ll give someone like Beau Brieske a dozen or so starts in the minors to see if he’s ready for the show.
Matt Manning
2021 stats: 18 GS 4-7 record 5.80 ERA 6.0 K/9 -0.4 WAR 2022 projected stats*: 26 GS 7-8 record 4.59 ERA 7.0 K/9 1.1 WAR
Manning just turned 24 and last year’s experience in Detroit might turn out to have been the tipping point in his career. He was having incredible success at AAA before a rash of injuries to the MLB staff gave him an extended shot. He was inconsistent not only with his performance, but seemingly with his confidence. Whatever the case, he rarely ever resembled the high K-rate guy he’d always been in the minors, sporting an average FB velo of only 93.4 MPH. If he walks into the season with some extra confidence knowing he has what it takes to survive the MLB, he could surprise the league and win a dozen games in 2022.
Wily Peralta
2021 stats: 18 GS 4-5 record 3.07 ERA 5.57 K/9 0.7 WAR 2022 projected stats*: 5-6 record 4.97 ERA 6.53 K/9 0.6 WAR
The Tigers brought Peralta back on a minor league deal, but given the great work he did in 2021 (allowing only more than 2 ER once after August), it’s reasonable to assume he’ll be one of the first calls if the team has any early season issues with the rotation.
Bullpen
Tyler Alexander
2021 stats: 15 GS 2-4 record 3.81 ERA 8.2 K/9 1.9 WAR 2022 projected stats*: 15 GS 6-7 record 4.86 ERA 7.0 K/9 0.5 WAR
With the signing of Pineda, Alexander will move to the pen. Pineda may not be ready for the first week or two of the season, so Alexander might fill in until then and he could also spot start at any point. Whatever his role, you couldn’t really ask for more consistency than what he can provide. He allowed more than 3 earned runs only twice last season, doesn’t put a lot of guys on for free and is usually good for 5+ innings.
Alex Lange
2021 stats: 36 appearances 1-3 record 4.04 ERA 9.84 K/9 0.1 WAR 2022 projected stats*: 54 appearances 3-4 record 4.66 ERA 8.54 K/9 0.0 WAR
The return on the Nick Castellanos deal, Lange made his MLB debut and put together two stretches of 6 or more appearances without giving up a run and opponents only hit .194 against the former LSU star for the season. If he can capture the magic of the second half of 2021, which saw an increase in velocity and a notable decrease in walks (0 walks in his last 10 appearances), Lange will be a key middle-relief guy, getting the ball from the starts to Fulmer and Soto.
Joe Jimenez
2021 stats: 52 appearances 6-1 record 1 save 5.96 ERA 11.32 K/9 -0.2 WAR 2022 projected stats*: 46 appearances 3-3 record 4.53 ERA 10.42 K/9 0.0 WAR
Once one of the team’s top prospects, Jimenez has spent 5 season “adjusting” and of all the names on the list here, his grip on a spot is the most tenuous. Despite his great “stuff”, Jimenez still walks way too many batters to be an effective reliever and does his worst work with runners in scoring position. The days of seeing him as the “closer of the future” are done and now he’s battling to be the guy who comes in when the team is down 6 after 2.
Kyle Funkhouser
2021 stats: 57 appearances 7-4 record 3.42 ERA 8.30 K/9 0.3 WAR 2022 projected stats*: 62 appearances 5-1 record 4.72 ERA 8.52 K/9 -0.1 WAR
A lat issue will keep Funkhouser from being ready for Opening Day, but make no mistake about it, he’s one of the most valuable pieces of the pen and integral to any success the Tigers hope to have in 2022. Half of his 26 earned runs were the result of 3 rough outings and he had a stretch in August that had fans remembering why he was once so highly touted. Funk seems to work best coming in to start an inning (he allowed only one earned run with the bases empty), so he is the perfect candidate to give the team an inning, occasionally two, when it’s clear the starter is gassed and isn’t coming back out.
Andrew Chafin
2021 stats: 71 appearances 2-4 record 5 saves 1.83 ERA 8.39 K/9 1.4 WAR 2022 projected stats*: 66 appearances 3-3 record 3.89 ERA 8.76 K/9 0.7 WAR
Chafin is coming off a career year in 2021, splitting it between the Cubs and A’s. Lefties couldn’t hit him (.176) and righties couldn’t hit him either (.196). He did his best work in medium leverage situations, which is probably exactly where the Tigers envision him doing his work for them. He’s also going to be a hit both with the staff and the town. A great signing for the team just ahead of the start of Spring Training.
Jose Cisnero
2021 stats: 67 appearances 4-4 record 4 saves 3.65 ERA 9.05 K/9 0.6 WAR 2022 projected stats*: 60 appearances 3-4 record 4.21 ERA 9.24 K/9 0.2 WAR
Cisnero should team with Chafin on getting the ball to Fulmer and Soto and, like Chafin, he does his best work in medium-leverage situations (.174 average against, 11 ER in 31.1 IP). Cisnero, like Chafin, is the perfect piece to start the 7th inning when the team is holding a lead and either that starter or middle man has put the team on the track for a win. He had a rough last week of 2021, but he also had a stretch of 20 innings over 13 appearances where he didn’t allow a run.
Michael Fulmer
2021 stats: 52 appearances 5-6 record 14 saves 2.97 ERA 9.43 K/9 1.6 WAR 2022 projected stats*: 64 appearances 4-4 record 6 saves 4.06 ERA 8.74 K/9 0.6 WAR
Fulmer’s move to the bullpen proved to be a career-saver for the one-time starting prospect. It took him some time to really find his groove, but in the second half, opponents hit .255 against him and he had a 1.52 ERA. More interestingly, opponents only hit .203 against him in high-leverage situations, which he’ll certainly see more of this year.
Gregory Soto
2021 stats: 62 appearances 6-3 record 18 saves 3.39 ERA 10.74 K/9 0.5 WAR 2022 projected stats*: 68 appearances 4-4 record 22 saves 3.90 ERA 10.88 K/9 0.7 WAR
A.J. Hinch has already named Soto as his closer, and in Hinch’s world, that means Soto will see the highest amount of high-leverage situations. Last year, opponents hit just .189 against him in those types of situations. Even as his ERA climbed as the season went on (much of that was the typical closer-pitching-in-non-closer situations), hitters still struggled to make solid contact against him often. He’ll remain one of the key pieces to the Tigers’ success in 2022 and any playoff hopes will obviously rest on how he, and the rest of the pen, do holding down leads.
Note: Joey Wentz and Alex Faedo, a pair of one-time top prospects recovering from Tommy John surgeries, might also see some time in the pen in 2022.
While the future is certainly bright in Detroit, Mize and Skubal need another year under pressure before becoming the top tier starters they are destined to be. A big jump by Manning could do wonders for both him and the team, however.
The 2022 Detroit Tigers’ season is a season of hope. With only one winning record in the last 7 seasons and no playoff appearances since 2014, the city of Detroit is starving for success with any of their teams. It’s been a long, dark journey, full of rebuilds and disappointment. The Tigers should help reverse some of these misfortunes, and are set up to compete for the playoffs and higher aspirations for the next decade. With how the second half of the season unfolded, they are gaining more and more momentum with each passing day, especially with it looking like talented young guns Spencer Torkelson and Riley Greene will be in the opening day lineup. Not since 2014 have I been this optimistic, and I’m looking forward to getting my heart ripped out and stomped on this coming September.
The Starting Lineup
Akil Baddoo L/L
2021 stats: .259/.330/.766 13 HR 55 RBI 2.1 WAR 2022 projected stats*: .264/.335/.786 15 HR 60 RBI 2.3 WAR
Nobody expected this Rule 5 draft pick to make any noise in 2021, but he shot out of the cannon at the beginning of the year. He slumped for a good 2 months in the dog days of summer, and then brought his average back to above .250. Now for 2022, has he spent the offseason focused on left-handed pitching, his one boon? A lefty with the ability to run and play all 3 OF spots is a blessing to have, now Akil just needs to prove he can be an every day player. He’ll be a key piece in any Tigers’ playoff run for the foreseeable future.
Robbie Grossman L/S
2021 stats: .239/.357/.772 23 HR 67 RBI 2.9 WAR 2022 projected stats*: .243/.334/.757 17 HR 56 RBI 2.1 WAR
Robbie joined the Tigers to bring a veteran presence as well as having the ability to leadoff and get on base. He’s a steady player, who will continue to guide the youngsters in the outfield as well as the clubhouse. He won’t win a batting title anytime soon, but he’s one of the most important players in this transition period from rebuild to playoff contender.
Javier Baez R/R
2021 stats: .265/.319/.813 31 HR 87 RBI 3.6 WAR 2022 projected stats*: .261/.304/.772 26 HR 80 RBI 3.2 WAR
Javy is an enigma and one of the most polarizing players in the league. He’ll swing at anything, but he has great pop in his bat and he is an exciting player to watch. I was hoping for Correa, but the deal that we got Baez at is a steal compared to what Correa is asking for. With the young guns coming into the fray, what seemed to separate the Tigers from a playoff team was a star in the middle of the lineup, and Javy has the potential to be just that for the team. Prepare for the most bone-headed plays you’ll see all year, but for every bad play, he’ll give you an eye opening play. Stay patient, fans. He has the second most playoff experience on this squad and was on a member of the 2016 Cubs World Series team.
Jeimer Candelario R/S
2021 stats: .271/.351/.795 16 HR 67 RBI 3.8 WAR 2022 projected stats: .253/.334/.764 18 HR 64 RBI 3.2 WAR
Jeimer might be the most important batter on the Tigers for 2022. He quietly tied for the league lead in doubles in 2021, and he’s primed to have an even better 2022, surrounded by more talent. Think of Victor Martinez when Prime Miguel and Prince was around. 42 doubles as a switch hitter is no joke, and he’s still only 28. Look for big things from Candy this year.
Jonathan Schoop R/R
2021 stats: .278/.320/.755 22 HRs 84 RBI2.0 WAR 2022 projected stats*: .265/.307/.743 22 HR 74 RBI 2.0 WAR
Schoop has had his career revitalized in Detroit. A bit of a journeyman, bouncing around 3 teams before setting in Detroit in 2020, where in both seasons he’s had a .278 average, which he had only eclipsed twice before (2015 with a .279 and 2017 with a .293). He and Jeimer will compliment each other well in the lineup, and this shores up second base, especially with Torkelson focusing exclusively moved to 1st.
Miguel Cabrera R/R
2021 stats: .256/.316/.701 15 HR 75 RBI -0.5 WAR 2022 projected stats*: .248/.304/.678 14 HR 63 RBI -0.3 WAR
Death, taxes, and Miggy being in the best shape of his life come spring ball. No reports about that so far this year, which does raise some eyebrows since it’s been a recurring statement for as long as I can remember. Miggy will pack seats for the first month of the year, as he is only 13 hits away from 3,000. He’s not the back to back MVP, triple crown winning Miguel of old, but he still offers a veteran presence, and actually had a semi-decent second half to 2021. He’ll be very important guiding Torkelson into becoming a fearsome hitter. He’s already said that he’s going to primarily DH to get Spencer on the field, and that itself is a change from Miggy’s thoughts in the past, always preferring to play the field. Team player through and through.
The masher. Not many prospects carry the weight of a franchise like Torkelson is poised to do. Torkelson has the potential to be a top 5 bat in the entire MLB. He ran through all levels of the minors this past season, and looks ready to be on the opening day roster. Torkelson, Greene, Baddoo, and Baez will be the core for this lineup to build around for at least the next half decade.
The Tigers have been looking for a steady presence at catcher for a long while. Alex Avila was thought to be the future after his breakout 2011 year and never came within 30 points of his average that year again. Then, James McCann was next. We let him walk and he turned into an All Star the very next year, posting career highs in every single category. Such is life as a Tigers’ fan. Barnhart will be a good stopgap for the NEXT future Tigers catcher, Dillon Dingler. Barnhart brings a veteran lefty bat and proven game experience, and I’m excited to see how he calls games for this young bullpen.
The 5 tooler. I actually like Riley more than Spencer, and that’s saying a lot. Riley is only 20 years old and has one of the prettiest swings on this entire roster. He can run, he can hit for average and power, and he can play all 3 OF spots, but will likely find his home in a corner spot. Prepare for a decade of Torkelson/Greene hitting 3 and 4.
Key Bench Players
Eric Haase R/R
2021 stats: .231/.286/.745 22 HR 61 RBI 1.0 WAR 2022 predicted stats*: .219/.279/.686 12 HR 33 RBI 0.4 WAR
Haase could very well be the most important bench player for Detroit. He was first relegated as a backup catcher, but his power and excitement quickly got Hinch’s attention, and had no choice but to put him on the field, where he spent time in the outfield as well as behind the plate. He’s been a late bloomer, but is an excellent depth player who will be counted on to perform wherever he is placed.
Derek Hill R/R
2021 stats: .259/.313/.702 3 HR 14 RBI 0.3 WAR 2022 predicted stats*: .237/.302/.669 3 HR 17 RBI 0.1 WAR
Likely the best pure athlete on this team. Deion Sanders had a famous quote, “Water covers 2/3 of the Earth. I cover the rest” and I think Derek Hill could do Deion proud with his range in the outfield. He was a streak of lightning chasing down balls, and that’s what the Tigers were looking for when they drafted him. He won’t hit for power, but if he keeps his .259 average in limited time up, he’ll be a foundational piece for the Tigers.
Victor Reyes R/S
2021 stats: .258/.284/.701 5 HR 22 RBI 0.3 WAR 2022 predicted stats*: .268/.296/.681 5 HR 23 RBI 0.7 WAR
Reyes is another key bench player that can provide value in situational hitting. Being a switch hitter makes him able to hit any pitching, and a career .268 average is nothing to slouch at. If any of the starters go down, Reyes will be able to fill in respectfully.
Daz Cameron R/R
2021 stats: .194/.278/.637 4 HR 13 RBI -0.1 WAR 2022 predicted stats*: .231/.302/.584 4 HR 16 RBI 0.1 WAR
Daz is probably a year or two away from getting settled into the majors. He’s got a beautiful swing, but went in an awful slump that didn’t get his average above the Mendoza line in 2021. The outfield is getting crowded, and Daz will have to perform in practice and limited game action to earn more playing time.
Harold Castro R/L
2021 stats: .283/.310/.669 3 HR 37 RBI 0.5 WAR 2022 predicted stats*: .270/.299/.690 2 HR 18 RBI 0.0 WAR
Hammering Harold. The worst nickname of all time, he gives good depth to the middle infield and had a higher average than I thought he had for 2021. He’s not starting potential yet, but can fill in in a pinch. Being a lefty swinging infielder is also of value.
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