Around The AL Central: Taking A Look At The Detroit Tigers As Opening Day Gets Closer
The Tigers finished right behind the Guardians in the AL Central in 2021 with a record of 77-85. However, their offseason moves suggest that they see a window opening and are looking to pass the Guardians in the division this year. There are still teams with more talent on their roster, but A.J. Hinch’s Tigers could be battling for a spot in the Wild Card with the expanded playoff coming this season.
Offseason Acquisitions
Javier Báez
The Detroit Tigers did not waste any time before the lockout, surprising everyone when they inked Javier Baez to a six-year $140 million contract. Báez was traded from the Cubs to the Mets at last season’s deadline. Between the two teams, Báez had an average of .265 with 31 home runs. However, Baez also led the league in strikeouts with 184.
This strikeout tendency may be an issue for Báez as he prepares to face a strong Guardians pitching staff in 2022. Plate production has never been what Báez is known for though. The elite defender is an obvious position upgrade and will fit perfectly into Detroit’s infield whether they choose to play him at shortstop, second base, or third base.
Tucker Barnhart
Before the lockout, the Tigers also traded for catcher Tucker Barnhart from the Cincinnati Reds. Barnhart is expected to be the starting catcher for the Tigers heading into 2022 and beyond. He recently expressed his interest in signing a long-term contract saying, “Hopefully it’s not a one-year thing. I’d like to be here for a while.” Barnhart has a career caught stealing percentage of 32%, which ranks twelfth among active catchers.
At the plate, Barnhart is nothing overwhelming with an average of .247 in 2021, but it is the defense that Detroit brought him in for. The Tigers have an ascending pitching staff and bringing in, and potentially, signing a defensive-minded catcher long-term will help their development.
Andrew Chaffin
Chaffin is another player that started 2021 with the Cubs but found his way to the Tigers going into 2022. Chaffin was one of the more underrated signings in the AL Central and will offer a lot coming out of their bullpen. Chaffin posted a 1.83 ERA over 68.2 innings pitched in 2021.
Chaffin is the type of pitcher that every manager wishes they had in their bullpen and Hinch is lucky to have him. He is a veteran pitcher who feels comfortable in any game situation, whether that be to eat innings, a setup role, or to close the game out.
Strengths
Momentum
One of the biggest strengths that the Tigers have heading into 2022 is momentum. The Tigers finished 2021 under .500, but that does not tell the full story of their season. The Tigers went 37-34 in the second half of the season with clear progress being made in their young pitchers such as Casey Mize and Tarik Skubal.
Brining in high-energy players who are excited about their new team in Baez and Barnhart will only keep this momentum alive heading into the 2022 season.
Young Pitching
Casey Mize and Tarik Skubal are both heading into their second full year in the Major League and there is a lot to be excited about. In 2021 Mize had a 3.71 ERA over 150.1 innings pitched. The middle three months of the season especially stood out for Mize.
From May through July, he had an ERA of 2.91 before cooling down a little bit for the end of the season. If anything else Mize has shown consistency with flashes that show why he could be the future ace for the Tigers. He is still only 24 years old and has a lot of room only to get better.
Skubal had a slightly higher ERA than Mize did in 2021 at 4.34, but it was really at home where he shined. Skubal pitched in 18 games at Comerica Park over the season with a 3.56 ERA and 96 strikeouts. He will certainly look to being the ERA down a little bit in 2021, but the 25-year-old has the potential to be a legit piece to the Tiger's starting five for years to come.
Weakness
Depth
The Tigers have some solid players in the starting lineup such as Jonathan Schoop, Javier Báez, Robbie Grossman, and Tucker Barnhart. MLB legend Miguel Cabrera is also returning for his twentieth season as well. But when looking past their starters, there is not too much to be excited about. Unfortunately, injuries happen to players every year and can have a massive impact on how a team’s season plays out.
If the Tigers are serious about making a run at one of the Wild Card spots in 2022, they will have to get more first base and outfield depth in case they need to go an extended time without Cabrera, Báez, Grossman, or Schoop.
Success Against the Tigers in 2021
The Tigers are another divisional opponent the Guardians found success against in 2021. The Guardians won 12 out of their 19 matchups while scoring the most total runs against them out of any team they faced at 102. It is hard to see this success against the Tigers continue in 2022 because the offseason goals for each club could not have been any different.
The Tigers identified their holes and weaknesses such as defense and bullpen and found solutions for them through free agency and trade. The Guardians, on the other hand, were silent over the offseason and are relying on the development of their current roster and then finding external solutions.
-----
You may also like:
What Will The Guardians Outfield Look Like In 2022?
Cleveland Baseball Insider's 2022 Top 50 Guardians Prospects: Nos. 11-20
Rejuvenated Terry Francona Happy To Be Back With Guardians
-----
Be sure to stay locked into Cleveland Baseball Insider all the time!
Follow Cleveland Baseball Insider on Twitter: @CBIonSI
Like and follow Cleveland Baseball Insider on Facebook!
