Detroit Tigers' Offseason Improvements Grade Out Well Entering Season

The Detroit Tigers didn't land a big fish, but their targeted moves graded out well as spring training continues.

Oct 30, 2024; New York, New York, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Jack Flaherty (0) reacts after being relieved during the second inning against the New York Yankees in game four of the 2024 MLB World Series at Yankee Stadium. | Brad Penner-Imagn Images

With spring training underway for the Detroit Tigers, the long offseason has finally started to come to a close.

After an amazing campaign in 2024, the Tigers have some high expectations for 2025. Detroit came just one game short of making the American League Championship Series, and that has changed the outlook for the franchise.

Coming into this winter, the Tigers were expected to be a team that would try and build around a young core of talent that exceeded expectations last year.

Despite the winter starting fairly quiet, Detroit ended up having a strong offseason.

With such a young team, the franchise didn’t have to worry about losing any key free agents this offseason. This is a rare thing to see for a team that had the type of success that the Tigers did, but shows why the future is bright.

This winter, Detroit signed pitchers Alex Cobb, Jack Flaherty, Tommy Kahnle, and also second baseman Gleyber Torres.

Making four veteran additions without losing a starter has put the Tigers in a great position heading into next season.

The Athletic (paid subscription required) recently graded the offseason for the Tigers. Despite the slow start, they received the solid grade of a ‘B’ for their efforts this winter.

The grade of a ‘B’ is certainly a fair one for Detroit. Coming into the offseason, one of the major needs was getting a sidekick and a front-end starter for the rotation to pair with Tarik Skubal.

Reuniting with Flaherty accomplished that, especially considering how well he pitched before getting traded last summer.

However, while they addressed the need in the front end of the rotation, the lineup will still be a bit of a concern. Signing Torres is a fine move in the batting order, but it wasn’t the impact splash many were hoping for.

The Tigers did try to make a push for Alex Bregman, but he ultimately ended up signing a very lucrative deal with the Boston Red Sox. If Detroit was able to sign the former All-Star, they likely would have received an ‘A’ for their offseason.

Even though it wasn’t a perfect winter, it was a very strong one for the Tigers. It’s encouraging to see ownership and the front office recognizing the potential that this team has after last season.

With Skubal under contract for a couple of more years, Detroit must continue to prioritize being aggressive to make upgrades.

After the moves they made this winter, the Tigers should once again be a playoff team in 2025.