Detroit Tigers Make Major Staff Changes After Injury-Plagued Season
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The Detroit Tigers are reportedly making some significant changes behind the scenes after suffering one of their most injury-plagued seasons in history.
According to several reports, Detroit has parted ways with head athletic trainer Ryne Eubanks and assistant athletic trainer Chris McDonald. Neither is currently listed in the organization’s official staff directory.
The departures came about two weeks after the Tigers concluded what turned into a very disappointing season with a final record of 76-86. They missed the postseason after making consecutive appearances in 2024 and 2025.
While the team stopped short of publicly connecting the personnel changes and its injury problems, the timing is notable.
President of baseball operations Scott Harris had repeatedly acknowledged the significant impact injuries had on the Tigers this past season.
Injuries a Major Problem for Detroit
The expectations coming into the 2026 season were high for this team. Injuries derailed them quickly.
The Tigers lost numerous contributors throughout the year to include starting pitchers, relievers and position players. The constant roster turnover made it difficult to establish any consistency.
Detroit was, however, consistently relying on depth rather than starters.
At the season-ending press conference, Harris confirmed a staggering number: 41. The Tigers placed 41 players from its 40-man roster on the injured list through the past season.
A.J. Hinch was constantly forced to make adjustments to the lineup given the absences among players. The bullpen was taxed regularly due to starting pitchers being injured.
Really, it all started in May and the team just couldn’t recover. May was disastrous for the team finishing the month with a 6-22 record. From there, they just couldn’t ever fully recover.
Tigers Making Changes
Eubanks and McDonald's departure is notable as the Detroit front office continues to evaluate what went wrong and how to move forward into 2027.
Athletic trainers certainly play a role in injury evaluation, treatment, rehabilitation, and coordinating medical care. But, they cannot control every aspect and certainly shouldn’t be blamed for the entire situation.
What is very clear, though, is that Detroit cannot afford another season where injuries appear to overwhelm the roster.
The Tigers are going to be facing several decisions ahead in this offseason regarding pitching staff, roster construction and young players.
Keeping players healthy is part of being able to return to contention.
For an organization looking to put this 2026 season in the rearview mirror, these reported changes are just the beginning of what could be a significant offseason.
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Laura Lambert resides in Wiggins, Colo. with her husband, Ricky and two sons, Brayden and Boedy. She attended the University of Northern Colorado while studying economics. She is an accomplished rodeo athlete and barrel horse trainer along with being a life-long sports fan. Over the years, Laura has been active in journalism in a variety of roles. While continuing to cover western sports and country music, she is currently enjoying expanding her reach into multiple sports including MLB, NFL, and WNBA. Laura covers the Washington Nationals, Houston Astros, Texas Rangers, Detroit Tigers, Colorado Rockies, Toronto Blue Jays, and Rodeo for On SI. You can reach her at lauralambertmedia@gmail.com