Detroit Tigers Will Benefit From American League Rivals' Injury Ravaged Spring
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The Detroit Tigers are one of Major League Baseball's most fascinating teams, because they're an organization that needs to decide if now is the time to hunt a title.
They are the rare team that can be a factor in the American League as is, while also having enough premium prospects to get better for the future in a hurry.
It's a good problem to have, although the biggest obstacle to a World Series berth may force their hand.
The New York Yankees are enduring one of the toughest injury runs a team could face in spring training.
Power hitter Giancarlo Stanton has injuries in both elbows that have been recently labeled as severe. After weeks of uncertainty, he still has no timetable to return to action. But if he requires surgery to fix the issues, he would miss the entire season. The fact that's being floated at all means it hasn't been ruled out.
DJ LeMahieu missed most of the 2024 campaign with injuries and is currently sidelined with a calf issue.
Reigning American League Rookie of the Year Luis Gil has been shut down with a high-grade lat strain. The Yankees hope their young pitcher can return some time this summer. He was a pleasant surprise for New York last year, but he was locked in as a difference maker for 2025.
Then there is Yankees ace Gerrit Cole, who will undergo Tommy John surgery and miss the entire 2025 campaign.
New York has enough talent to mitigate players like Stanton and Gil missing significant time, but Cole's injury changes the landscape of the American League.
Few teams in the AL could match Cole and Max Fried at the top of their rotation.
The Tigers were one of them.
Suddenly, with Cole out for the year, Detroit has a better top of the rotation than the Yankees.
Reigning AL Cy Young award winner Tarik Skubal was already the best pitcher in this potential series. Jack Flaherty is not better than Fried, but he'd have the edge over Marcus Stroman or Carlos Rodon. If American League Rookie of the Year contender Jackson Jobe hits his ceiling before the end of the season, the Tigers' pitching staff could have a major advantage over New York.
The Yankees still have a better lineup than Detroit, by a considerable margin, but pitching is king come playoff time.
Before spring training began, many pundits viewed a New York World Series rematch with the Los Angeles Dodgers as a foregone conclusion.
Injuries have changed that.
The Yankees are now vulnerable to the AL's other primary contenders.
More now than ever, the Tigers are set up to contend at the top of the American League if they can replicate the success they had in the back half of the year.
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Ryan Reynolds has worked in sports media since 2019, where he’s primarily covered the NFL. He got his start writing for Evan Silva and Adam Levitan’s Establish the Run where Ryan became an authority on NFL awards markets. Ryan recently served as an Associate Director and content headliner for former NFL executives Joe Banner and Mike Tannenbaum at The 33rd Team. Ryan has also made multiple guest appearances on Fantasy Sports Radio on SiriusXM and VSiN. Outside of sports Ryan has a bachelor’s degree in accounting, graduating with honors from the University of Minnesota. He now has nearly a decade’s worth of experience in management. You can find Ryan on X @RyanReynoldsNFL or email him at RyanReynoldsNFL@gmail.com.