Detroit Tigers Opening Day Starting Lineup and Rotation Projection
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The first day of the 2026 MLB baseball season is rapidly approaching, and the Detroit Tigers are going to look eerily similar to 2025 when that day comes.
That isn't much of a shock as the major additions that the Tigers made this offseason are the two arms they added to their starting rotation, neither of which will throw the first ball of Detroit's season.
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There are plenty of organizations that are still trying to figure out who will be starting in their first game, which is perfectly understandable. However, the Tigers, as well as anybody who follows baseball, know who is going to take the mound for Detroit: Tarik Skubal.
When the Tigers head to California for their initial game of the season to take on the San Diego Padres, the back-to-back Cy Young award winner will take the reins to bring home a win for Detroit and set the tone for the series, as well as the season.
This will be the third consecutive Opening Day start that Skubal has had, and the first pitcher to do so since Justin Verlander, who was the Tigers' opening-day starter from 2008-14. Now, Verlander is back in the starting rotation.
Skubal isn't the only face that will be familiar when their season kicks off, as management is set to launch nearly the same team with their position players. They are banking on their stars to show up, and if they don't, a prospect or two are sitting in the pipeline, dying for a chance.
The rotation is relatively easy to project — Skubal, Verlander, Framber Valdez, Casey Mize and Jack Flaherty.
Starter Projection
- First Base: Spencer Torkelson
- Second Base: Gleyber Torres
- Third Base: Zach McKinstry
- Shortstop: Javier Báez
- Left: Riley Greene
- Center: Parker Meadows
- Right: Kerry Carpenter
- Catcher: Dillon Dingler
- Designated Hitter: Colt Keith
Both McKinstry and Greene are coming off the best seasons of their careers as the pair brought home their first Silver Slugger Awards while the man behind the plate crossed a defensive milestone as Dingler was named the Gold Glove victor.
Ultimately, the biggest question on everyone's minds is regarding Kevin McGonigle, who is shining. On top of his success in the minors thus far, a door was opened at the expense of Trey Sweeney's recent injury.
It is highly unlikely that McGonigle will make a start in their first series, but he could definitely be eyeing a spot on the 40-man roster if his next few weeks go in his favor.
With the experience, talent, and time this team has spent together, they are walking into San Diego as the favorites looking to head back to Comercia Park undefeated.
Maddy Dickens resides in Loveland, Colorado. She grew up with two older brothers, where their lives revolved around sports. She earned a master's degree in business management from Tarleton State University while simultaneously playing basketball and competing in rodeo at the collegiate level. She successfully parlayed a reserve national championship into a professional rodeo career and now stays involved in upper-level athletics by writing for On SI on several different MLB teams' pages, along with some NCAA sites.