MLB Insider Believes Detroit Tigers ‘Might Be Primed To Win AL Central’

An MLB insider believes that the Detroit Tigers could make a push for the American League Central title.

From left, Detroit Tigers left fielder Riley Greene (31), center fielder Parker Meadows (22) and right fielder Wenceel Pérez (46) celebrate 3-0 win over Cleveland Guardians at Game 3 of ALDS at Comerica Park in Detroit on Wednesday, Oct. 9, 2024. | Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Detroit Tigers' timeline to compete moved up rapidly thanks to an unprecedented finish to the 2024 regular season.

They got hot in the second half, erasing a double-digit deficit in the standings despite trading as many veterans as possible ahead of the deadline. 

Catcher Carson Kelly, starting pitcher Jack Flaherty, relief pitcher Andrew Chafin and first baseman/outfielder Mark Canha were all moved as the franchise had an eye on the future.

From that point on, the team caught fire, earning the No. 2 wild card spot in the American League. That led to a matchup against the Houston Astros in the ALWC, which the Tigers won in a sweep.

Next up was the Cleveland Guardians, who outlasted their American League Central rivals, winning the series in five games to advance to the ALCS against the New York Yankees.

Heading into the offseason, many people wondered how aggressive Detroit would be in free agency.

They had announced their presence as a playoff contender; would they spend to cement their status and move closer to being championship caliber?

The splash acquisition never came, as the Tigers did make a run at Alex Bregman, but he opted to sign with the Boston Red Sox.

Detroit did make some upgrades to the roster, signing second baseman Gleyber Torres and veteran starting pitcher Alex Cobb to one-year, $15 million deals. They got a steal bringing Flaherty back for the second straight winter, agreeing to a two-year, $35 million deal that has an opt-out after Year 1.

A motivated Torres, who will be seeking a lucrative multi-year deal next offseason, should add some pop to a lineup that was in need of it.

Flaherty gives the team a legitimate No. 2 behind Cy Young Award winner Tarik Skubal, as their starting pitching depth, once viewed as a weakness, is not a strength. Highly touted prospect Jackson Jobe could factor into the mix along with Reese Olson, Matt Manning, Casey Mize, Keider Montero and Kenta Maeda.

While some fans may be disappointed the team didn’t spend more, the franchise is heading in the right direction.

There is a legitimate foundation being built at the Major League level and even more talented players are moving their way through the minor league system to help in the near future.

The Tigers are built to compete for a playoff spot now and have sustained success. So much so that Jim Bowden of The Athletic believes they could contend for a division title in 2025.

“The Tigers play with a lot of energy and togetherness, and coming off their exciting run last season, just might be primed to win the AL Central this year,” the former MLB executive wrote.

Detroit finished 6.5 games behind the Guardians in the AL Central race last year. The moves they made, coupled with the continued development of their young players, could certainly help close the gap with a Cleveland team that traded away the right side of its infield this winter.