Who Was Detroit Tigers Team MVP After Roller Coaster 2025 Season?

The Detroit Tigers had an absolutely wild season, but who was the team MVP?

Jun 7, 2025; Detroit, Michigan, USA; A general view is seen of the stadium during the game between the Chicago Cubs and the Detroit Tigers at Comerica Park. | Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images

The Detroit Tigers had an absolutely insane 2025 season, and for both the good and the bad, it's safe to say fans won't forget about this ride for a very long time.

The Tigers were able to salvage a solid playoff run coming off a blown divisional lead where it looked to be a question mark whether they would even be able to make the playoffs, let alone make noise when they got there.

Of course, they were eventually able to right the ship and eliminate the Cleveland Guardians in the Wild Card round after practically handing over the division to the hated rival. Overall, it was a memorable year, but there were four players in particular who stood out.

Which one should be considered the MVP of the team for the season?

SP Tarik Skubal

Tigers pitcher Tarik Skubal walks off the field after pitching the first inning against Mariners at ALDS Game 5 at T-Mobile Park in Seattle on Friday, Oct. 10, 2025. | Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The big lefty had another sensational campaign, and it's one to where he is likely about to win his second consecutive American League Cy Young. As hard as it may be to believe, Skubal was even better in 2025 than he was in 2024 with improvements in just about every statistical category.

Skubal pitched to a 2.21 ERA and 0.891 WHIP with 241 strikeouts in 195.1 innings pitched as it seemed he put on a show in every game he played. In the playoffs, he kept it right going and finished it off with one of his best starts of the season to give his team.

If this it it for Skubal in a Tigers uniform -- which it certainly could be -- it was a final season to remember.

C Dillon Dingler

Oct 10, 2025; Seattle, Washington, USA; Detroit Tigers catcher Dillon Dingler (13) singles against the Seattle Mariners during the twelfth inning during game five of the ALDS round for the 2025 MLB playoffs at T-Mobile Park. | Steven Bisig-Imagn Images

So much was made of the kind of defender Jake Rogers was going into the year, but as Dingler clearly proved earlier on to be the more impactful bat, it also became obvious that he is no slouch defensively either.

Putting up a 3.1 bWAR in just 126 games played, Dingler slashed a very impressive .278/.327/.425 with 13 home runs and 57 RBI. There were times when the offense was as cold as ice, and in those times it always felt like Dingler provided a spark with the bat in his hands.

He's not quite in the discussion yet for baseball's elite catchers, but if he keeps getting better after the extremely impressive rookie year, he will absolutely enter the conversation.

OF Kerry Carpenter

Tigers right fielder Kerry Carpenter celebrates a 2-run home run against Mariners during the sixth inning of ALDS Game 5 at T-Mobile Park in Seattle on Friday, Oct. 10, 2025. | Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Carpenter was not quite there in terms of WAR as some other players on the team, and it's tough to argue someone who was platooned throughout the year against left-handers could be the most valuable player on the team, but this is a special case.

There was nobody more clutch than Carpenter, and nobody the offense missed more at any point than him when he was out with his hamstring injury. Slashing .252/.291/.497 with 26 home runs and 62 RBI over 130 games with a bWAR of 1.8, Carpenter's numbers weren't all that gaudy, but when the Tigers needed a big hit, he was there.

His home run to give Detroit the lead in Game 5 against Seattle was the perfect example, and even though they couldn't hold on, it was just another example of how critical the slugger was to this team.

OF Riley Greene

Tigers left fielder Riley Greene tries to catch a fly out against Mariners during the sixth inning of Game 4 of ALDS at Comerica Park in Detroit on Wednesday, Oct. 8, 2025. | Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Say what you will about the strikeouts, and they are certainly a problem. But the level of power that Greene brings to this lineup simply cannot be replaced. He slashed .258/.313/.493 with 36 home runs and 111 RBI, but Greene just failed to take steps on last year's bWAR.

In 2024, he had a mark of 5.4, and in 20 more games games, Greene had a 2.1 in 2025 after he led the American League in K's with 201 and broke the franchise record. While it's concerning with regards to his chances of becoming a legitimate superstar, Greene still is one of this team's most important players and absolutely a contender for MVP.

The Verdict: Skubal

Tigers pitcher Tarik Skubal celebrates striking out Mariners catcher Cal Raleigh in the sixth inning of ALDS Game 5 at T-Mobile Park in Seattle on Friday, Oct. 10, 2025. | Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Could there really be another answer here? The WAR numbers aren't even close, but Skubal's impact goes well beyond the stat sheet. Keeping the rotation alive practically on his own, Skubal had one of the best seasons for a pitcher an organization with a rich history of just that has ever seen.

There's no question who the face of this franchise is, and he also is the team's most valuable player.