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The Detroit Tigers are a club that seems to be stagnating. Not for lack of trying. They have one of baseball's great managers in A.J. Hinch. They have the best baseball pitcher in the world in Tarik Skubal. They once acquired Javier Baez, who was one of the most coveted free agents of the 2022 draft. The experiment was not a great success, but nothing ventured, nothing gained.
The Tigers seem to be missing an element to propel them to the Promised Land. According to the Detroit press, that element could be George Springer.
Welcome to 2026.
Three New Year's resolutions for the #Tigers:
– Sign veteran George Springer for leadership.
– Extend top prospect Kevin McGonigle.
– Prepare for life without ace Tarik Skubal. https://t.co/nbQukZae4A– Evan Petzold (@EvanPetzold) January 3, 2026
A reliable and respected veteran
George Springer will reach the end of his six-year contract with the Blue Jays in 2026. He'll become a free agent at the end of the campaign, when he'll turn 37. A lot of water will have flowed under the bridge between now and November of this year, but as time flies by so quickly, it's time to blink and Christmas will already be upon us.
In short, Detroit is a young team, and perhaps the missing ingredient to make the cake rise is a seasoned veteran. That's exactly what the current member of the Blue Jays represents.
Remember, for a very long time, the Tigers had the best record in the Majors in 2025. Then they fell apart at the end of the calendar, just a few weeks from the finish line. So much so that they ultimately failed to win their division, being topped by the Guardians. In all speculation, perhaps the presence in the locker room of a player who knows tobacco and who has already won a World Series and the MVP title that goes with it could have comforted his teammates and, above all, calmed them down during stormy moments. History, however, cannot be rewritten.
Complicity with A.J. Hinch
If there's one aspect that argues in favor of this idea, it's the presence of A.J. Hinch as manager. For many years, Hinch and Springer shared the limelight as managers of the Houston Astros. The two men have a great deal of mutual respect, and it's a safe bet that a reunion would be a great pleasure.
Yes, Springer is happy in Toronto, that's for sure. In fact, he's just had an excellent season. He's a real warrior, as we saw in the playoffs. That said, will there be room in 2027 for a 37-year-old George Springer, who will probably have to play more often than not as a designated hitter? To ask the question is to answer it.
This content was created with the help of AI.
