2026 Profile: Detroit Tigers

The 2026 Major League Baseball season will begin shortly. At Passion MLB, as has been the case for years, we are setting the stage for the season by introducing the 30 teams of Major League Baseball.

Today, the Tigers are on the menu.

2025 Season

The 2025 Tigers built on the success of the 2024 team, which managed to qualify for the playoffs at the last second. But this time, in 2025, the Michigan representatives built up a superb lead. However, their 15.5-game lead over the Guardians didn't make a difference: they lost the division title at the last second.

Their September collapse didn't prevent them from making the playoffs and beating Cleveland, of all teams. But in the division series against Seattle, the Tigers lost in five, including a loss in a crazy 15-inning duel. Oh, I almost forgot: Tarik Skubal won the Cy Young Award again.

Additions and departures

The two issues that have generated the most buzz in Detroit concern the starting rotation. Casey Mize, Jack Flaherty, and Tarik Skubal have received some help for the 2026 season.

Justin Verlander chose to return to the city (possibly to finish his career) and Framber Valdez accepted a short three-year contract ($38.33 million per season) with an option to opt out in two years. Both men will be reunited with A.J. Hinch.

so nice we had to post it twice pic.twitter.com/eKRo9Bz9Jc

— Detroit Tigers (@tigers) February 12, 2026

Gleyber Torres (qualifying offer) and late-inning specialist Kyle Finnegan are not considered acquisitions, but free agents who chose to remain in Detroit in 2026. Drew Anderson and Kenley Jansen, on the other hand, are additions.

Chris Paddack, Rafael Montero, Tommy Kahnle, Jose Urquidy, Paul Sewald, and Chase Lee are gone.

Strengths and weaknesses

The rotation should be good—especially if Flaherty, Verlander, and Mize perform as they are capable of. The club has a good bullpen with Will Vest, Tyler Holton, Kyle Finnegam, and Kenley Jansen.

Brenan Hanifee is also one to watch.

Offensively, the club has some good pieces. Dillon Fingler, Spencer Torkelson, Gleyber Torres, Colt Keith, Zach McKinstry, Parker Meadows, Javier Baez (when he feels like it), Kerry Carpenter, and a certain Riley Greene: not bad.

But the one to watch is Kevin McGonigle. The second-best prospect in Major League Baseball could break out in Detroit if he manages to secure the shortstop position after spring training.

Kevin McGonigle making his mark immediately for the @Tigers!

MLB's No. 2 prospect lines a 100 mph fastball the other way for a knock in his first Spring Training at-bat and then manufactures a run with some heads-up baserunning. pic.twitter.com/jEi1jIXnyt

— MLB Pipeline (@MLBPipeline) February 21, 2026

Expectations for the 2026 season

The Tigers will have a good team in 2026. They have what it takes to win their division and make the playoffs. They are one of the good teams in the American League, without necessarily being a powerhouse.

But the club had better make the most of it.

Why? Because the feeling that everything is great could evaporate if Justin Verlander (who isn't there to win the Cy Young Award at this point in his career) and Tarik Skubal (who is exactly there to win the Cy Young Award) were to leave after the season.

But before thinking about that, there's baseball to be played out there.

Created by humans, assisted by AI.