Carpenter has had issues with that hammy a lot the past couple years though too. He legit has 35 homer potential if he plays a full season
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If everything goes as planned I will be on the backfields in Lakeland on Sunday and Monday definitely one of the two days.
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I hope we can do away with the lazy take that Chris I won’t spend, was always foolish and have said it for years.
Also SP and pitching overall by far the biggest need for this team coming into 2026. Valdez and JV plus backend signings are huge.
From today’s article in the Freep:
Look no further than 2025 for why the Tigers needed another ace-caliber starter: They went 21-10 in Skubal’s 31 starts and 66-65 in 131 non-Skubal starts. Without Skubal’s award-winning 2.21 ERA across a career-high 195⅓ innings, the Tigers’ rotation would’ve ranked 21st among the 30 MLB teams with a 4.45 ERA.
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Posted here for the end of the article focusing on this season and moves Harris has made, or didn’t make.
# Freep: Justin Verlander is Tigers’ huge statement: Let’s win World Series
Full article at link
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I mean, wow.
That’s my reaction to what the Detroit Tigers have done over the past week.
First, the Tigers stunned everybody by signing left-hander Framber Valdez on Feb. 4 – he was the best available pitcher left in free agency.
Then, they stunned everybody again on Tuesday, Feb. 10, by bringing back Justin Verlander, signing the Tigers icon to a one-year, $13 million contract.
… This is more than bringing back a beloved future Hall of Famer, although it certainly is.
This is more than an emotional, nostalgic swansong, which seems destined to become a fantastic yearlong goodbye tour, although it certainly will be.
No.
This is more than that.
When you combine the Tigers offseason moves – keeping Tarik Skubal rather than trading him, paying a boatload for Valdez, bolstering the bullpen with future Hall of Famer Kenley Jansen and adding Verlander when there is so much uncertainty about the health of Reese Olson – this is the Tigers absolutely going for it. This is Tigers owner Chris Ilitch opening up his wallet and saying: OK, boys, let’s try to win a World Series.
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And here’s the best part: They are trying while being smart about it, financially.
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He doesn’t have to be the Verlander of 2011, when he won the Cy Young and MVP awards. Or even 2019, when he won a second Cy Young.
If he’s the Verlander of 2025 – when he was filthy down the stretch, posting a 2.60 ERA in his final 13 starts with the San Francisco Giants, well, that would be incredible for this team.
He doesn’t have to be the workhorse ace – that will be handled superbly by Skubal.
He doesn’t even have to be the No. 2 starter – that’s Valdez’s territory.
San Francisco Giants starting pitcher Justin Verlander throws a pitch against the Colorado Rockies during the fifth inning at Oracle Park in San Francisco, Sept. 27, 2025. D. Ross Cameron, Imagn Images
He just needs to be himself – his soon-to-be 43-year-old self – and his presence alone will help this team.
He bolsters the Tigers starting rotation while giving the Tigers flexibility. This will allow young Troy Melton to start in Toledo and refine his pitches. If the right-hander can break into this rotation, well, that’s incredible news for this team. But if he doesn’t, if he gets moved to the bullpen at the end of the season, that will only make this team stronger.
Verlander will also bring a veteran presence to this team. He has big-game experience and a fire in his belly that has never gone out.
If this team goes through a rough patch, Verlander has the clout to say: Get your heads out of your fannies!
Or something like that.
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The second part, what they didn’t do:
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And let’s look at what they didn’t do: Tigers president Scott Harris did not bring in a big bat, even though plenty of fans were begging for it. He didn’t add any new offensive players, really. He is bringing back the same crew that got within one game – one run, really – of the ALCS.
He is saying: I believe the offense will be good enough.
Is that a gamble? Of course
He is gambling that the Tigers’ young players will improve and be able to carry the load.
He is betting on Riley Greene and Kerry Carpenter and Spencer Torkelson and Colt Keith and Dillon Dingler.
He’s betting that Matt Vierling can come back from injury and Parker Meadows can find his stroke.
I have no idea if it’s going to work – neither does Harris, frankly – but there is one thing I do love about this.
Harris has bolstered this team while allowing a runway for the youngsters to join this team. There is a spot for top prospect Kevin McGonigle when he’s ready – they could move Javier Báez to third, or even center (you know, where he made the All-Star Game last season).
They could find room for Max Anderson or even Hao-Yu Lee if they are hitting at Toledo and somebody is struggling or injured in Detroit.
At the same time, they have financial flexibility in the near future.
The Verlander deal is just for one year.
Valdez could opt out after 2 years – the more you think about it, that deal seems smarter and smarter.
The Tigers have little committed down the road, giving them more financial flexibility in the future while having a better understanding of what they have in their youngsters.
Harris has figured out a way to go for it in the short term, while not mortgaging the future.
It has left this team in an amazing, “holy crap” spot: Suddenly, expectations are through the roof and playoff possibilities seem real.
What an amazing week for the Tigers.
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For @Davicus and his beloved player… my one concern on Meadows, availability Bolded middle section by me to highlight the concern…
# Freep:Tigers camp preview: Fewer storylines but plenty of intrigue
Full article at link.
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Meadows at the crossroads?
That might be dramatic, but it is a critical year nevertheless for centerfielder Parker Meadows.
He showed immense promise at the end of 2024 and then, because of first a nerve injury in his right arm and then a quad strain, never really got started last season. In fact, the Tigers’ best stretch of baseball last year came with Javier Baez playing center.
But the best version of the Tigers has a healthy Meadows in center field and wreaking havoc with his speed and power at the plate.
He’s 26 years old. He’s entering his fourth big-league season, though he’s never played more than 82 games in a year. It’s time for him to claim his identity. Is he a dynamic, every day, multi-tool presence like Kevin Kiermaier or a defensive-only player like Jake Marisnick or Myles Straw?
He’s shown flashes of both in his first three seasons.
It’s not that the clock is ticking but the footsteps of top prospect Max Clark are starting to be heard. He’s not expected to make the Opening Day roster this year. In fact, Clark could start in Double-A.
But he’s coming.
Roll it back
The Tigers did not sign or trade for a position player this offseason and it’s possible, perhaps likely, they will start the season with basically the same position player group that ended last year.
The one exception would be a healthy Matt Vierling in place of Andy Ibanez, who will be in camp with the Athletics this spring.
That doesn’t mean there won’t be any intrigue this spring.
If there is one player that could crack the 13-man rotation, it would be top prospect and infielder Kevin McGonigle. He will certainly be given a long look this spring, at shortstop, third base and second base.
As it stands right now, the right side of the infield is set with Gleyber Torres at second base and Spencer Torkelson at first. Zach McKinstry and Javier Baez would be at shortstop with McKinstry, Colt Keith and Matt Vierling in the primary mix at third base.
Not enough bullpen mounds
The most intense roster battle will be for bullpen jobs and it’s not likely to be decided until the final day of spring.
Four spots are taken, barring injury: Vest, Finnegan, Jansen and lefty Tyler Holton.
Incumbents Brant Hurter (lefty), Brenan Hanifee and Beau Brieske might have the inside track for three of the roles but they all have minor league options left, so they need to fortify their spot this spring.
Plus, there is a good chance whoever doesn’t win the fifth starter job could transition to the bullpen (Montero, Anderson).
Who closes?
It wouldn’t be spring if this question isn’t addressed, repeatedly, even though for the last three seasons Hinch has steadfastly refused to assign hard-and-fast roles to his relievers.
That won’t change this year, though the issue is heightened by the fact the Tigers will be the first team in history to start a season with three relievers who posted at least 20 saves last year.
Joining Will Vest and Kyle Finnegan, who re-signed this offseason for two years and $19 million, is active saves leader Kenley Jansen ($11 million for 2026), who needs just four saves to reach 500.
The Tigers have built a three-headed closer and, as Hinch has said all offseason, he will disperse those three talented arms as best suits the situation at hand.
Who else starts?
The rotation doesn’t fall off after those two, either. Even with the tough news Tuesday that Reese Olson will miss the entire season after labral surgery in his right shoulder.
Right-handers Jack Flaherty and Casey Mize, penciled in at the Nos. 3 and 4 spots, will drop one level, giving the Tigers a $99 million starting rotation, depending on how the deferrals are done.
Flaherty endured his share of ups and downs last year, but he was at his best in the biggest moments and against the best teams. Mize, finding the best version of himself two years after elbow and knee surgeries, made his first All-Star team last year.
That pushes Troy Melton, Drew Anderson and Keider Montero either into the second line of starters or, in the probable case of Anderson and Montero, to the bullpen.
It’s as deep as the Tigers’ rotation has been coming into spring in a long time.
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I do wonder if all these starters means we finally eliminate pitching chaos, I would think so? knock on wood
And this from the above News article on Hinch:
Opening Day in San Diego will be AJ Hinch’s 811th game managing the Tigers. That’s one more than he managed with Houston. He and his top lieutenants, bench coach George Lombard and pitching coach Chris Fetter, are entering their sixth seasons in Detroit.
The winning culture, the aggressive style of play, the commitment to a selfless, sum-of-the-parts methodology and a win-today mindset is part of the team’s DNA now.
And that’s a good thing, even if there are fewer burning questions at the start of camp. Here are some of the storylines to follow:
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McCoskey tweet:
Dillon Dingler will be easing into camp. He had a scope on his throwing elbow
more
Also showing up on the camp medical update:
–RHP Sawyer Gipson-Long (left oblique strain)
–RHP Bailey Horn (left elbow scope)
– C Eduardo Valencia (left quad)
–RHP Dugan Darnell (left hip labral repair).
–RHP Tyler Owens (right hip scope)
I feel like Baez is a lock and Clark will be mid season.
Will injuries make the roster crunch on the bench moot?
Is it Vierling vs Jones vs Perez for 1 spot next to Baez and Zack?
Vierling locks if McGonigle doesn’t break camp, so then Jones vs Perez. They love Jones.
Hmmmmm
I have a hard time not seeing Vierling making the roster. He’s a good utility guy on most World Series teams.
Everyday starter? Maybe not. Maybe for us.
But Jones and Vierling are guys I expect to be on this team.
I don’t know who McGonigle displaces, which is kind of why I don’t see him making the team right away. Hopefully he can come up in May sometime.
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I don’t see how you hold McGonigle back. Let’s get him rolling. This is THE year. And lets get Clark up by All Star and start having him patrol Comerica’s outfield with Parker
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I am not convinced , jones makes the roster, AAA absolutely if he accepts it.
Historically, he has not done what he did last year.Is that the real Jones or the exception. I don’t think you count on him to duplicate that
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Who let Kyler Murray in the building?
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I have read a few articles where Hinch says he loves Jones. I think AJ loves the ability Jones gives him to move pieces around.
Agreed.
Question is can Jones duplicate last season at the plate? Which was the outlier for him.
TBF, really first chance he was given as a legitimate day in day out contributor.
Good problems.
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