The Detroit Tigers, at 54-86, have the second-worst record in the American League. The offense remains inconsistent — more bad than good — and the starting rotation has been wiped out by injuries.
By May, the Tigers were all but eliminated from the playoff race.
The regular season ends Oct. 5 in Seattle, and the Tigers have 22 games left on the schedule. The final month of the 2022 campaign isn’t what the Tigers expected after announcing the end of the rebuild in spring training, but there are some story lines to track in preparation for 2023 and beyond.
General manager search
Several executives have described the Tigers’ general manager search as abnormally quiet, which tells us more about CEO and chairman Christopher Ilitch and less about the actual process. The Tigers are undoubtedly having conversations, but Ilitch appears to have been selective in his list of candidates and is keeping everything within his inner circle. Some people who were once thought to be top candidates don’t seem to have as much momentum at this point. The Tigers, seeking a forward-thinking general manager, are believed to want someone with prior general manager experience and could apply the president of baseball operations tag. Josh Byrnes, in his seventh year overseeing the Los Angeles Dodgers’ scouting and player development departments, is the most talked-about name within scouting and executive circles. He has worked with manager A.J. Hinch in the past and served as a general manager in Arizona and San Diego. Still, Byrnes isn’t a clear frontrunner. The timeline for a new hire is unclear.
Spencer Torkelson
On the field, Torkelson is the biggest reason to watch the Tigers right now. Fellow rookie Riley Greene has proven himself and adjusted his approach; the 21-year-old has a 1.008 OPS in his past 16 games entering Sunday after his first slump. Greene is already the best player on the roster. What Torkelson accomplishes this month won’t make or break his career, nor will the Tigers give up on him anytime soon, but he hasn’t played well enough to guarantee a roster spot for Opening Day 2023. Since returning from Triple-A Toledo, the former No. 1 overall pick has a 1.030 OPS in eight games entering Monday. His swing hasn’t changed, but his weight distribution and lower-half mechanics are better than they were in his miserable 83-game stint during the season’s first half. Torkelson’s approach has improved, too. As a result, he is hitting the ball harder. On Wednesday, he crushed a fastball in the strike zone — one of his weaknesses — for his sixth home run of the year. A strong finish from Torkelson would give the Tigers confidence to write the 23-year-old’s name in the starting lineup next season.
MORE ON THE FUTURE:How 2021 draft pick Izaac Pacheco quickly showed Tigers his ‘it factor’
Ryan Kreidler and the infield
Kreidler starred Wednesday in Anaheim, hitting a game-winning, ninth-inning home run, going back-to-back with Kerry Carpenter. (Keep an eye on Carpenter, too.) Kreidler, 24, has only 27 at-bats in his MLB career entering Monday. But the Tigers want to get a baseline assessment for the next general manager and will provide Kreidler plenty of opportunities in the final month. The big-picture question — everyday player or utility player? — shouldn’t be answered yet. Right now, the Tigers are learning if Kreidler can handle the big leagues. He has holes in his swing but is often praised for his overall profile as a baseball player.
A new general manager will have to address the roles of two veteran infielders: Jeimer Candelario and Jonathan Schoop. On Friday, Kreidler started at third base and Candelario served as the designated hitter. Two days later, Kreidler started at third and Candelario didn’t play. Candelario leads the Tigers with 13 home runs but is a candidate to be non-tendered and forced into free agency this offseason; Schoop is set to earn $7.5 million in the final year of his contract in 2023. Despite Gold Glove-caliber defense at second base, Schoop has a .550 OPS in 117 games and is wrapping up the worst season of his 10-year career. The 30-year-old is still searching for double-digit home runs, even though he cleared 20 homers in each of his past five full seasons. His glove is valuable at second base, but his presence in the batting order has been a liability. Surely, he will bounce back, right? That’s for the new general manager to decide. Schoop could be the starting second baseman next season, or he could be an overpaid utility player. As for Candelario, the 28-year-old’s departure would ignite the search for a new third baseman. Every impending free-agent third baseman is older than Candelario, and aside from Nolan Arenado (who has a player option, but also $144 million owed left on his deal in St. Louis) and Brandon Drury, there isn’t much to get excited about.
Miguel Cabrera’s health
Cabrera hasn’t played since Sept. 2 because of a left biceps strain. The 39-year-old avoided a season-ending, and potentially career-ending, injury. He is eligible to return from the 10-day injured list this week and, if healthy, will occupy the designated hitter spot on a limited basis until the season ends. Chronic right knee pain was the main contributor to Cabrera’s downfall from a respectable first half. He hit .287 with a .670 OPS before the All-Star break. Since then, Cabrera is batting .135 with a .441 OPS in 23 games. His power has completely dissipated. The future Hall of Famer is owed $32 million in the final year of his contract and said he plans to suit up for the Tigers. If Cabrera doubles down and shows up to spring training, the Tigers will need to be prepared to manage a roster that includes an injured and underperforming designated hitter who could flame out by the All-Star break. There could be tough conversations ahead.
Rookie pitcher is here to stay
Left-handed pitching prospect Joey Wentz returned to the Tigers on Friday for the third start of his MLB career. In a situation similar to Kreidler’s, the Tigers need to learn more about Wentz before the new general manager takes over. That’s why veteran starter Michael Pineda was designated for assignment, opening a roster spot for the former Braves first-rounder. Wentz suffered a shoulder injury in May, rehabbed in High-A West Michigan and joined Toledo on Aug. 10. In five games, he had a 1.25 ERA with eight walks and 19 strikeouts in 21⅔ innings. The Tigers plan for Wentz to finish the season in the big leagues, which should add at least three more starts to his résumé and build his workload ahead of next season. On Friday, the 24-year-old pitched 6⅔ scoreless innings with one walk and five strikeouts. He commanded his fastball (which he used 63% of the time), pounded the strike zone and appeared confident in his cutter and curveball.
Can Javier Báez hit for power?
Tired of watching Báez and his 45.8% chase rate? If you’ve held on this long, you might as well stay tuned through the end of the season. Seriously, Báez has been the most frustrating player on the Tigers’ roster. He has a .644 OPS, leads MLB with 23 errors and is worth minus-1 defensive runs saved as the everyday shortstop. Known for power, Báez has 12 homers in 124 games. He signed a six-year, $140 million contract in December, with the ability to exercise an opt-out clause after 2023. Opting out, unless Báez’s production explodes next year, seems unlikely, so the Tigers could be stuck with him through 2027. The chase rate and strikeouts won’t change, but Báez needs to tap into his power and finish the year strong. It will be interesting to see if the new general manager signs a shortstop and shifts Báez to second base. Shortening his throws to first base will improve his defense.
Catcher situation
Jake Rogers isn’t coming back to the Tigers in 2022, but he is expected to get at-bats in Triple-A Toledo. Rogers, who underwent Tommy John surgery last year, isn’t quite ready to make throws from all angles, so the Mud Hens will use him as a designated hitter. The 27-year-old has played 73 games in his MLB career, so where he fits into the plan for next season is unclear. Meanwhile, Eric Haase might have played his way onto next year’s roster and is a player to watch down the stretch. He has a .747 OPS against right-handed pitchers and a .755 OPS against lefties this season, and his combined .750 OPS leads the Tigers. Haase is worth minus-8 defensive runs saved at catcher, but he competes as hard as anyone on the team, has a plan in the batter’s box and provides pop. Should the Tigers feel confident in a Haase/Rogers tandem in 2023? Probably not. The Tigers need answers at the catcher position. Help could come from the trade or free agent markets, but Haase seems to be putting his stamp on his return. Re-signing Tucker Barnhart, by the way, is unlikely.
Contact Evan Petzold at epetzold@freepress.com or follow him on Twitter @EvanPetzold.