Detroit Tigers in 2022: From on-field disappointments to organizational restructuring

The Detroit Tigers failed to meet expectations in 2022.

There were many noteworthy moments last year, even though the Tigers fell apart early in the season and never played meaningful baseball. It was a season of broken promises and on-field disappointments followed by organizational reconstruction.

“I think we can win here, and I want to win,” manager A.J. Hinch, entering his third season, said Dec. 6. “We are going to do multiple things at the same time, while we’re breaking in young talent and trying to win that day’s game, play as deep as you can and make a run at the playoffs.”

ONE YEAR AGO: Key veteran signings and young studs: What to remember about Tigers in 2021

Here are the key moments from 2022:

March 10: Lockout ends

Major League Baseball and the MLB Players Association agreed to a collective bargaining agreement, ending a 99-day lockout. The Tigers held their first workout March 13 in Lakeland, Florida. Franchise icon Miguel Cabrera put his faith in newly acquired shortstop Javier Báez. “We’re going to follow him,” Cabrera said. “Where you go, we’re going to go. Hopefully, we can have a great year together and put this team in the playoffs.”

MORE: Miguel Cabrera, Javier Baez set goals for Tigers: ‘We’re trying to win’

March 16: Tigers sign Andrew Chafin

Needing a boost in the bullpen, the Tigers signed left-handed reliever Andrew Chafin to a two-year, $13 million contract, with a player option after the 2022 season. He logged a 1.83 ERA in 71 appearances in 2021. The Tigers’ bullpen posted a 4.50 ERA, ranking 22nd in MLB, during that campaign.

MORE: New Tiger Andrew Chafin is light-hearted, deer-huntin’ dude you’re gonna love

March 17: General manager Al Avila sets goal

“We expect to win. We expect to go to the playoffs. That’s our goal,” general manager Al Avila said in his first news conference since the lockout. “A.J. has stated it very clearly: We expect to be in the playoffs. We’re setting the bar high. If we fall short, we fall short. But we’re setting the bar high. We’re expecting to get to the playoffs. And if we don’t, we’ll regroup and make the team better.”

April 1: Riley Greene breaks foot

Facing New York Yankees starter Gerrit Cole, top prospect Riley Greene fouled a pitch off the inside part of his foot before hitting a sixth-pitch changeup for a triple in the third inning. After scoring, he exited the game and limped down the right-field line en route to the clubhouse. Turns out, Greene suffered a broken foot and missed Opening Day. “I’ve never seen a club be more impacted by a young player’s injury than when Riley got hurt,” Hinch said more than two months later. “It was a gut punch to the entire team.”

MORE: Tigers prospect Riley Greene reacts to injury, missing Opening Day: ‘It sucks’

April 2: Spencer Torkelson makes Opening Day roster

One day after Greene broke his foot, the Tigers announced top prospect Spencer Torkelson earned a spot on the 2022 Opening Day roster. The Tigers informed Torkelson of his roster status in Hinch’s office, with Cabrera present. Cabrera, the Tigers’ primary first baseman for more than a decade, hugged Torkelson in a passing-of-the-torch moment. “If we want to win, we need him in the lineup,” Cabrera said. “He has the potential to be the man here in Detroit.”

MORE: Spencer Torkelson’s life-changing day with Tigers: ‘All three of us were crying’

April 4: Tigers acquire Austin Meadows in trade

Three days after Greene broke his foot, the Tigers addressed the hole in their outfield by acquiring Austin Meadows — an All-Star in 2019 — from the Tampa Bay Rays in exchange for Isaac Paredes and the No. 71 overall pick in the 2022 draft (later used to select Illinois State outfielder Ryan Cermak). “We’re counting on winning some games and getting to the playoffs,” Avila said April 6.

MORE: As Tigers’ Austin Meadows tries to stay healthy, Isaac Paredes rakes for Rays

April 8: Javy’s Opening Day statement

The ball soared high in the air and bounced off the right-field wall as Meadows came around to score in the bottom of the ninth inning for a 5-4 victory over the Chicago White Sox on Opening Day. Just like that, Báez produced the sixth walk-off hit of his career. Even better, the $140 million player shared a special moment with the crowd of 43,480 fans. “It’s not going to be easy,” Báez shouted on the field, “but it’s going to be fun.”

MORE: Tigers’ 28-man Opening Day roster: One big question for every player in 2022

April 15: Casey Mize reports elbow soreness in second and final start

Right-hander Casey Mize, the 2018 No. 1 overall pick, woke up the morning after his second start of the season and reported elbow soreness. The Tigers placed him on the 10-day injured list, and despite early optimism from all parties, the 25-year-old hasn’t pitched in the big leagues since. On June 15, Mize underwent Tommy John surgery and will likely miss the entire 2023 season. He posted a 5.40 ERA with two walks and four strikeouts in 10 innings across two starts.

MORE: Tigers’ Casey Mize to undergo Tommy John surgery, might miss entire 2023 season

April 16: Matt Manning faces first of three injuries

Right-hander Matt Manning completed two innings in his second start of the season but didn’t return for the third inning due to right shoulder discomfort. “I’m not very concerned,” Manning said after the game. He ended up on the injured list. What happened that day in Kansas City was the first of three significant injuries: right shoulder inflammation in April, right biceps tendinitis in May and a right forearm strain in September.

MORE: Why Tigers’ Matt Manning didn’t speak up about latest injury: ‘It kills me’

April 23: Miggy hits No. 3,000

Cabrera became the 33rd player in MLB history to reach 3,000 hits on a single between first and second base against Colorado Rockies right-hander Antonio Senzatela, a fellow Venezuelan, in the first inning at Comerica Park. “I couldn’t feel my legs in the first at-bat,” Cabrera said. After the historic hit, Cabrera ran behind home plate to greet his mother, wife and children. Only seven players, including Cabrera, have notched at least 500 home runs and 3,000 hits.

MORE: What makes Miguel Cabrera one of the greatest hitters ever? Just ask the pitchers he faced

April 27: ‘Grabbed a big ol’ mud ball and sailed it’

A line-drive clipped Robbie Grossman’s glove and rolled to the right-field wall. The relay throw went to catcher Eric Haase near home plate. Two players from the Minnesota Twins appeared confused on the bases, and Haase tried to run them down at third base. He then threw the ball, but it sailed over Jeimer Candelario’s outstretched glove and into left field. “Never had a good grip,” Haase said. “Frickin’ grabbed a big ol’ mud ball and just sailed it.” Both runners scored, and the Tigers were on the wrong side of a bizarre play in the ninth inning. They lost, 5-4, and dropped to 6-10 overall. Looking back, this moment signified the beginning of the end for the Tigers’ postseason aspirations.

MORE: Tigers on wrong side of bizarre play, lose in ninth at Minnesota Twins, 5-4

May 12: A miserable start

The Tigers lost four of five games to the Oakland Athletics, in which the offense scored 10 runs, and fell to a 9-23 record. “We should be better, and we will be better,” Hinch said May 11. “It feels like it’s never going to end because of how long this has lasted. These guys have a track record. I know it’s the same questions every night. It’s the same curiosities. We have not found solutions. Rather than talk about problems, we got to try to find some solutions.”

MORE: Tigers dig deeper into hole with every loss. Here’s how things went south so quickly

May 14: Austin Meadows reveals vertigo symptoms

An inner ear infection kept Meadows off the field at times in early May, but everything changed when he disclosed his bout with vertigo. He tried to play May 15 but exited following one plate appearance and went to the injured list. Meadows returned June 7 but only played eight games before moving to the injured list again.

June 1: Tarik Skubal looks like Tigers’ ace

The Tigers improved to 20-30 overall — winning 11 of 18 games — behind a 5-0 victory over the Twins, all thanks to left-hander Tarik Skubal. “It was like playing a video game for me,” catcher Tucker Barnhart said. It was his second time throwing seven scoreless frames. Through 10 starts, Skubal posted a 2.15 ERA with 10 walks and 61 strikeouts in 58⅔ innings.

June 3: Tipping pitches

The Tigers recorded three hits and broke up Cole’s perfect game with two outs in the seventh inning. But the New York Yankees won, 13-0, and crushed right-hander Elvin Rodriguez for 10 runs on 11 hits. Four home runs off Rodriguez totaled 1,599 feet. A video from Jomboy Media appeared on Twitter, divulging how Rodriguez, in his third MLB start, tipped his pitches to the Yankees. The Tigers were swept in three games in the Bronx and outscored, 21-4.

MORE: Tigers rookie Elvin Rodriguez, pitch tipping and lessons learned at Yankee Stadium

#Tigers catcher Tucker Barnhart: “I didn’t know until (Anthony) Rizzo told me when I got to first base in the eighth.”

Right-hander Elvin Rodriguez: “I didn’t realize that I was doing that, but I saw the video. Yeah, I was tipping. They figured me out.” https://t.co/3LFVe4iBmR

— Evan Petzold (@EvanPetzold) June 5, 2022

June 13: Eduardo Rodriguez leaves Tigers

At 4:08 p.m., the Tigers released a statement from Avila: “Eduardo Rodríguez has informed the club that due to personal matters he will not rejoin the team at this time. As a result, Eduardo has been placed on the restricted list until further notice.” Four days before the Tigers’ statement, Rodriguez tossed four scoreless innings for Triple-A Toledo. He had been on the injured list since late May.

MORE: Tigers’ Eduardo Rodriguez placed on restricted list due to ‘personal matters’

June 15: Players-only meeting

The Tigers pitched three positions players — Harold Castro, Kody Clemens and Barnhart — and were blown out, 13-0, as the White Sox swept the three-game series. Fans expressed their distaste with taunts and boos. The Tigers, at 24-38 overall and losers in five of their past six, held a players-only meetings in the clubhouse after the game. For the first time, Hinch refused to fire hitting coach Scott Coolbaugh. “This happens in pro sports all the time,” Hinch said. “And 24 hours later, you have the same back-end-of-the-league team offense. Is that better?”

June 15: Secret meeting

During the 13-0 loss, Báez spent the day working on his swing in the batting cage. He was hitting .188 with three home runs, nine walks and 53 strikeouts in 50 games. That day, three people — Báez, his agent and Hinch — sat down for a meeting in hopes of improving the connection between the player and the team. From then on, Báez hit .264 with 14 homers, 17 walks and 94 strikeouts in 94 games.

MORE: How a secret Tigers meeting ignited Javier Báez’s turnaround

June 18: Riley Greene makes MLB debut

In spring training, Greene hit .429 with two home runs, three walks and six strikeouts in 11 games before his foot injury. As part of his rehab assignment, he played 15 games for Triple-A Toledo. The Tigers finally promoted him for his MLB debut against the Texas Rangers at Comerica Park. Greene started in center field and finished 2-for-3 with two walks. The Tigers won, 14-7, and improved to 25-40 overall.

MORE: Examining Riley Greene’s rookie season, Super Two status and future with Tigers

June 21: Chris Fetter turns down Michigan job

Pitching coach Chris Fetter, courted by the University of Michigan to become the head coach of the baseball program, told Hinch and Avila that he took his name out of consideration and would continue working in the big leagues. (Hinch doesn’t allow assistant coaches to speak with reporters.) On July 2, Michigan hired Tracy Smith, who coached Torkelson at Arizona State, as the new head coach.

MORE: The one thing that would make miserable Tigers season worse: Losing Chris Fetter

July 6: Al Avila checks in

Avila checked in about the state of his Tigers with 12 games remaining ahead of the All-Star break. “We’re all responsible,” Avila said in the press box. “The players have to be accountable. The coaching staff has to be accountable. The front office has to be accountable. And it all starts with me.” The Tigers had a 34-47 record, third worst in the American League.

MORE: Tigers GM Al Avila: ‘We’re all responsible’ for disastrous 2022

July 17: Spencer Torkelson demoted to Triple-A Toledo

Torkelson, the 2020 No. 1 overall pick, hit .197 with five home runs, 29 walks and 76 strikeouts over 82 games in the first half of the season, leaving the Tigers no choice but to demote him to Triple-A Toledo at the All-Star break. At the time, his 68 wRC+ ranked 153rd among 157 qualified batters. His weakness was (and continues to be) hitting fastballs inside the strike zone.

MORE: Why Tigers had no choice but to demote 2020 No. 1 overall pick Spencer Torkelson

July 19: Miguel Cabrera, a 12-time All-Star

Cabrera, for the first time in six years, appeared in the All-Star Game, this time as an “All-Star Legends Selection” by commissioner Rob Manfred. Albert Pujols received the same honor for the National League. “I’ve always looked up to Albert,” Cabrera said. “He’s one of the best hitters I’ve ever seen in my life.” Cabrera entered as a pinch-hitter for Shohei Ohtani and grounded out in his lone plate appearance. Left-handed closer Gregory Soto pitched for the AL team in a 3-2 victory.

MORE: Tigers’ Miguel Cabrera honored with special spot in All-Star Game: ‘It means a lot’

Aug. 1: Tarik Skubal, from trade talks to season-ending arm injury

Skubal, the best starting pitcher on the Tigers, dealt with his name coming up in trade talks for the first time in his professional career. He was shocked and seemingly frustrated when a July 26 report from The Athletic singled him out as a trade candidate. “What I found interesting was the article being posted, but there’s no substance to it, from what I feel personally,” Skubal said. “It’s not much I have to worry about because it’s out of my control.” One day before the trade deadline, The Tigers pulled Skubal from his start after five scoreless innings due to left arm fatigue. Less than three weeks later, he underwent flexor tendon surgery and finished the season with a 3.52 ERA, 32 walks and 117 strikeouts over 117⅔ innings in 21 starts.

MORE: Tigers’ Tarik Skubal navigates trade talks for first time: ‘I love being a Tiger’

Aug. 2: Trade deadline

The Tigers completed two moves leading up to the trade deadline, sending outfielder Robbie Grossman to the Atlanta Braves (for left-hander Kris Anglin) and reliever Michael Fulmer to the Twins (for right-hander Sawyer Gipson-Long). Avila couldn’t find a trade partner for Barnhart, who recently signed a two-year contract with the Chicago Cubs, and held onto relievers Chafin, Soto and Joe Jiménez. The Tigers had a 41-63 record at the trade deadline.

MORE: Tigers weren’t supposed to be sellers at MLB trade deadline. How it all went wrong

Aug. 6: Tigers retire Lou Whitaker’s No. 1 jersey

The Tigers retired longtime second baseman Lou Whitaker’s No. 1 jersey in a pregame ceremony before facing the Rays at Comerica Park, marking the first jersey retirement since Alan Trammell in August 2018. Whitaker and Trammell turned double plays together for nearly 20 seasons. His 75.1 bWAR ranks fourth in franchise history, just ahead of Trammell’s 70.7, but Whitaker isn’t a member of the Baseball Hall of Fame. “Should I say I belong in the Hall of Fame?” he said. “What do you think? Should I? Shouldn’t I? I will wait for that day. I’m sure that day will come.”

Aug. 10: Tigers fire Al Avila

At 4:21 p.m., the Tigers fired Avila — effective immediately — in his seventh season as the general manager. Through 111 games, the Tigers had a 43-68 record for last place in the AL Central with the worst offense in baseball. “It’s really about progress,” CEO and chairman Christopher Ilitch said. “This year, it become evident that we did not make progress, particularly at the major-league level.” Avila, who joined the organization in 2002, compiled a 404-573 record during his GM tenure.

MORE: Tigers firing Al Avila boils down to lackluster production. But rebuild can be saved

Aug. 10: Kerry Carpenter makes MLB debut

On the same day the Tigers fired Avila, outfielder Kerry Carpenter — after hitting .313 and launching 30 home runs in 97 games between Double-A Erie and Triple-A Toledo — received a promotion for his MLB debut. He finished 0-for-4 with three strikeouts in his first game. The former 19th-round draft pick played 31 games for the Tigers, hitting .252 with six homers, six walks and 32 strikeouts.

MORE: What Kerry Carpenter does so well that makes Tigers think he can succeed in MLB

Aug. 17: Three strikeouts haunt Tigers

The Cleveland Guardians struck out three times in a row to begin the eighth inning, but Chafin’s wild pitch allowed Cleveland to extend the inning, score six runs and secure an 8-4 win over the Tigers. A two-strike slider bounced off home plate, under the swing of the batter, and skipped past Haase. “I’m not sure if I’ve seen that before,” Chafin said. “But I mean, that’s baseball.” The Tigers and Guardians split the four-game series at Progressive Field, with the Tigers falling to 45-75 overall.

MORE: Tigers, Andrew Chafin strike out the side in 8th, still lose 8-4 to Cleveland

Aug. 21: Eduardo Rodriguez returns

Rodriguez — away from the Tigers since June 13 because of a marital issue — came off the restricted list for his first MLB start since May 18. He tossed five scoreless innings against the Los Angeles Angels in his return. Rodriguez forfeited $74,866 in salary for each day he spent on the restricted list, meaning he willfully relinquished approximately $5 million. The left-handed veteran finished the season with a 4.05 ERA in 91 innings across 17 starts.

MORE: What Tigers learned — and didn’t learn — about Eduardo Rodriguez in 2022 season

Sept. 1: Spencer Torkelson returns

Torkelson returned to the Tigers’ clubhouse and settled into a new locker directly across the room from his old locker. In Triple-A Toledo, he hit .229 with five home runs, 23 walks and 41 strikeouts in 35 games. “As bad as I didn’t want to go down, I think in the long run, it was a good move,” Torkelson said. “I’m going to be better because of it and I learned a lot.” From Sept. 1 through the end of the season, Torkelson’s 95 wRC+ ranked 103rd among 152 qualified batters. He hit .203 with eight homers, 37 walks and 99 strikeouts in 110 games across his rookie campaign.

MORE: Tigers’ Spencer Torkelson has massive offseason ahead: ‘I would stay with this guy’

Sept. 2: Ryan Kreidler makes MLB debut

Next to Torkelson in the clubhouse: multi-positional infield prospect Ryan Kreidler, whose big-league arrival was delayed by a fractured hand in May and a groin strain in June and July. He hit .178 with one home run, six walks and 22 strikeouts in 26 games. It wasn’t enough time to get a sense for Kreidler’s offensive ceiling, but he was worth plus-5 defensive runs saved.

MORE: Ryan Kreidler’s short stint with Tigers doesn’t answer questions at the plate

Sept. 2: Austin Meadows ends season, cites mental health

Meadows released a statement to share he would step away from on-field baseball activities for the remainder of the 2022 season, with about one month remaining on the schedule. He dealt with several injuries and illnesses: vertigo, COVID-19 and bilateral tendinitis in his Achilles. “What I have told very few people is that I also have been struggling with my mental health,” Meadows said. He hit .250 with zero home runs, 16 walks and 17 strikeouts in 36 games.

Sept. 19: Tigers hire Scott Harris to lead baseball operations

The Tigers — with a 55-91 record — hired San Francisco Giants general manager Scott Harris as the organization’s new president of baseball operations. He inherited a rebuild that Avila began in 2017. “As I’ve mentioned over the years, my intent is to make sure that our organization has all the resources to be highly competitive on a sustainable basis and ultimately be a championship team and organization,” Ilitch said Sept. 20. Harris previously worked under Farhan Zaidi (Giants), Theo Epstein (Chicago Cubs) and Jed Hoyer (Cubs).

MORE: What makes Scott Harris the leader to believe in for Tigers’ next generation

Sept. 28: It’s official, 17 starting pitchers

After a normal pregame routine, Manning didn’t take the mound for his start at Comerica Park. He slammed his glove into the dugout bench before walking into the clubhouse. The Tigers scratched him because of arm fatigue and called on reliever Will Vest to pitch the first inning. Manning, diagnosed with a right forearm strain, was shut down for the rest of the season but has since returned to full health. He finished with a 3.43 ERA, 19 walks and 48 strikeouts in 63 innings across 12 starts. The Tigers used 17 starting pitchers last season, one shy of an MLB record.

Sept. 30: Historically bad offense

The Tigers were shut out for the 22nd time in 2022 — and the fifth time in September — in a 7-0 loss to the Twins, snapping a six-game winning streak. Twins rookie Joe Ryan tossed six scoreless innings and dominated with his fastball. The Tigers, dropping to 63-93 overall, passed the 1973 Yankees and 1976 White Sox for the most shutouts in a single season among AL teams since the adoption of the designated hitter in 1973. They finished four shutouts from tying the franchise record, set in 1904, and averaged an MLB-worst 3.44 runs per game.

Oct. 5: Starbucks run, Game 162

Finally, the end of a miserable season. Before the season finale, rookies and second-year players were tasked with walking a half mile from T-Mobile Park in Seattle to a local Starbucks and ordering coffee for everyone in the organization. Cabrera, a 39-year-old veteran, tossed on his jacket and chaperoned the trip. “I’m surprised that you guys (media) didn’t get asked for what you want,” Hinch said. “We left no restrictions, other than, ‘You better not screw it up.'” Soto, who pitched the ninth, was responsible for two walks, a throwing error, a wild pitch and a walk-off single to Ty France with the bases loaded and out one. The Tigers lost, 5-4, and finished 66-96 overall for fourth place in the AL Central.

MORE: Tigers’ finale in Seattle a taste of what could have been and ultimately wasn’t in 2022

Oct. 7: Tigers fire hitting coaches, scouting director

Two days after the season ended, both Harris and Hinch began making changes to the organization. Hinch fired Coolbaugh (and assistant hitting coach Mike Hessman), while Harris fired amateur scouting director Scott Pleis. Later in October, the Tigers parted ways with senior director of medical services Kevin Rand and assistant general manager David Chadd. Around the same time, head athletic trainer Doug Teter was reassigned to a new role in Lakeland.

Oct. 25, 29: Front office additions

At the end of October, Harris began adding to his front office. He hired Rob Metzler, the Rays’ senior director of amateur scouting, as a new assistant general manager. He will lead the amateur and international scouting efforts. Then, Harris hired Mark Conner, the former San Diego Padres scouting director, as the new amateur scouting director. After Harris vetted candidates, Metzler was in charge of making the final pick for scouting director.

MORE: How Scott Harris is looking outside the box to build Tigers’ front office

Nov. 7: Andrew Chafin declines player option

In 2022, Chafin posted a 2.83 ERA with 19 walks and 67 strikeouts in 57⅓ innings over 64 outings. His 0.9 fWAR ranked second — behind Jiménez (1.4 fWAR) — among pitchers in the Tigers’ bullpen. After the World Series, the high-leverage reliever officially declined his player option for the 2023 season and became a free agent. He remains available on the free-agent market.

MORE: Tigers will ‘keep in touch,’ but can they really bring back Andrew Chafin?

Nov. 15: Tigers hire three to new hitting department, plus athletic trainer

The Tigers hired three coaches — Michael Brdar (Padres), James Rowson (Miami Marlins) and Keith Beauregard (Los Angels Dodgers) — to complete their revamped hitting department, plus Ryne Eubanks (Arizona Diamondbacks) as the head athletic trainer. Brdar, the headliner of the hitting coaches, agreed to a multi-year contract. Earlier in November, the Tigers hired Robin Lund as a new assistant pitching coach.

MORE: Tigers hire Michael Brdar, James Rowson, Keith Beauregard to hitting department

Nov. 18: Tigers non-tender Jeimer Candelario, others

The Tigers non-tendered Candelario, making the third baseman a free agent for the first time in his career. He hit .217 with 13 home runs, 28 walks and 109 strikeouts in 124 games last season. (On Nov. 29, Candelario signed a one-year, $5 million contract with the Washington Nationals.) The Tigers also non-tendered utility players Willi Castro and Harold Castro, as well as getting rid of outfielder Victor Reyes earlier in the offseason. Reyes and Willi Castro signed minor-league contracts with the White Sox and Twins, respectively.

MORE: Jeimer Candelario, longtime Tigers 3B, signs contract with Nationals

Nov. 28: Miguel Cabrera announces final season

This wasn’t really breaking news, but Cabrera doubled-down on his past comments by officially announcing the 2023 season would be his final campaign as a baseball player. “I think it’s going to be my last year,” Cabrera told MLB.com’s Christina De Nicola. “I think it’s time to say goodbye to baseball.” He has a .308 batting average, 3,088 hits, 607 doubles and 507 home runs in his 20-year career. Cabrera has expressed interest in coaching for the Tigers after he finishes playing.