Detroit Tigers manager A.J. Hinch, left, talks to vice president and assistant general manager Ryan Garko as they watch practice during spring training at TigerTown in Lakeland, Fla. on Thursday, Feb. 12, 2026. Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Breaking Down Tigers Biggest Question Heading into Spring Training

Originally posted on Detroit Tigers on SI
By Nick Ziegler | Last updated Feb 15, 2026 1:00 PM ET

With pitchers and catchers reporting for the Detroit Tigers, expectations for the 2026 campaign have reached new heights.

For the last two years, the Tigers have been a contender in the American League with two straight trips to the ALDS. Unfortunately, Detroit has lost both Game 5s, and they will be hoping to get over that hump this season.

If you like our content, choose Sports Illustrated as a preferred source on Google.

To the surprise of many, the Tigers made a significant splash just recently by signing star pitcher Framber Valdez in free agency. The southpaw is going to be coming to Detroit to be paired at the top of the rotation alongside Tarik Skubal. This combination can be one of the best one-two punches in the league, and Valdez also gives the team some insurance if they lose Skubal in free agency.

While the team has gotten a lot better with Valdez's addition to the rotation, they might not have done enough this winter to really be considered going all-in. With the AL shaping up to be very challenging, Detroit might have neglected a key area.

Zachary D. Rymer of Bleacher Report recently wrote about the biggest question for the Tigers entering spring training being whether or not they neglected improving their offense this winter.

Lineup Could Have Used Another Bat

While the addition of Valdez is fantastic for the starting rotation, and he and Skubal are going to be a pain to deal with in a potential playoff series, the offense is a bit of a question mark for the team.

This was a unit that was fantastic in the first half of the campaign in 2025. Multiple sluggers were named to the All-Star team, and they were firing on all cylinders. However, there was some noticeable regression for the lineup in the second half of the year, and that contributed to the loss.

The lineup is still a fairly young group for the Tigers, and there is reason to believe that some of the young talent will continue to develop. However, in what could be the last year with Skubal on the roster, adding another star slugger would have been wise.

Detroit will be running a risk once again, as their pitching staff might be great, but they might struggle to score. Striking out and not being able to generate runs has held them back in the playoffs, and it can once again be the Achilles heel for the team in 2026.

Don't miss out on any news or analysis. Take a moment and sign up for our free newsletter and get content delivered straight to your mailbox daily!