What We Learned From the 2025 Detroit Tigers’ Season

I’m not breaking any news here. Detroit’s offense was not nearly good enough to reach the mountaintop. Spencer Torkelson‘s reassurance, along with Javy Báez‘s to a certain extent, helped cover up what was an offense filled with too many average hitters.

The front office’s actions admitted this when they were negotiating with Alex Bregman until the very end. Yes, Zach McKinstry, Wenceel Perez, Colt Keith, and others finished the season with admirable numbers, but they struggled when the team needed them the most.

The Tigers recieved well-above-average production from a number of players and still were not dangerous enough, offensively, in the playoffs.

What happens if those bats regress back to career norms?

Even if Kevin McGonigle, Just Baseball’s No. 1 prospect in the sport, and other top prospects join the team in 2026, there will still be a need for a proven, veteran, impact bat.

The current outfield situation is too murky, and the team is too good to cross your fingers and hope for stability from Matt Vierling, Parker Meadows, Perez, or prospects.

Luckily, the Tigers have some positional flexibility that will allow this hypothetical impact player come from a different position than just one. Not being cornered into one specific need at one specific position allows them to find the best fit.

Dillon Dingler’s Breakout is Real

When Jake Rogers went down with an injury early in the season, that opened the door for rookie Dillion Dingler to have a larger share behind the plate than the team had expected. All he needed was the opportunity, and he ran with it.

Across 126 games, Dingler slashed .278/.327/.425 with 13 home runs, and 109 wRC+, and he cut his strikeout rate to an acceptable 23.5%. Sure, the swing-and-miss can improve, but he hammered pitches in the zone and showed that he can round into a better overall hitter than most expected.

An ever bigger impact came from his defense behind the plate, which has led him to being a Gold Glove finalist. He ranked in the top 10 in blocks above average (fourth), catcher framing runs (sixth), and caught stealing above average (10th) in all of baseball.

Time and time again, Dingler threw perfect strikes to second eliminating the base runner. His comfort behind the plate and the way he controlled the pitching staff does not get nearly enough praise.

Even if his offense teeters from year to year, his defense is valuable enough to make me believe the Tigers truly have their catcher going forward.

The Rotation Lacks Depth

A main topic of discussion the past few springs has been finding ways to fit six or more arms into a five-man rotation. Well, injuries quickly change the math, and rotation depth is always going to be tested no matter the team or the year. Right now, the Tigers proved they do not have enough.

When Jackson Jobe and Reese Olson went down, and Alex Cobb‘s tenure merely a myth, the Tigers brought in two lackluster veterans in Chris Paddack and Charlie Morton. Yeah, that experiment went about as you would have expected it.

Troy Melton was an answer — and a damn good one moving forward — but innings became tough to come by elsewhere.

Heading into 2026, the Tiger have Tarik Skubal, Casey Mize, and Jack Flaherty all set to hit free agency after the year. Jobe is recovering from Tommy John surgery, and Olson has had injury troubles of his own.

Outside of Melton, rotation help will not be coming from the minors. As much as I like Jake Miller and think Jaden Hamm can be a big leaguer, neither feel like better than a 50% chance of making an impact in 2026.

Detroit is not only going to have to add from outside of the organization, but they will have to do better than the likes of a Cobb, Kenta Maeda, Morton, and Paddack.

Kevin McGonigle Will Be an Answer in 2026

There are two reasons why McGonigle will be an answer: There’s not enough talent to justify holding him back for any reason, and he’s the most complete hitter in all of the minors.

I try to be level headed and measured in my takes. I’m not here to hype up every player and tell you they will all be difference makers. But I am confident that McGonigle will be an impact player in Detroit next season.

In the minor leagues in 2025, McGonigle slashed .305/.408/.583 with 19 home runs, a 182 wRC+, and a 14.9% walk rate compared to a 11.6% strikeout rate. His eye for the zone and elite contact rates give him a high floor, while his insane barrel control and ability to impact the baseball in all areas of the zone make him special.

The confidence I have in McGonigle does not stray me away from the impact bat I talked about to begin this article. In fact, it makes me want it more.

Adding McGonigle to the order makes the team better, and considering how cheap he will be, it makes more sense to add an impact bat and truly change the trajectory of the offense.

The Tigers Are Still on Track

If I told you in April of 2024 that the Tigers would make back-to-back Divisional Series runs, I bet you would have been ecstatic. We all remember how down in the dumps this organization was in recent memory and the depths they would have to climb to get out of their rut.

Let me be clear: I’m not telling you to simply be satisfied with what they have accomplished, but I am asking you to be patient.

A turnaround from bottom feeder to legit World Series contender does not happen overnight. What the Tigers have done in a short amount of time is impressive, no matter how you slice it.

I know feelings are split on Scott Harris, but he’s helped build a winning team and a top five farm system. Across the entire organization, systems have improved and the message is clear, top to bottom. He still needs to prove he can have the Tigers take their next step, but everything is tracking how it should be.

The upcoming offseason is a big one for Detroit. I believe they are beyond the phase of one-year, stop-gap, veterans and have graduated to bigger moves. The type of moves you make when your team has shown some ability in the playoffs and established a core. The natural next step in team building.

It’s time to get creative, not cute, and raise the ceiling of this team.

Final Thoughts

I have seen enough losing baseball to not take postseason series wins for granted. I have also seen enough losing baseball to want more than just a first-round win.

We learned a lot about this team in 2025 as more young players established themselves and proved they are pieces going forward. Others showed their limitations, and their time on the roster has expired.

Having a season where you get to taste success while also painting a clearer picture of your needs is somewhat rare and lays out a path forward heading into the offseason. Rotation depth, an impact bat, and a high-leverage arm are the top priorities for Detroit.

Overall, I look back on this Tigers season and am left with some great memories. Javy’s reassurance to an All-Star was fun (and hilarious). Skubal’s domination on the mound cemented his generational status. Unsung hero’s like McKinstry, Jahmi Jones, and Perez all had big moments. Of course, beating the Guardians in the playoffs was a highlight.

Here’s to hoping this is only the start of a new winning era in Detroit.