Detroit Tigers' Biggest Storylines to Follow at the Start of 2015
The Detroit Tigers play their season opener against Minnesota on Monday. After a prolonged offseason—due to an earlier-than-expected finish in 2014—the wait is nearly over.
As four-time reigning American League Central Division champions, the Tigers have high expectations heading into this campaign.
However, despite their vice-like grip on the division, it is going to be a real scrap for Detroit this year.
The Cleveland Indians, Chicago White Sox and Kansas City Royals will be snapping at the Tigers’ heels all season. With 28 of the first 35 games against its division rivals, gaining an early edge could be crucial for Detroit’s aspirations.
Injuries, of course, are inevitable in the game of baseball. The Tigers have already felt the scourge with Justin Verlander and Bruce Rondon set to begin the season on the disabled list. They will not want to be without them—or any other key players—for long.
Hitting should be a strength of the team in 2015—second best in the majors, as predicted by FanGraphs. But what about the pitching?
The bullpen simply must be better. It has been subpar during Detroit’s contending years, and this season the bullpen will be supporting a weaker starting rotation. If the Tigers fall off the cliff in April, there may be big changes by May.
With all of these issues in mind, let’s now see which stories will be popping up in the headlines during the season’s early days.
Can Verlander and Rondon Bounce Back from Their Injuries?
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Does something not quite seem right? Yep, Verlander—Detroit’s Mr. Dependable for the past nine years—has landed on the disabled list for the first time in his career.
Since 2006, Verlander has been the guy the Tigers could always rely on. Over this time, nobody in baseball has more starts or wins or has faced as many batters as the 2011 AL MVP.
Take a deep breath, Tigers fans: The prognosis is encouraging.
After the righty’s throwing session in Lakeland on April 4, manager Brad Ausmus told Chris Iott of MLive, “Verlander threw and felt extremely good…So it's all positive news...”
If all goes well over the next few days, then he has a strong chance of being back on the mound for Detroit’s game versus Cleveland on April 12.
As for Rondon, his situation has a much more familiar scent.
The 24-year-old has been diagnosed with biceps tendinitis, and there’s currently no timetable for his return.
Rondon has not seen major league action since September 2013 after elbow issues led to Tommy John surgery and an extended recovery.
His return to the bump this spring training was cause for much optimism in Motown. The right-hander’s pitches hit 100 mph on multiple occasions during his first outing.
But this new injury will shut him down for a while. Speaking to Iott on April 2, Ausmus said: "He can't throw again until the soreness is out of there…He actually felt pretty good today…But there's still some soreness in there."
Like Verlander, Detroit will be crossing its fingers that Rondon’s setback will only be short-term.
Can Detroit Maintain Its Edge Within the Division?
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There was a collective exhale in the Motor City on September 28 last year.
Defeating Minnesota on the final day of the regular season secured Detroit another division crown. But it was by the barest of margins. The Royals (89-73) finished just one game behind.
It projects to be another tight race to the finish this year with the Indians and White Sox also in the frame.
Detroit’s fourth straight Central title was built on a platform of dominance over the division. The Tigers owned the best record in the Central (43-33), including a 13-6 mark against the runner-up Royals.
The Tigers face Chicago, Cleveland, Kansas City and the Twins another 76 times this season. Over one-third (28) of these battles will be waged before May 15.
Ausmus recognizes the threat within the Central and how critical these tussles are. “I think there's a lot more parity in the division. All the teams have improved. And you play your division so much, the impact of those games on your record, there's a lot more to it,” he said to Jason Beck of MLB.com.
A glance at the standings around mid-May could be a strong predictor of how things will finish up in late September.
How Long Will Joe Nathan Survive as the Tigers’ Closer?
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Take Ausmus’ recent comments about ruling out a contest for the closer job with a grain of salt. Incumbent Joe Nathan will be on a short leash.
The 40-year-old came to the Motor City last year with an excellent pedigree but had a poor first season with the Tigers—4.81 ERA, 1.53 WHIP and seven blown saves.
With $11 million invested in him this year, Detroit would prefer to avoid eating his salary.
However, the Tigers need to be pragmatic. Teams need their stopper to be the best performer out of their bullpen and lead from the front. It’s time for Nathan to step up.
If he comes through and is an effective stopper—great, that’s why he earns the big dollars. If not, Joakim Soria must have his chance.
The right-hander has 178 career saves to his credit and is coming off a superb spring—9.1 innings, two hits, zero runs, eight strikeouts.
Without Rondon, Detroit’s bullpen begins the season with a flimsier base. Hence, cutting its losses with Nathan would be a risky proposition.
It will be fascinating (and potentially painful) to see it all unfold.
All stats in this article are courtesy of FanGraphs.
Hit me up on Twitter: @jdunc1979
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