The 2025 season brought out both the absolute best and the absolute worst of the Detroit Tigers.
For much of the year, the Tigers were a frontrunner in the American League Central, at one point holding the best record in the AL well into the second half of the season. However, an epic collapse beginning in late August saw Detroit surrender the division to the Cleveland Guardians, ultimately backing into the final American League Wild Card spot.
Once there, the Tigers showed resilience, knocking out the Guardians in the best-of-three Wild Card Series before falling in five games to the AL West–winning Seattle Mariners — a series punctuated by a grueling 15-inning Game 5.
Lingering Questions Entering 2026
Despite consecutive playoff appearances, uncertainty still surrounds this Tigers roster.
The first major question: Have President of Baseball Operations Scott Harris and General Manager Jeff Greenberg done enough to address the lineup’s lack of consistent hitting?
So far, Gleyber Torres has been re-signed, but it remains unclear how aggressively Detroit plans to further bolster the offense through free agency or trades.
On the pitching side, the Tigers have taken steps to reinforce the staff. Jack Flaherty and Kyle Finnegan were re-signed, and Kenley Jansen joined the club in free agency. Still, the most pressing and unresolved question looms large: What is the long-term plan for Tarik Skubal?
Skubal’s contract expires after the 2026 season, and at least publicly, there has been little indication that meaningful progress has been made toward an extension. That concern is only amplified by the growing fear of a potential MLB labor stoppage following the 2026 campaign.
Reasons for Optimism
Even with these unanswered questions, one constant remains: A.J. Hinch.
Hinch has repeatedly shown an ability to get the absolute most out of this roster, guiding the Tigers to back-to-back playoff appearances. If the pieces fall into place, there’s reason to believe 2026 could mark a third straight postseason berth — and perhaps something more substantial.
A Word of Thanks
The 2025 calendar year saw plenty across the Detroit sports landscape, and from all of us at The Majors Detroit, we want to thank everyone who took the time to engage with our content.
Whether you enjoyed it, challenged it, or called us out along the way — we appreciate it all.
Major kudos, as always, go to Adam Hernandez for the relentless effort it takes to produce and maintain everything that The Majors Detroit represents.
Additional thanks to everyone who contributed content in 2025:
- Sean Spence (Make City Make Spence)
- The Channel 4:51 Tunnel Talk Team: Jaime Ventura, Sean “Red” Novak, Alan Jacobsen, Jamie “Jam Jam” Johnston, Denis O’Donovan
- The Post-Match Recap Crew: Sal Cusumano, Justin Remington, Jared Coke
- Nick Finn for help with University of Michigan coverage
- Mike Feldbush for Tigers coverage
- Matt Feldbush for Pistons coverage
And if there’s anyone we’ve missed — please know this doesn’t happen without your efforts.
We wish everyone a safe, healthy, and joyous New Year. And for anyone navigating a difficult holiday season: you are seen, heard, valued, and loved.
Farewell, 2025.
Here’s to 2026 — and the days of Auld Lang Syne.
P.S. Love you, Mom. Miss you.