The Detroit Tigers open their season this week and hope springs eternal.

After seven straight years of losing, they start the post-Cabrera era with a clean slate. How will they fare in 2024? The answer hinges on a number of factors.

While they faltered much of last year, a late-season push (18-10 record in September/October) saw them finish second in the AL Central. 

And the offense should be a lot better this year. Detroit has a nice nucleus to build on, with 23-year-old center fielder Riley Greene and 24-year-old first baseman Spencer Torkelson.

Each took a legitimate leap forward in 2023. Greene boosted his batting average (.288) by 35 points over the year before and the 6-foot-3 Florida native is now on the brink of becoming an All-Star. 

The Tigers got a taste of Tork’s tantalizing power, as he tallied 31 HR s and 94 RBIs. Can the California kid continue at that clip? More than likely it would seem.

That is due to several reasons. DH Kerry Carpenter is one of them. Catcher Jake Rogers is another.

The 26-year-old Carpenter is coming off a breakthrough year in which he clubbed 20 homers. “Kerry Bonds” will bat cleanup (No. 4) behind Tork. 

Rogers makes a strong case to play everyday. The 6-foot-1 Texan has shown he can shoulder the load defensively. His bat has been red hot in recent days.

If that continues, it would be a major boon for the ballclub.

Center fielder Parker Meadows will lead off. The Georgia-born “Baby Giraffe” was drafted six years ago straight out of high school, this will be his first full season in the majors. 

He showed flashes of his searing speed, swiping eight bases after being called up in August. The 6-foot-5 Meadows also projects to be one of MLB’s premier outfielders defensively .

This would serve to strengthen an already solid squad. They ranked among the top 10 in team fielding last year. 

As for the pitching staff, there is reason for optimism. Suddenly, the Tigers have a surplus of arms.

Lefty Tarik Skubal is the team’s clear No. 1 starter. The 27-year-old has a full arsenal of pitches to pick from.

Right-handers Kenta Maeda and Jack Flaherty inked free agent deals with Detroit in the offseason. They are listed as No. 2 and 3 on the depth chart.

Flaherty has put in the work to fine tune his delivery and that’s clearly paid off.

Competition has been fierce for the final two rotation spots.

Auburn alum Casey Mize made the cut. Mize cranked up the heat on his fastball, clocking as high as 98 mph this spring. 6-foot-1 Georgian Reese Olson rounds out the rotation. 

Under the guidance of team pitching coaches Chris Fetter and Robin Lund, Olson has improved his command, sharpened his changeup and refined his pitch sequences. 

Those improvements are part of a greater trend within the team’s pitching staff. From The Athletic:

“The staffwide velocity gains hint at systematic improvements the Tigers have made. Pitchers continue to demonstrate an increased understanding of their arsenals. Thanks to improvements in training and biomechanics, pitcher after pitcher talks of understanding “how the body moves.” The pitching coaches are a leading factor — Chris Fetter was seen as a rising star when he left the University of Michigan for the Tigers. Robin Lund is a former college professor with a Ph.D in exercise physiology.”

GM Scott Harris has put them in good position for the future. 

Detroit is only on the hook for about $40 million dollars guaranteed next season, so payroll flexibility returns just as some real homegrown talent is emerging. 

Plus they added veteran left fielder Mark Canha and Colombian third baseman Gio Urshela, both penciled in as starters.

Second baseman Colt Keith and shortstop Javier Baez are the first-string middle infielders.

 In other offseason moves, southpaw setup man Andrew Chafin and RHP Shelby Miller were brought in to bolster the bullpen. Alex Lange looks to put a lock on the closer’s job.

On the down side, there is Baez and his bad contract. The 31-year-old Puerto Rican has not lived up to expectations here. The team hopes he can get back on track, but that remains to be seen.

Last year Detroit ranked with the league’s worst units offensively. They still have to prove themselves at the plate. No. 3 Tork and No. 4 Carpenter had far too many strikeouts. They combined for 289 Ks and must improve on that end.

Detroit opens away Thursday vs. the Chicago White Sox. It sure feels like the dawn of a new day.