Detroit Tigers: Brad Ausmus not returning for the 2018 season

Detroit Tigers fans won’t see manager Brad Ausmus return to the team next season. The team announced the move in a tweet on Friday afternoon.

Detroit Tigers manager Brad Ausmus won’t be with the club next season.

The Tigers are in the midst of a long-term rebuild after trading away the likes of starting pitcher Justin Verlander, catcher Alex Avila, reliever Justin Wilson as well as outfielders Justin Upton and J.D. Martinez in recent months.

Now, the team will move forward with a new manager.

Detroit announced the move in a press release in a tweet on the team’s official public relations twitter account.

The tweet, which includes a picture of the press release, reads:

"“The Detroit Tigers announced today that the contract of manager Brad Ausmus will not be extended beyond the 2017 season.”"

Hired as a replacement for the outgoing Jim Leyland, Ausmus went 312-325 with the Tigers entering play on Friday.

2014

He guided the team to the playoffs and an American League Central crown in his first season with a 90-72 record.

However, the 2014 Tigers, which featured a core consisting of Miguel Cabrera, Justin Verlander, Max Scherzer, David Price, Ian Kinsler, Torii Hunter, J.D. Martinez and Victor Martinez, were swept out of the playoffs that season by the Baltimore Orioles.

Related Story: Four trade ideas involving Jordan Zimmermann

2015

The 2014 campaign was followed by the luck luster 2015 season, which saw Detroit plummet to 74-87 and trade away veterans like Price, Yoenis Cespedes and Joakim Soria.

2016

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Things seemed to be on the upswing for Ausmus and the franchise in 2016, as a resurgent Justin Verlander pitched the team back into contention.

The emergences of Michael Fulmer, Daniel Norris and Matthew Boyd helped Detroit to an 86-75 record, falling just short of the playoffs in the process.

Additionally, the 2016 team was decimated by injuries despite finishing just 2.5 games back of the playoffs.

Key offensive contributors J.D. Martinez (120 games played), Nicholas Castellanos (110 games played) and Cameron Maybin (94 games played) were significantly limited by injuries.

If any of those three play a full slate of games in 2016, Detroit would have easily qualified for the postseason.

Starting pitcher Jordan Zimmermann was also limited, throwing just 105.1 innings.

2017

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The 2017 season has been a different animal entirely for Ausmus.

Detroit suffered an early eight-game losing streak on the West Coast. The Tigers never quite seemed to recover.

This led to eventual trades of Martinez, Verlander, Avila, Wilson and Upton.

As of late, Detroit has struggled significantly.

The team has relied on some minor league players and prospects in September due to trades and injuries.

The Tigers are just 4-17 this month. Detroit owns a -67 run differential during the month.

Overall, Detroit’s 62-91 mark is the second-worst record in the American League as of Friday.

Only the Chicago White Sox, Philadelphia Phillies and San Francisco Giants have fewer wins on the season.

Next: Tigers offseason priority should be finding young position players to build around

Detroit (-136) has the third worst overall run differential in all of baseball.