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Detroit Tigers offense will be much-improved next season

By Ben Rosener

TORONTO, ON - SEPTEMBER 9: Miguel Cabrera #24 of the Detroit Tigers is congratulated by Nick Castellanos #9 after hitting a two-run home run in the first inning during MLB game action against the Toronto Blue Jays at Rogers Centre on September 9, 2017 in Toronto, Canada. (Photo by Tom Szczerbowski/Getty Images)
TORONTO, ON - SEPTEMBER 9: Miguel Cabrera #24 of the Detroit Tigers is congratulated by Nick Castellanos #9 after hitting a two-run home run in the first inning during MLB game action against the Toronto Blue Jays at Rogers Centre on September 9, 2017 in Toronto, Canada. (Photo by Tom Szczerbowski/Getty Images) /
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Detroit Tigers
DETROIT, MI – SEPTEMBER 24: Ian Kinsler #3 of the Detroit Tigers strikes out in the first inning against the Minnesota Twins during a MLB game at Comerica Park on September 24, 2017 in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo by Dave Reginek/Getty Images) /

Detroit Tigers fans saw the team’s offense struggle mightily down the stretch last season. However, the unit could improve by the time next season rolls around.

Detroit Tigers batters didn’t have the best month of September at the plate.

The Tigers finished 29th in WAR and on-base percentage, 25th in wOBA, 24th in ISO and wRC+ and 20th in slugging percentage.

That being said, the lineup featured a hobbled Miguel Cabrera, no Victor Martinez and was still reeling from the trades of J.D. Martinez, Justin Upton and Alex Avila.

That same lineup routinely featured some combination of Efren Navarro (.299 wOBA), Tyler Collins (.269 wOBA, 62 wRC+), JaCoby Jones (.229 wOBA, 34 wRC+), Bryan Holaday (.236 wOBA, 39 wRC+) and Andrew Romine (.274 wOBA, 65 wRC+) as well as John Hicks, who turned in a .501 OPS and a 33 wRC+ in September.

Moving forward, Detroit might just be improved offensively in 2018.

Not only are the bulk of the aforementioned players who struggled no longer on the 40-man roster.

However, some of the team’s incumbent players should bounce back.

Hicks will rebound, while a healthy Miguel Cabrera is a prime bounce-back candidate.

There’s also Nicholas Castellanos, who looks set to continue his development as a middle-of-the-order run producer after mashing 26 home runs to go along with a .218 ISO, a 111 wRC+ and an .811 OPS in 665 plate appearances last season.

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