Detroit Tigers: Looking back on a rough 2019 season

The Detroit Tigers had a rough year in 2019, finishing with a 47-114 record, here’s a look back on all the good, the bad, and the ugly.

2019 was the second-worst season in Detroit Tigers’ history, and the third-worst season of all MLB teams since 2000, behind only the infamous 2003 Detroit Tigers and the 2018 Baltimore Orioles. The statistics aren’t pretty, but it is important to take away as many positives as possible from such a rough season.

A look back on the year

Despite finishing so poorly, Detroit had a solid start to the season. They jumped out to a 7-3 start, winning a series against the Yankees and sweeping the Royals. They were 22-33 at the end of May, and that’s when things really started to slide. They would finish the rest of the season 25-81.

Along with going through a slow and painful rebuild, the Tigers were also plagued with injuries. Miguel Cabrera began having knee issues in June, Jordy Mercer missed half the season after signing a one year deal, JaCoby Jones went down in August, Niko Goodrum also went down after getting hot, and Daniel Norris was only able to pitch limited innings towards the end of the year.

The Tigers lost two beloved players at the trade deadline in 2019. Nicholas Castellanos and Shane Greene were dealt away for prospects from the Cubs and the Braves, respectively. Castellanos had been Detroit’s best hitter by far in a way, and losing him definitely didn’t help their 2019 record. Greene made the all-star game despite being on a historically bad team.

Once it got late in the year, Detroit began experimenting more with young prospects and making call-ups. Certain players answered the call well, and others didn’t. This is all part of the process, however, and the organization was able to learn a lot from the 2019 season.

Positive takeaways from 2019

Most of the positive takeaways for the organization in 2019 came from the Double-A squad, the Erie SeaWolves. Erie finished 77-61 in 2019 and showcased the talent of the young players in the Tigers’ organization. Matt Manning, Casey Mize, Tarik Skubal, and Isaac Paredes all look to have excellent baseball careers ahead of them.

Things weren’t as great in Toledo or Detroit, but there were still positives to take away on the year. Matthew Boyd had an excellent start to the year and it looks like he will be around for a while. Victor Reyes looked excellent at the end of the year, raising his batting average up to .304 and hitting three home runs in August and September. Then there was Travis Demeritte and Willi Castro, both of whom need more work, but have the potential to bloom into stars.

While 2019 was a painful year for fans, it had its moments and is ultimately just part of a slow rebuilding process. The success in double-A indicates that the organization is moving in the right direction, and another first overall pick in 2020 should help push it further in that way. It will be exciting to see what Detroit does over the offseason and in the future.