3 Tigers who must make a good impression early in 2025

After shocking the baseball world in 2024 by defying the odds to go on a magical postseason run, the Detroit Tigers are in the best place they've been in years as the 2025 season approaches.

From that postseason run, to Tarik Skubal's unanimous AL Cy Young award, to young stars like Riley Greene and Kerry Carpenter entering their primes, expectations are high in the Motor City.

However, those sky-high expectations will likely weigh a little heavier on three Tigers in particular, who need to get going as soon as possible.

3 Tigers who must make a good impression early in 2025

Casey Mize

Mize's career as a Tiger hasn't gone the way he probably anticipated it would after being selected first overall in the 2018 MLB Draft, due to a mix of both injury and flat-out under-performance.

Coming off a missed 2023 season after undergoing Tommy John surgery, Mize threw to the uninspiring tune of a 4.49 ERA, 1.47 WHIP and .287 BAA in 102 1/3 innings in 2024, before hitting the 60-day IL in late August.

Now, as 2025 looms, the pressure will be on for Mize to look, at the very least, like the type of high 3.00s ERA arm he was back in 2021 for multiple reasons.

First, the Tigers declined his club option this winter, opting instead to take advantage of the fact he's accumulated under six years of service time and go year-by-year with the right-hander via arbitration. That's not a move that gives off an abundance of confidence in his abilities.

The other reason for increased pressure on Mize is the strength of the starting competition around him. With Skubal, Jack Flaherty and Reese Olson all but locks for the rotation, as well as young phenom Jackson Jobe being a strong candidate himself, Mize will have to settle for the fifth spot.

However, despite the fact Alex Cobb reportedly won't be be ready for Opening Day, according to Evan Petzold of the Detroit Free Press, it seems he'll be back sooner rather than later.

So with a $15 million commitment in 2025, it's not a stretch to think the Tigers will prioritize him over someone like Mize once he's healthy.

If Mize wants to at least make the decision difficult for the Tigers when Cobb returns, it's imperative that he finds a way to channel some of that potential the baseball world once gushed over.

Gleyber Torres

It may be weird to see a player on a one-year contract within a list of names that must perform right off the hop. However, Torres finds himself here based on factors outside of his contract.

Torres has been insistent on playing second base. According to Yankees GM Brian Cashman, he turned down a position change after the Yankees acquired Jazz Chisholm Jr. last summer. He also reportedly continued to hold firm on his stance by rejecting a deal from the Washington Nationals for the same reason, as per Jon Heyman of the New York Post. Not to mention, it happened earlier in his Yankees career when his planned transition to shortstop didn't work out, and then he snuck his way back into being a full-time second baseman.

Now, Torres will man second for the Tigers, but in doing so he displaces the young and promising Colt Keith, who now shifts to first base.

If Torres were a bonified MLB star, then this wouldn't necessarily be an issue. However, despite a strong finish to the 2024 campaign, Torres was still just a mildly above average hitter (104 wRC+) and an atrocious defender (-11 DRS and -7 OAA).

If Torres can look more like the hitter he was late in 2024 right from the jump this season, it will not only make the infield game of musical chairs he caused worth it, but it'd also do wonders in setting the tone for a season worthy of a big payday next winter.

Javier Báez

The fact Báez remains on Detroit's roster after three consecutive seasons posting a wRC+ under 90 shows that they're still willing to see out his contract for as long as they can.

That being said, not only did they see the 32-year-old hit an all-time low in 2024 with a .184/.221/.294 slash line and a 43 wRC+ in 80 games, they also caught a glimpse of what life would look like without him manning shortstop.

After Báez hit the IL in August, it was Trey Sweeney's time to shine at short.

Even with a .218 AVG, .642 OPS and an 81 wRC+, he was a night and day difference in comparison to Báez's putrid play.

At this point in time, it wouldn't shocking whatsoever to see Báez lose at-bats to Sweeney. However, a strong start is crucial if Báez doesn't want to lose his role entirely in the lineup — or, looking even further down the road, a place in MLB as a whole when his contract is eventually up.