4 Tigers who shouldn’t be back in 2025 after Detroit’s magical run

The Detroit Tigers' miraculous 2024 postseason run came to a disappointing end Saturday with a 7-3 loss to the Cleveland Guardians in Game 5 of the American League Division Series.

While there is certainly no shame to be felt over the Tigers' magical 2024 season, which saw an influx of young talent that fueled a second-half surge that catapulted the team into the postseason and lifted them to a two-game sweep of the Houston Astros in the Wild Card round to advance to the ALDS against Cleveland, it's now time to look ahead to 2025.

While the Tigers don't have any players set to hit free agency this offseason, they may be wise to cut their losses and part ways with a few members of their 2024 roster before next season begins.

4 Tigers players who shouldn't be back in 2025 after Detroit's magical 2024 run

Kenta Maeda

Veteran right-hander Kenta Maeda signed a two-year, $24 million contract the Tigers before the 2024 season that has turned out to be a massive bust. In the first year of his deal, in which he earned $14 million, Maeda pitched to an abysmal 3-7 record and 6.09 ERA. His struggles came early and often, and after the All-Star break the Tigers moved him to the bullpen – even as they navigated an injury-depleted starting rotation.

Detroit's first order of business this offseason should be to cut ties and eat the remaining year of Maeda's contract. Paying him $10 million not to pitch for Detroit may very well be worth the earned runs the team's pitching staff will save in 2025.

Javy Báez

Please, please, please may this be the year that the Tigers are finally brave enough to admit that the Javy Báez signing was an enormous organizational failure and buy out the remaining $73 million of his contract. Detroit signed Báez to a six-year, $140 million free-agent contract in 2022 that included a player opt-out (which he declined) after his second season. He struggled greatly in his first two years, and things got even worse in 2024 when he landed on the injured list with lumbar spine inflammation after posting a .184/.221/.294 batting line in his 289 plate appearances with six homers and 12 doubles. He struggled defensively as well, costing the Tigers four runs at shortstop this season.

Detroit's bright future essentially arrived the moment Báez landed on the IL. There is no question that this team is better without him. Eating $73 million may be a difficult decision for the Tigers, but it's one that has to be made to keep an offensive drain and defensive liability like Báez from eating a valuable spot on their promising, young roster.

Spencer Torkelson

Spencer Torkelson had an up-and-down season in 2024, continuing the trend of his MLB career. The former No. 1 overall pick was optioned to Triple-A Toledo in June for the second time in three MLB seasons as he continued to struggled greatly at the plate. Torkelson appeared to have put those struggles behind him when he returned to the Tigers in August and hit .300 that month to help fuel their late-season surge, but he began to look like his old self again once the Tigers approached the postseason.

Torkelson didn't have a hit in his first 12 postseason at-bats, posting seven strikeouts and three walks. He finally started to hit in Game 3 against Cleveland, earning four hits over his final nine at-bats; but it was too little, too late. The Tigers may be better off turning to the free-agent market this winter to find their everyday first baseman for 2025 while stashing Torkelson in Toledo again next year. Either that, or find another team that might be willing to take a chance on him.

Casey Mize

Casey Mize has had a puzzling 2024 season, prompting speculation that the Tigers may have moved on from the No. 1 overall pick in the 2018 MLB Draft. Mize was bumped from the Tigers' starting rotation to the bullpen at the end of the regular season, but he struggled in that role, giving up three earned runs over 3 1/3 innings of relief in his final two appearances.

While Mize was on Detroit's AL Wild Card roster, he didn't pitch in the series. He was left off the ALDS roster entirely. For whatever reason, he appears to have fallen out of the Tigers' good graces, and they may be looking to part ways with him in 2025, which might be best for both parties anyway.

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