3 words sum up the Detroit Tigers as 2024 Opening Day has arrived

Opening Day is here once again—finally. The Detroit Tigers are about to embark on another 162-game sprint. The expectations may not be high. There's supposedly shooting for a World Series in the Tigers clubhouse, but I guess you're doing it wrong if you're not aiming to win it all yearly, no matter how poor the on-field product is.

But the Detroit Tigers, in all reality, are likely just hoping to compete. Being a more competitive team in 2024 and starting to show positives is the key. As Opening Day arrives, Tigers fans should be happy and excited that the team looks much better on paper than they did a year ago.

There's been a lot of suffering in the Tigers fanbase over the last ten years or so. The days of Prince Fielder and Miguel Cabrera serving as bash brothers alongside players like Victor Martinez, J.D. Martinez, and Austin Jackson still feel like yesterday. But in reality, Fielder has not played an MLB game in almost eight years, and Miguel Cabrera is now working for the team as a Special Assistant.

Things have changed a lot. Justin Verlander and Max Scherzer are still around, both dealing with injuries to start 2024, but the Tigers of the past have left legacies with the Tigers and other franchises. Tigers fans long for those days once again, and while the 2024 season has a chance to be a step in the right direction, so many fans are cautious.

Opening Day thoughts on the Detroit Tigers in 3 words: Cautious but dangerous

I'm all over the map on the Tigers. Heading into Opening Day as the Tigers get things going with the Chicago White Sox, it will be interesting to see what happens. Part of me has such a Lions football bias, thinking S.O.L for the Tigers. It feels like another year wasted and sent to the bottom of the standings.

But there's an optimist in me that wants to believe this is a year of growth. This is a chance for the Tigers to go out and make some strides in the right direction when it comes to winning more ballgames and at least being competitive in the American League Central.

Referring to the Tigers as dangerous comes with a grain of salt. It's not like Detroit will march to a playoff berth and be some crazy Cinderella story this October. In reality, they will scrape together 80 wins if they're lucky and maybe finish .500 or better. That would be an absolute victory in my book, a .500+ season.

The AL Central Division is horrendous, though. There's a lot of room for a team to make a move, and the Tigers could be that team. It's a long shot, but on Opening Day, it feels like anything is possible.

The Ambiance of Opening Day

Opening Day is always special. Whether the Detroit Tigers are fresh off a World Series loss to the San Francisco Giants or fresh off a 90+ loss season. There's just something about seeing that team suit up for a ballgame in their official uniforms. No Spring Training BP-top style jerseys or outlandish hats -- the real deal.

This year, Detroit opens on the road, so the theatrical antics of Opening Day may not be as special, but that home opener will be great—as always. There's just something about the ambiance and the spirit of another season starting. The excitement and hope, even for a team stuck in a rebuild, always prevail when it comes to Opening Day.

So, as Tarik Skubal toes the rubber against a White Sox team with very little hope behind Garret Crochet on the mound, the Tigers are the favorite to grab a win on Opening Day. With 162 games on the slate, grabbing a win to kick things off seems like a good omen.

The road to 35-5 after 40 games starts now. Kidding, kidding, but man, it would be fun to see some competitive baseball in Detroit again. Here's to another Opening Day in Detroit. Best of luck to the Detroit Tigers and to all of you fans out there as we buckle in for another 162 games in 2024—let's do this!