Detroit Tigers Spring Training Notes Day 1: Lakeland provides a chilly start.

In Lakeland, Florida, the Detroit Tigers commenced their full squad workouts Monday amidst unusually cold and wet conditions. The city had experienced two consecutive days of rain, so the emergence of the sun around midmorning was a welcome sight for the sizable crowd of fans who had gathered to watch the Tigers' workout.

The Detroit Tigers are entering the 2024 season with many returning players but also welcomed several new faces to their roster, including former Milwaukee Brewers Mark Canha and Keston Hiura. Both players are stepping into different roles for Detroit but already have some familiarity with their new teammates. Hiura has been working out with Tarik Skubal over the last three seasons, while Canha spent time hitting with Carson Kelly, Spencer Torkelson, and Zach McKinstry in the off-season.

What Canha brings to the table is a level of steadiness, manager A.J. Hinch said to the media before workouts began.

Hiura is seeking a fresh start with the Tigers and is open to playing any role needed, aligning with the team's philosophy of valuing players who can handle multiple positions.

"I was hoping that I never face him but kinda wanted to face him, so someone can get some bragging rights," Hiura said about Skubal.

The Detroit Tigers bullpen continues to evolve

While the Tigers' primary off-season focus was on acquiring starting pitching and a right-handed bat, they also bolstered their bullpen by adding arms like Shelby Miller. With Detroit finishing 24th in strikeouts per nine innings (8.81) last season, Hinch highlighted Miller's splitter and fastball as key assets that can offer a different look and potentially increase the team's ability to generate swings and misses.

Adding Shelby Miller's splitter, which had a 30.7% whiff rate, complements the existing bullpen dynamics. Alex Lange's curveball is effective for generating swings and misses. At the same time, Jason Foley's heavy sinker is adept at inducing groundballs, providing the Tigers with a diverse set of tools to handle different game situations.

The first day of full-squad workouts on Monday had a "first day of school" vibe to it, setting a tone of anticipation and excitement for the week ahead. As the days progress, more storylines are expected to unfold, but for now, seeing the players take to the field in Lakeland was a welcome sight.