Tigers’ biggest 2026 question may sabotage postseason run before it even starts

After being asleep at the wheel for a large portion of the offseason, the Detroit Tigers finally woke up a week before the start of spring training. The Tigers will be paying Tarik Skubal a historic amount of money during the 2026 season, but that didn't stop them landing Framber Valdez on a three-year deal and offering a soft landing spot for what could be Justin Verlander's final season.

Talking about a starting rotation that now includes Skubal, Valdez, and Verlander is certainly more desirable than wondering what exactly it is that Drew Anderson does here. That's nothing against Anderson, but for a team that was a game away from reaching the ALCS, Anderson returning from the KBO was a laughable form of "improvement."

Now, any contributions from Anderson will be viewed as a bonus for the Tigers. Scott Harris' work over the past couple of weeks has left no doubt that the starting rotation is vastly improved from where it was at the end of the 2025 season.

The looming concern, however, is that Harris neglected one of the obvious red flags that the Tigers were waving at the end of last season and into the playoffs. Whether the offense broke or the starting lineup was worn out, struggling to score runs was what doomed the Tigers in September and October.

Familiar flaw could be what dooms the Detroit Tigers' chances of being a postseason contender

Rather than acknowledge that reality and seek upgrades, the Tigers doubled down on the pieces they already had on their roster. Gleyber Torres is back at second base after accepting the team's qualifying offer, and it would seem that Detroit is hoping that Kevin McGonigle's (imminent?) arrival at third base can provide the spark that the offense lacked late last year.

McGonigle's ascension through the Tigers' farm system is certainly worthy of the hype, but the Tigers can't ignore the fact that they neglected the offense this offseason.

There's inherent risk in pinning the hopes of offensive progression on a rookie, even one with the high ceiling that McGongile has. It's also risky for the Tigers to expect to have the same All-Star level of production from Zach McKinstry, or for Javier Baez to not look lost offensively. Baez's first-half success was a feel-good story last year, but he had a wRC+ of 46 during the second half.

Having Riley Greene and Kerry Carpenter certainly helps, but the starting lineup was screaming for one more established bat. Perhaps Detroit can pitch their way out of that mistake, but it may not matter if they can't score runs.