Tigers reportedly make coaching change in first offseason move after playoff exit

The typical wave of managerial and coaching layoffs that hits teams almost immediately after their regular or postseason exits didn't come for the Tigers. They did the opposite, really, when Scott Harris and AJ Hinch confirmed in their postmortem press conference that Hinch's contract had been extended, though terms were undisclosed.

Hinch initial deal was set to expire after 2025, but he received a "long-term" re-up after 2023, and now another despite the Tigers' ALDS exit at the hands of the Mariners.

There's a very small contingency of Tigers fans who were unhappy about Hinch's extension, but the overwhelming majority (correctly) saw it as a positive. Hinch has been instrumental in the Tigers' turnaround since he joined the team in 2020, and other than a questionable decision to pull Tarik Skubal after six innings in ALDS Game 5, it's hard to see where Hinch really put a foot wrong this season.

Still, some changes in the staff had to be expected, and the Tigers made their first official cut on Monday. Per Andy Martino, first base coach Anthony Iapoce won't be returning to the Tigers in 2026.

Tigers dismiss first base coach Anthony Iapoce in first coaching staff move of the offseason

Iapoce first joined the organization in January 2023 as manager of the Triple-A Mud Hens, but he was promoted to the major league staff in December that year. While he was in Toledo and even before, during his four-year stint as the Cubs' hitting coach, his approach has been known to player-first — Iapoce himself is a former minor league outfielder — taking his players through their histories in the sport and starting at the very beginning to get the full picture.

Justyn-Henry Malloy, who played for Iapoce's Mud Hens in 2023, recalled sharing stories of his time in Little League. Kris Bryant, who was drafted by the Cubs in the same year Iapoce joined, said that approach grounds him despite the disappointing arc his career has taken since leaving Chicago.

It's unclear who will replace Iapoce or if he'll remain within the Tigers' organization in a different capacity. The Tigers also have yet to officially confirm the dismissal.