End of the Road 2015: Detroit Tigers

After their loss on Saturday, the Detroit Tigers have been mathematically eliminated from the MLB postseason, meaning that they’ve effectively come to the end of the road in their 2015 season. As we’ll do with each eliminated team this season, let’s give them a send-off that would make Boyz II Men proud.

We’ll look at the highs and lows of their season, what bright spots their future might hold and what questions need answering as they prepare for 2016.

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HIGH POINT: Believe it or not, the Tigers were one of baseball’s hottest teams in April. Detroit started the season with six consecutive victories and finished the month at 15-8, just one-half game behind the Royals for first place. Their high-water mark was nine games over .500, which they reached as late as May 26, but the good times wouldn’t last through the summer as the roster began to slowly break down.

LOW POINT: The Tigers were able to overcome the absence of Justin Verlander in April and May, but were doomed the minute Miguel Cabrera hit the disabled list on July 4 with a calf injury. Cabrera ended up missing six weeks, during which time Detroit lost nine games in the standings. By the time he returned, David Price and Yoenis Cespedes were both traded, general manager Dave Dombrowski was relieved of his duties and both fan and player frustrations were at their peak.

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BEST HIGHLIGHT: When Detroit shipped David Price to Toronto, one of the key pieces they got in return was left-hander Daniel Norris. The top prospect had a memorable moment on Aug. 19, when in his very first professional at-bat — majors or minors — he launched a home run at Wrigley Field. In doing so, Norris became the first AL pitcher to ever homer at Wrigley. Norris was also part of a near combined no-hitter on Sept 22. Justin Verlander carried a bid for his third career no-no into the ninth inning on Aug. 25. So close.

HOPE FOR THE FUTURE: The Tigers still have a solid core of superstars with Miguel Cabrera, J.D. Martinez and Justin Verlander in place. The lineup fills out nicely with steady guys like Ian Kinsler, and emerging young stars in Jose Igleisas and James McCann. It feels like a couple good additions in the rotation and bullpen could get them right back on track, but that leads us to one big question.

QUESTION THAT NEEDS ANSWERING: Is it time for the Tigers to press reset? With Al Avila ascending from Dave Dombowski’s deputy to Detroit’s top decision maker, now might be the time for Detroit to restock and look further down the road. We’ve already learned that Brad Ausmus is coming back. Avila even cited Ausmus’ ability to connect and work with young players, so perhaps that’s some indication of his plan. The main thing is to avoid falling into the trap Philadelphia’s Ruben Amaro did, which is ignoring warning signs and holding assets for too long.

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