MLB season preview: Can the Tigers core make another playoff run?

Editor’s Note: With the arrival of baseball season we’re previewing each MLB team, from worst to best. We’ll look at their key offseason moves, projected lineup, best and worst possible outcomes plus examine the team’s fantasy implications with the help of friends from Roto Arcade. Our daily series continues with No. 15: The Detroit Tigers.

Undaunted by the club’s surprising last place finish in 2015, Detroit Tigers general manager Al Avila went out and made some huge moves this offseason. Jordan Zimmermann was the first piece, but the team also added Justin Upton after the outfielder remained on the market longer than expected. While he’s no longer an elite name, the effective Francisco Rodriguez was acquired to shut down opposing clubs in the ninth inning.

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It was a bold strategy considering the team’s performance, but a logical one when looking at the current core. Miguel Cabrera and Justin Verlander remains exceptional players, but both are starting to get older, and have experienced injuries in recent seasons. The same can be said of Victor Martinez, who couldn’t reach the heights of his fantastic 2014 season after being slowed by a knee issue.

If those players can remain healthy, and the new additions perform as expected, it’s possible the Tigers can make another run at a World Series with its current core. If not, a lengthy and exhausting rebuild could loom. (Chris Cwik)

Key additions: Justin Upton, Jordan Zimmermann, Francisco Rodriguez

Key subtractions: Alex Avila, Rajai Davis

The Tigers scoffed at last year’s poor win total, and decided to make one more run with their aging core. Zimmermann and Upton and borderline elite pieces, and should greatly improve the club. While Rodriguez isn’t the same player he was with the Angels, he’s found a way to remain successful with a completely different skill set. On top of that, the team didn’t lose much talent. Avila had been useful in the past, but concussions made him a risky proposition moving forward. Davis is still a decent outfielder, but not a full-time player. (Cwik)

Daniel Norris: The man mostly known for living in a van during spring training was also considered one heck of a prospect entering 2015. Strong spring numbers propelled him into the team’s rotation initially, but he struggled with control, and was sent down to work things out. His return came with Detroit, as he was the key prospect in the David Price deal.

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In eight games started with the Tigers, Norris was able to greatly decrease his walk rate. It’s a small sample, but that was one of the few things holding him back in Toronto. If those gains stick, he can settle in as a possible mid-rotation guy, which would be a huge boost for a Tigers rotation in need young talent. (Cwik)

Lineup:
1. Ian Kinsler, 2B (.296/.342/.428, 94 R, 11 HR, 73 RBI, 10 SB)
2. Justin Upton, OF (.251/.336/.454, 85 R, 26 HR, 81 RBI, 19 SB)
3. Miguel Cabrera, 1B (.338/.440/.534, 64 R, 18 HR, 76 RBI)
4. J.D. Martinez, OF (.282/.344/.535, 93 R, 38 HR, 102 RBI)
5. Victor Martinez, DH (.245/.301/.366, 39 R, 11 HR, 64 RBI)
6. Nick Castellanos, 3B (.255/.303/.419, 42 R, 15 HR, 73 RBI)
7. James McCann, C (.264/.297/.387, 32 R, 7 HR, 41 RBI)
8. Jose Iglesias, SS (..300/.347/.370, 44 R, 2 HR, 23 RBI, 11 SB)
9. Anthony Gose, OF (.254/.321/.367, 73 R, 5 HR, 26 RBI, 23 SB)

Rotation:
1. Jordan Zimmermann (13-10, 3.66 ERA, 201.2 IP, 164 K)
2. Justin Verlander (5-8, 3.38 ERA, 133.1 IP, 113 K)
3. Anibal Sanchez (10-10, 4.99 ERA, 157 IP, 138 K)
4. Daniel Norris (2-1, 3.68 ERA, 36.2 IP, 27)
5. Mike Pelfrey (6-11, 4.26 ERA, 164.2 IP, 86 K)

— compiled by Kyle Ringo

Father Time gives Detroit something of a reprieve this season and allows them to keep Miguel Cabrera, Victor Martinez and Justin Verlander on the field. Even with the key additions around them, those three are the team’s backbone and will determine which way the scales tip. If that trio is healthy and productive, Detroit could easily reopen the window of contention, win a fifth division title in six years, and play deep into October. (Mark Townsend)

Like their counterparts, the Tigers will have little margin for error in what should be a tightly contested division. While it’s arguable that they’ll enter the season with the highest ceiling in the division should everything go right, it’s far more certain they have the most that could go wrong in terms of players breaking down. It’s a low floor, but not as low now as last seasons 74 wins and last place finish. (Townsend)

Does Justin Upton have a career year waiting to burst out? It’s not that Upton has been a poor player throughout his nine-year career, it’s a matter of leaving us wanting more. He hasn’t batted .300 since 2009; hasn’t scored 100 runs since 2012; hasn’t given us a 20-20 season since 2011; only has one year past 30 homers. Three years in the offensive purgatories of Atlanta and San Diego didn’t help much, but now he’s in the hitter’s league, slotted in front of Miguel Cabrera, Victor Martinez and J.D. Martinez. Upton is an interesting Yahoo pick at ADP 52.0, mostly for the floor but also for the potential upside. Keep in mind he’s still just 28.

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What can we expect from Justin Verlander at age 33? Verlander’s messy 2014 season (4.54 ERA) was tied to a shoulder injury, and a triceps problem kept him on the sidelines most of 2015’s first half. His eventual 5-8 record is misleading, as won-loss records tend to be; he fashioned a reasonable 3.38 ERA and struck out 3.5 men for every walk. You want to be careful reading into spring training stats, but it’s encouraging to see Verlander at nine scoreless innings this month (3 H, 3 BB, 7 K). Priced outside the Top 40 on the starting pitcher board (and a mere 152.5 on overall Yahoo ADP), Verlander is an interesting upside pick entering 2016. (Scott Pianowski)

Daniel Norris’ motto is “just keep living.” All we’re asking him to do is just keep tweeting (and instragramming), @DanielNorris18. The 22-year-old Tigers pitcher best known as the ballplayer who spends a portion of the offseason living in a 1978 Volkswagen van keeps us up to date with his latest adventures all over his social media accounts. Whether he’s exploring Nicaragua or shooting a commercial, you can be right there with him. All you need to do is hit the follow button. (Israel Fehr)

– @JustinVerlander 🙃 https://t.co/05ncgh1tfX

— Daniel Norris (@DanielNorris18) March 5, 2016

Miguel Cabrera showed the first signs of his mortality last season, going on the disabled list for the first time in his career. Despite that, the 32-year-old hit a league-leading .338, with a .440 on-base percentage. Over his 13 years in the majors, Cabrera has emerged as one of the best pure hitters of all time. While he still has many seasons ahead of him, he’s now dealt with some minor injuries the past couple seasons. Cabrera won’t be able to produce at such an insane level much longer, so watch a future Hall of Famer in his prime while you still can. (Cwik)