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Detroit Tigers manager A.J. Hinch sets 2025 expectation: 'We want to win the AL Central'
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- Detroit Tigers manager A.J. Hinch sets 2025 expectation: 'We want to win the AL Central'
Detroit Tigers manager A.J. Hinch has set the expectation for the 2025 season.
The goal is to win the American League Central, which means finishing ahead of the Cleveland Guardians , Kansas City Royals , Minnesota Twins and Chicago White Sox in the standings.
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That's something the Tigers haven't accomplished since 2014.
"I think the biggest challenge for a young team, and I've seen this before, is not looking backwards as you're trying to progress," Hinch said Dec. 10 at MLB's Winter Meetings in Dallas. "We can't repeat last season. We're not trying to repeat last season. We're trying to do better. We want to win the AL Central."
Detroit Tigers manager A.J. Hinch (14) watches a play against the Houston Astros during the fourth inning at Comerica Park in Detroit on Saturday, May 11, 2024.
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Detroit Tigers ' 2024 milestones
The Tigers finished in third place with an 86-76 record in the 2024 season, behind the first-place Guardians and second-place Royals. The Tigers were on pace for just 75 wins — which would've been the worst performance in Hinch's four years as the manager — on Aug. 10 before an improbable 31-11 run to clinch the last of three AL wild-card spots in the postseason.
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In 2024, the Tigers delivered a winning season for the first time since 2016 , advanced to the postseason for the first time since 2014 and won a playoff series for the first time since 2013 .
But the Tigers lost to the Guardians in the ALDS in five games .
"We want to put ourselves in a better and better position moving forward," Hinch said, "and you can't do that by looking backwards. That was a fun run and a fun time and a memorable playoff chase for us, and now, we start over again."
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What was Detroit Tigers ' month-by-month record?
In Hinch's four seasons, the Tigers have won 77 games in 2021, 66 games in 2022, 78 games in 2023 and 86 games in 2024. They posted a losing record in the first half of all four seasons but responded with a winning record after the All-Star break in three of those seasons.
"We obviously need to play better for a longer period of the season," Hinch said, explaining how the Tigers plan to win the AL Central in 2025. "It's hard to imagine putting together that type of ending that we did. We're capable of it, and we showed that we can win as many games as anybody in baseball over a period of time, but we had some tough months, too."
That was 2024.
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Last year, the Tigers went 3-0 in March, 14-13 in April, 11-16 in May, 10-17 in June, 14-11 in July, 17-11 in August and 17-8 in September.
Who have Detroit Tigers added for 2025?
The Tigers are looking ahead to 2025, already having signed right-hander Alex Cobb to bolster the starting rotation. Adding an elite position player would help them improve upon their .685 OPS last season, which ranked 24th among the 30 MLB teams.
"Every team is different," Hinch said. "I say that every year. Maybe it's not going to be as different personnel-wise, but guys will play better. Hopefully, we stay healthy. We weren't healthy last season for the middle part of the season. Obviously, we know what's at stake."
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In 2025, the Tigers will again rely on left-hander (and reigning AL Cy Young Award winner) Tarik Skubal to anchor the starting rotation while left-handed reliever Tyler Holton locks down the bullpen. Outfielders Riley Greene and Kerry Carpenter will be required to the lead the way on offense, but second baseman Colt Keith needs to emerge as a slugger in the middle of the lineup.
If all goes as planned, the Tigers expect to return to the postseason — only this time as AL Central champions.
How have past AL Central champions fared?
Since 2010, the AL Central champion has won at least 90 games in 12 of 14 full seasons. Only the 2012 Tigers (who went on to reach the World Series) and the 2023 Twins won the division without reaching 90 wins.
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"We got to taste it down the stretch playing playoff games for the better part of two months," Hinch said, "and then we go into the actual playoffs and win a playoff series for the first time in a long time, and then a really tough series against Cleveland. Anything that we talk about — our preparation or what we need to do better — they know why."
Contact Evan Petzold at epetzold@freepress.com or follow him @EvanPetzold .
Listen to our weekly Tigers show "Days of Roar" every Monday afternoon on demand at freep.com, Apple Podcasts , Spotify or wherever you listen to podcasts. And catch all of our podcasts and daily voice briefing at freep.com/podcasts .
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Detroit Tigers simple goal for 2025: 'Win the AL Central'
