The dust has finally settled on the most heart-pumping season of baseball Detroit has seen in a decade. If you were watching the Detroit tigers game results trickle in during that frantic September stretch, you know exactly how thin the margin for error was. We are talking about a team that basically clawed its way into the conversation and refused to leave.
Honestly, it felt like 2012 again for a minute there.
But now we’re in the weird "dead zone" of January 2026. The stove is lukewarm, the grass at Comerica Park is likely buried under three inches of slush, and fans are left dissecting the 87-75 record that almost—almost—carried them to the Promised Land.
The 2025 Season: A Rollercoaster in Retrospect
The Tigers finished 2025 with an 87-75 record, securing second place in the AL Central. They were just one game back from the Cleveland Guardians. One. Game. Think about that for a second. That's a single blown save in May or a missed fly ball in July away from a division title.
They didn't just fade away in the postseason, either. They took down the Guardians in the Wild Card Series (2-1) before falling in a gut-wrenching 3-2 series loss to the Seattle Mariners in the ALDS.
Winning 87 games wasn't a fluke.
Tarik Skubal was a literal god on the mound. He posted a 2.21 ERA and struck out 241 batters. His 0.89 WHIP is the kind of stat you usually only see in video games on "rookie" difficulty. When Skubal was on the mound, the game felt like a foregone conclusion. The problem, as always, was what happened when he wasn't.
Hitters Who Actually Showed Up
Riley Greene has officially arrived. He finished the year with 36 home runs and a 150 wRC+. He is the heartbeat of this lineup. Then you have Spencer Torkelson, who finally found that power stroke again, launching 31 long balls.
- Riley Greene: 36 HR, 150 wRC+
- Spencer Torkelson: 31 HR, 82 Runs
- Kerry Carpenter: 26 HR (The man is a hitting machine)
- Gleyber Torres: 16 HR after joining the squad
Even Javy Báez had some moments, though the .285 average he flashed mid-season cooled off. Still, having him contribute a 1.8 fWAR was a massive upgrade over the black hole that position had become.
What the 2026 Schedule Tells Us
If you're looking for the next batch of Detroit tigers game results, you’ll have to wait for the Grapefruit League to kick off in Lakeland. The 2026 spring schedule is already out.
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The Tigers start their Florida campaign on Saturday, February 21, against the New York Yankees in Tampa. Their first home game at Publix Field at Joker Marchant Stadium is the very next day, February 22, against the Baltimore Orioles.
It’s a long road back to October.
The regular season officially opens on March 26 in San Diego. Playing the Padres at Petco Park to start the year is a tough draw. It's a late-night start for those of us back in Michigan, but that’s the price of West Coast baseball.
Key Dates for the 2026 Calendar
- February 21: Spring opener @ Yankees
- March 4: Exhibition game vs. Team Panama (World Baseball Classic prep)
- March 20: Spring Breakout prospect showcase vs. Pirates
- March 26: Opening Day @ San Diego Padres
- April 3: Home Opener vs. St. Louis Cardinals
The Home Opener is always a holiday in Detroit. This year, it's against the Cardinals, which usually brings a decent traveling crowd. Seeing the birds on the bat at Comerica in early April? Kinda poetic.
The Bullpen Makeover and Roster Moves
Scott Harris hasn't been sitting on his hands this winter. The bullpen was the "biggest" factor in the 2024 run, but it needed a refresh after 2025.
The Tigers made a splash by signing veteran closer Kenley Jansen to a one-year deal in December. They also brought in Kyle Finnegan on a two-year contract. These aren't minor moves; these are "we want to win the division" moves.
They did lose some pieces, though. Justyn-Henry Malloy was traded to Tampa Bay for cash recently, which was a bit of a head-scratcher for some, but it clears up a crowded outfield/DH mix.
The Injury Ward
We can't talk about the Tigers without talking about the arm injuries. It's the Detroit curse.
Jackson Jobe, the top-tier pitching prospect everyone is dying to see, is recovering from Tommy John surgery. Don't expect him back until the second half of 2026 at the earliest. Reese Olson and Ty Madden are also working their way back from shoulder and rotator cuff issues, respectively.
If this team is going to repeat their success, they need the rotation to stay healthy behind Skubal.
Why 2026 Could Be Better
The AL Central is weird. It’s always been weird. The Guardians are perennial overachievers, the Royals are always "two years away," and the Twins can never stay healthy.
Detroit finished 2025 with a +67 run differential. That usually suggests a team that played exactly as well as their record says. There wasn't much luck involved.
They've solidified the middle of the infield by keeping Gleyber Torres, who accepted his qualifying offer. Having a stable 2B/SS combo with Torres and Sweeney (or potentially a resurgent Báez) gives the pitchers a lot more confidence.
Actionable Insights for Fans
If you're tracking the Tigers this year, keep an eye on the velocity charts for Reese Olson during Spring Training. If his slider has that same bite it had in early '25, the Tigers have a legitimate #2 starter.
Also, look at the walk rates for Torkelson. When he's disciplined at the plate, the home runs follow naturally.
Go ahead and clear your calendar for April 3. Comerica Park is going to be rocking, and after an 87-win season, the expectations haven't been this high since the Miggy and Verlander era.
Keep an eye on the early Detroit tigers game results from Lakeland. While the wins and losses don't matter in February, the "how" matters immensely. Are the young arms like Jobe (eventually) and Madden hitting their spots? Is Riley Greene still tattooing the ball to the opposite field? Those are the real metrics for success.
Secure your tickets for that St. Louis series early. Opening Day in Detroit sells out faster than a Skubal fastball reaches the glove. This team is no longer the underdog; they’re a target. And in the AL Central, that’s exactly where you want to be.