Back for another installment of my MLB Offseason Breakdown for the 2020 season. If you are new here, what I do is write about all the acquisitions and losses the team had, my projected lineups and rotations, grade for the offseason, and my prediction for the team in the 2020 season. Let’s get into it.
Offseason Acquisition and Loses:
1B C.J. Cron signs a 1 year $6.1 million contract
Last season the Tigers made the full time transition of moving Miguel Cabrera from first base to DH and it worked out fine. Cabrera was up there in age so it was time, but the Tigers had no real replacement. Brandon Dixon was the primary first baseman last year, starting 55 games, and he was not really the best. had a slash line of .248, .290, .435. Not the best. Cron will be a good guy to replace Cabrera as he is a decent power hitter, hitting 25 home runs last season in Minnesota.
2B Jonathan Schoop signs a 1 year $6.1 million contract
Another signing from Minnesota and it was a good upgrade from last year as well. Schoop has not been the same player since his only All-Star appearance back in 2017 as his stats have fallen tremendously since then.
C Austin Romine signs a 1 year $4.15 million contract
The former back-up catcher of the Yankees will finally get a chance to be the primary catcher of the team. Romine has been behind Gary Sanchez for most of his career and I think he will be a fine catcher for Detroit. Romine had his best season last year where he had the line of .281 .310 .439, all career highs, in 240 plate appearances.
CF Cameron Maybin signs a 1 year $1.5 million contract
Another former Yankee will head to Detroit and after the year Maybin had this is a good signing. Maybin was the primary back up in New York and he was able to revamp his career there. Maybin had the line of .285 .364 .494 in 269 plate appearances. Maybin will move to right field as JaCoby Jones is the starting centerfielder.
Projected Lineup:
C: Austin Romine
1B: C.J. Cron
2B: Jonathan Schoop
3B: Dawel Lugo
SS: Jordy Mercer
LF: Christin Stewart
CF: JaCoby Jones
RF: Cameron Maybin
DH: Miguel Cabrera
Projected Rotation
1. Matthew Boyd
2. Jordan Zimmerman
3. Spencer Turnbull
4. Ivan Nova
5. Daniel Norris
Offseason Grade: C+
2020 Prediction:
So the Tigers might be the worse team in baseball again. They made some improvements to the team, but they might be worse than the Orioles once again. They did nothing to improve their pitching, which had the third-worst ERA in baseball last season, and their hitters they added don’t make much of a difference. The Tigers will once again finish last in AL Central.
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Previous Offseason Breakdowns:
MLB 2020 Offseason Breakdown: Arizona Diamondbacks
MLB 2020 Offseason Breakdown: Atlanta Braves
MLB 2020 Offseason Breakdown: Baltimore Orioles
MLB 2020 Offseason Breakdown: Boston Red Sox
MLB 2020 Offseason Breakdown: Chicago Cubs
MLB 2020 Offseason Breakdown: Chicago White Sox
MLB 2020 Offseason Breakdown: Cincinnati Reds
MLB 2020 Offseason Breakdown: Cleveland Indians
MLB 2020 Offseason Breakdown: Colorado Rockies
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