Detroit Tigers 2025 Season Preview

The Detroit Tigers look to continue their win improvement over an entire season in 2025. In MLB news, the hill gets steeper for a team that won 66, 76, and then 86 games in 2024. Talk about a front office with a plan on how to climb in the AL Central standings. And it is working.

2025 Detroit Tigers Win Total Projection & World Series Odds

The Tigers are one of the MLB teams that was a laughing stock to a contender in a series of seasons. In MLB predictions, they are +2800 to win the World Series, which is an interesting number when you consider their win total projection of 83 1⁄2 is fewer than they won in 2024. The AL Central is no bargain with every team a threat to make the postseason except the White Sox but looking for the Tigers to slip by a couple of games makes for an intriguing category when it comes to wagering and MLB picks.

2025 Detroit Tigers Projected Starting Lineup

Per MLB.com, this is what the Tigers’ lineup should look like as the season opens.

• Wenceel Perez, CF
• Gleyber Torres, 2B
• Riley Greene, LF
• Kerry Carpenter, DH
• Colt Keith, 1B
• Andy Ibáñez, 3B
• Justyn-Henry Malloy, RF
• Javier Báez, SS
• Jake Rogers, C

Lineup Strengths and Weaknesses

Welcome to the New World Order of MLB where a .284 hitter (Carpenter) would carry the best average on the team. Ugh. What happened to years where players hit over .300 and didn’t strike out with regularity? Baez is and has been a weak spot in the lineup. He hit a putrid .184 last season as his average continues to fade. Baez, who is coming back from MLB injuries (hip surgery), and Urshela are the only players in the lineup on the North side of 30. That sets the stage for growth among the others.

Keith hit .260 at the age of 22 and held down second base. However, he has been asked to move to first and that could have an impact on his play in the field and at the play. This bears watching as changing positions is never easy and troubles often travel from the field to the batter’s box. Greene had 53 extra-base hits at 23 and look for that number and his career to continue to blossom.

Detroit had one player in double figures in steals last year, Zach McKinstry, and wound up with a total of 76. Add that to 162 home runs and you have a couple of categories the team needs to build if it wants to be one of the MLB picks to make the postseason.

Detroit Tigers Projected Starting Rotation

1. Tarik Skubal, LHP
2. Jack Flaherty, RHP
3. Reese Olson, RHP
4. Jackson Jobe, RHP
5. Casey Mize, RHP

The ace of the staff is Skubal. He was the best pitcher in the league last year and won the Cy Young by leading the AL in wins with 18 and ERA at 2.39. He’s a gem and at 28 should continue to baffle batters. Skubal struck out 228 in 192 innings. MLB expert picks would not be wrong to see him as earning another Cy Young. Getting Jack Flaherty back after he left in a trade last year and picked up a World Series ring with the Dodgers solidifies the No. 2 slot in the rotation. MLB baseball parlay picks of an over for Skubal and Flaherty wins could be a good futures bet if you can find it.

Projected Bullpen

Jason Foley leads the way in the bullpen. He had 28 saves in 2024. Tyler Holton was the workhorse, throwing 94.1 innings. An interesting addition is Tommy Khanle from the Yankees. He can pick up some significant innings to get the ball to Foley. It also doesn’t hurt that Khanle comes from a team like the Yankees because he will understand what pressure pitching means. Kenta Maeda is a versatile arm who can start games and come out of the ‘pen. The Tigers appear set here and should be able to find a way to get Foley into a lot of safe situations.

Detroit Tigers Schedule and Key Matchups

The AL Central games will be crucial to Detroit’s success in 2025. This is a division where any of four teams can pop up and make a playoff run. Detroit fans best be prepared for a rugged start to the season. There is a series at the Dodgers, at the Mariners before coming home. A bit of a breather happens when the White Sox visit for the home opening series but that is followed by the Yankees. This is a key to getting off to a good start.

A good opportunity to build momentum comes at the end of April with a 10-game homestand with MLB matchups. The Guardians come to town for four games over Memorial Day weekend in May, which should be a telling set. June will see 15 home games, including a series with the division rival Twins to close the month.

Fast forward to September when the stakes will be high. The Tigers catch the Mets, Guardians, and Braves at home along with the White Sox. The road trips will be against the Yankees, Guardians, and Red Sox. That’s one tough month and if Detroit is in the playoff mix come the final month of the season it will have to be at its best to gain the postseason. The MLB expert picks will be determined by how this team does down the stretch.