Minnesota Twins Lineup vs. Detroit Tigers Lineup
The Tigers lineup looks nothing like the lineup that led them to a World Series just eight years ago. Former Triple Crown Winner and future Hall of Famer Miguel Cabrera is the only holdover from that team and a shell of his former self. However, both teams bring a stronger lineup into 2020.
Twins:
- C-Mitch Garver: .273 BA, 31 HR, 67 RBI, Silver Slugger
- 1B-Miguel Sano: .247 BA, 34 HR, 79 RBI
- 2B-Luis Arraez: .334 BA, 4 HR, 28 RBI
- SS-Jorge Polanco: .295 BA, 22 HR, 79 RBI, All-Star
- 3B-Josh Donaldson: .259 BA, 37 HR, 94 RBI
- LF-Eddie Rosario: .276 BA, 32 HR, 109 RBI
- CF-Byron Buxton: .262 BA, 10 HR, 46 RBI, 14 SB
- RF-Max Kepler: .252 BA, 36 HR, 90 RBI
- DH-Nelson Cruz: .311 BA, 41 HR, 108 RBI
Tigers
- C-Austin Romine: .281 BA, 8 HR, 31 RBI
- 1B-C.J. Cron: .253 BA, 25 HR, 78 RBI
- 2B-Jonathan Schoop: .256 BA, 23 HR, 59 RBI
- SS-Niko Goodrum: .248 BA, 12 HR, 45 RBI, 12 SB
- 3B-Jeimer Candelario: .203 BA, 8 HR, 32 RBI
- LF-Cameron Maybin: .285 BA, 11 HR, 32 RBI, 9 SB
- CF-Jacoby Jones: .235 BA, 11 HR, 26 RBI, 7 SB
- RF-Christin Stewart: .233 BA, 10 HR, 40 RBI
- DH-Miguel Cabrera: .282 BA, 12 HR, 59 RBI
Having another team’s castoff (C.J. Cron) immediately come in and be your team’s best hitter isn’t a great look for the franchise, but that’s where the Tigers are now. Miggy’s stats are excellent for a 36-year-old role player, but the former MVP was the best hitter on this team, and that hurts.
Detroit is a young team, and getting Stewart involved is a good way to get a top prospect more innings. Cron and Schoop will offer some power and Romine and Maybin will be solid at getting on base, but this lineup won’t compete much.
The team that let both Cron and Schoop walk for nothing, the Twins are in pretty great shape lineup-wise. All nine hitters are capable of putting the ball in play and hitting it hard. The reigning American League Central Champs take this one. Advantage: Twins.
Minnesota Twins Bench vs. Detroit Tigers Bench
Both the Twins and the Tigers have solid benches, with the Tigers having a deep outfield. That being said, most of the Twins bench players would compete for a starting job in Detroit, so this is isn’t a very fair competition.
Twins:
- C-Alex Avila: .207 BA, 9 HR, 24 RBI
- IF-Ehire Adrianza: .272 BA, 5 HR, 22 RBI
- IF/OF-Marwin Gonzalez: .264 BA, 15 HR, 55 RBI
- IF/OF-Willians Astudillo: .268 BA, 4 HR, 21 RBI
- OF-Jake Cave: .258 BA, 8 HR, 25 RBI
Tigers:
- C-Eric Haase: .063 BA, 1 HR, 3 RBI
- C-Grayson Greiner: .202 BA, 5 HR, 19 RBI
- IF-Jordy Mercer: .270 BA, 9 HR, 22 RBI
- IF/OF-Harold Castro: 291 BA, 5 HR, 38 RBI
- OF-Victor Reyes: .304 BA, 3 HR, 25 RBI, 9 SB
The bench battle ends the same way as the other comparisons went. In the Twins favor. With Marwin Gonzalez as the utility guy and Avila and Astudillo as strong secondary options behind the plate, the Tigers can’t hold up. Advantage: Twins.
Record Prediction:
The Twins will have a bit of a regression this season, dropping about six wins from last season, but the Tigers will have a better season than last year, with about a thirteen game improvement.
Minnesota Twins: 95-67
Detroit Tigers: 60-102
A special thank you to the Co-Experts of Motor City Bengals, the Detroit Tigers FanSided site for providing the Detroit Tigers projection!