As the Minnesota Twins enter 2022, and the team is looking to compete in a much-improved American League Central. The team has made some big moves in the offseason, but the other teams in their division did as well.
To get ready for the season, we’re taking a look around at the other division rivals; their lineups, their rotations, bullpens and their offseasons. To do this, I enlisted the help of the other FanSided network experts to help break down their team, starting out with the Kansas City Royals, Cleveland Guardians, and the Chicago White Sox.
We’re finishing up the series today with the AL Central team that improved the most this offseason, the Detroit Tigers. To wrap this series up, I reached out to site expert Roger Castillo over at Motor City Bengals.
We’re breaking down the Minnesota Twins American League Central rivals, finishing out with the Detroit Tigers.
Loaded with young talent, one of the ways the team became so strong was an offseason spent bringing in loads of new talent.
Minnesota Twins: AL Central Rival Important Offseason Moves
Key Detroit Tigers Additions: LHP Eduardo Rodriguez, C Tucker Barnhart (traded from Reds), SS Javier Baez, OF Austin Meadows, RHP Jacob Barnes, LHP Andrew Chafin
Key Detroit Tigers Departures: UTL Niko Goodrum, OF Nomar Mazara, RHP Matthew Boyd, RHP Jose Urena
Easily the best offseason from any team in the division, the Detroit Tigers correctly saw that the team was getting closer to competing and spent big to come even closer. Eduardo Rodriguez comes in a as an established arm to put on top of the rotation. Javier Baez is a superstar (though he does strikeout too much). Tucker Barnhart is an elite defender.
The team is seeing it’s young prospect talent take over in the lineup and rotation, so adding talented veterans is the best way to win. The Tigers did a great job of that and only lost Niko Goodrum and Matthew Boyd as key contributors. Castillo agrees:
"They addressed almost everything that this team needed to do in put themselves in a better position in 2022. I would have liked to have seen another veteran right-hander in the bullpen but that is really about it."