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Detroit News sports writers Bob Wojnowski, John Niyo, Chris McCosky and Tony Paul make their predictions for the Detroit Tigers in 2026:
▶ Bob Wojnowski: The Tigers have posted similar back-to-back seasons ― 87 and 86 wins, advancing one playoff round each time ― and now eye the next step. Scott Harris and AJ Hinch certainly bolstered the pitching with Framber Valdez, Justin Verlander and reliever Kenley Jansen. But they kept the everyday lineup intact, counting on internal improvement from players entering their primes. It’s a leap of faith, expecting Riley Greene, Spencer Torkelson and Kerry Carpenter to straighten out their streakiness and cut down on the all-or-nothing swings. There’s no way the Tigers are collapsing and finishing behind the Guardians again in the Central, right? Right. In a weak division, the Royals might be the primary threat. The Tigers’ rotation should be top five in baseball, and they do still have a guy by the name of Tarik Skubal, for now. They best use their time and their arms wisely. Pick: 88-74, first in AL Central
▶ John Niyo: The Tigers should be the defending AL Central champs if not for a late-summer meltdown that coincided with Cleveland going on a heater last year. That won’t happen again, though, because Detroit boasts a top-five MLB rotation with the addition of Framber Valdez and Justin Verlander. AJ Hinch also will have better bullpen depth to work with, and there’s enough upside and positional versatility in the lineup ― particularly with Colt Keith and the arrival of Kevin McGonigle ― to cover for some obvious regression candidates. The Tigers also have the benefit of a mediocre division, with the Guardians’ offense still a glaring weakness, the Twins in the midst of another teardown and the White Sox coming off a third straight season of 100-plus losses. Watch out for the Royals, who might have the best lineup in the Central. But the Tigers have invested too much in this roster not to do whatever’s necessary in July to finish the job. Pick: 89-63, first in AL Central
▶ Chris McCosky: Do they have the most talent in the American League? No. The Yankees, Mariners and Blue Jays probably win that debate. But are they the best "team" in the American League? You can make case for that. You might be tired of hearing it, but the sum-of-its-parts element for the Tigers is real. It's their life blood. They beat you with 13-plus position players galvanized by two straight runs to Game 5 of the ALDS. This season, they can beat you with an elite pitching staff bolstered by high-end additions Framber Valdez and Justin Verlander in the rotation and Kenley Jansen, Drew Anderson and Kyle Finnegan (re-signed) in the bullpen. Roster depth has also been fortified. Tangibly, in terms of talent and depth; intangibly, in terms of leadership, experience, will and work ethic, the Tigers seem poised for a special run in 2026. Pick: 90-72, first in AL Central
▶ Tony Paul: Of course, it's hard not to like the look of the Tigers' pitching staff, the rotation and bullpen. If they are mostly healthy on that front, that's going to be tough for any team in the AL Central to beat. I have three main questions: One, how will the Tigers handle the pressure of being the division favorite from the get-go this season? When the pressure ramped up late in 2025, things didn't go swimmingly. Two, how will Kevin McGonigle handle the inevitable ebbs and flows that come with being a young starting position player in the major leagues? And three, can they get enough production out of Matt Vierling and Parker Meadows (both injured much of 2025) to make up for the lack of offensive upgrades? Certainly, I like the team's chances to win its first division title since 2014. Doing more than that ― and that's certainly the goal, with one last year of Tarik Skubal ― will hinge on the answers to those questions. Pick: 91-71, first in AL Central
This article originally appeared on The Detroit News: Detroit Tigers season predictions: Beefed-up pitching offers hope
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▶ Bob Wojnowski: The Tigers have posted similar back-to-back seasons ― 87 and 86 wins, advancing one playoff round each time ― and now eye the next step. Scott Harris and AJ Hinch certainly bolstered the pitching with Framber Valdez, Justin Verlander and reliever Kenley Jansen. But they kept the everyday lineup intact, counting on internal improvement from players entering their primes. It’s a leap of faith, expecting Riley Greene, Spencer Torkelson and Kerry Carpenter to straighten out their streakiness and cut down on the all-or-nothing swings. There’s no way the Tigers are collapsing and finishing behind the Guardians again in the Central, right? Right. In a weak division, the Royals might be the primary threat. The Tigers’ rotation should be top five in baseball, and they do still have a guy by the name of Tarik Skubal, for now. They best use their time and their arms wisely. Pick: 88-74, first in AL Central
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▶ John Niyo: The Tigers should be the defending AL Central champs if not for a late-summer meltdown that coincided with Cleveland going on a heater last year. That won’t happen again, though, because Detroit boasts a top-five MLB rotation with the addition of Framber Valdez and Justin Verlander. AJ Hinch also will have better bullpen depth to work with, and there’s enough upside and positional versatility in the lineup ― particularly with Colt Keith and the arrival of Kevin McGonigle ― to cover for some obvious regression candidates. The Tigers also have the benefit of a mediocre division, with the Guardians’ offense still a glaring weakness, the Twins in the midst of another teardown and the White Sox coming off a third straight season of 100-plus losses. Watch out for the Royals, who might have the best lineup in the Central. But the Tigers have invested too much in this roster not to do whatever’s necessary in July to finish the job. Pick: 89-63, first in AL Central
▶ Chris McCosky: Do they have the most talent in the American League? No. The Yankees, Mariners and Blue Jays probably win that debate. But are they the best "team" in the American League? You can make case for that. You might be tired of hearing it, but the sum-of-its-parts element for the Tigers is real. It's their life blood. They beat you with 13-plus position players galvanized by two straight runs to Game 5 of the ALDS. This season, they can beat you with an elite pitching staff bolstered by high-end additions Framber Valdez and Justin Verlander in the rotation and Kenley Jansen, Drew Anderson and Kyle Finnegan (re-signed) in the bullpen. Roster depth has also been fortified. Tangibly, in terms of talent and depth; intangibly, in terms of leadership, experience, will and work ethic, the Tigers seem poised for a special run in 2026. Pick: 90-72, first in AL Central
▶ Tony Paul: Of course, it's hard not to like the look of the Tigers' pitching staff, the rotation and bullpen. If they are mostly healthy on that front, that's going to be tough for any team in the AL Central to beat. I have three main questions: One, how will the Tigers handle the pressure of being the division favorite from the get-go this season? When the pressure ramped up late in 2025, things didn't go swimmingly. Two, how will Kevin McGonigle handle the inevitable ebbs and flows that come with being a young starting position player in the major leagues? And three, can they get enough production out of Matt Vierling and Parker Meadows (both injured much of 2025) to make up for the lack of offensive upgrades? Certainly, I like the team's chances to win its first division title since 2014. Doing more than that ― and that's certainly the goal, with one last year of Tarik Skubal ― will hinge on the answers to those questions. Pick: 91-71, first in AL Central
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Want to comment on this story? Become a subscriber today. Click here.This article originally appeared on The Detroit News: Detroit Tigers season predictions: Beefed-up pitching offers hope
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