Detroit News

Lynn Henning   | The Detroit News As report cards go, the five-year Tigers rebuild carries a grade of “incomplete.” And that probably saves Al Avila and Co. from the “F” a team’s win-loss record mandates. It has been 50 months since Avila got a Saturday morning call from late owner Mike Ilitch, informing him he

Associated Press  |  Associated Press New York – The price of qualifying offers for Major League Baseball free agents rose by $1.1 million to a record $18.9 million. Determined by the average of the top 125 major league contracts this year, the figure announced Thursday is based on full salaries, not the prorated pay that

Lynn Henning   | The Detroit News As report cards go, the five-year Tigers rebuild carries a grade of “incomplete.” And that probably saves Al Avila and Co. from the “F” a team’s win-loss record mandates. It has been 50 months since Avila got a Saturday morning call from late owner Mike Ilitch, informing him he

Tony Paul   | The Detroit News You can debate about whether the Detroit Tigers’ rebuild made progress in 2020. But the increased interest from the fans was evident in the television ratings for Fox Sports Detroit, which saw a 10% increase in Metro Detroit households tuning in and 7% growth in overall viewership from 2019.

Lynn Henning   | The Detroit News Been a while since the old — make that young — gang convened. Seven months, to be precise. But they were back Saturday at TigerTown’s baseball fields. Back at the bullpen layout where a half-dozen pitchers can throw at a single time. Back at the weight-training complex that’s about

Beth Harris  |  Associated Press Los Angeles — Ron Perranoski, the left-handed ace of the Los Angeles Dodgers’ bullpen who helped them win a pair of World Series championships in the 1960s, has died. He was 84. He died Friday night at his home in Vero Beach, Florida, of complications from a long illness, his

Bob Wojnowski   | The Detroit News And now, it’s time to get serious. It’s time for the Tigers, who haven’t contended for anything in four years, to start aligning legitimate pieces. They didn’t gain much clarity during the shortened pandemic season, and the rebuild didn’t get any smoother. But the next move by GM Al

Chris McCosky   | The Detroit News Detroit — It’s far too early for Tigers general manager Al Avila to tip his hand about his plans for this offseason. The Tigers, who presently have only Miguel Cabrera’s $30 million in committed salaries for 2021, will have money to spend. But an uncertain economic landscape — coming off a

Chris McCosky   | The Detroit News Detroit — Don’t hold your breath waiting for the Tigers to hire a new manager. It’s going to take a minute. “We are still collecting names,” general manager Al Avila said Friday in his post-season Zoom conference. “I have long list of names. We will do our research and whittle it down

Chris McCosky   | The Detroit News Go through the gallery to see The Detroit News’ progress report for the Detroit Tigers’ 2020 season, compiled by Chris McCosky. Click here if you have trouble viewing the gallery. Detroit — How do you contextualize the performance of baseball players in a 58-game sample size? Well, you don’t. The structure of a Major

Chris McCosky   | The Detroit News Detroit — Ilitch Holdings Inc. announced a realignment of business operations Wednesday that includes temporary furloughs and layoffs. The move comes after six months paying salaries and benefits for all employees of the Detroit Tigers and Red Wings, and at the Fox Theatre, despite the cancellation of more than 200 sporting

Lynn Henning   | The Detroit News Rather than getting stoked for October’s playoffs, which in olden baseball days (2006-14) was a Tigers habit, Detroit again is left to get its postseason thrills and chills from an MLB Draft countdown. It’s not exactly seeing Magglio hoist one into the heavens to earn the Tigers a World

Chris McCosky   | The Detroit News Detroit — Tigers general manager Al Avila and his staff face maybe the most difficult and unusual offseason since the rebuild started — and that’s saying something. Even though the club saved a ton of money paying prorated salaries this season, and the contracts of free agents-to-be Jordan Zimmermann, C.J. Cron, Jonathan

Chris McCosky   | The Detroit News Kansas City, Mo. — You had to do a double take when the Tigers released the starting lineup for Sunday’s season finale. A name was missing. A name that had been on the lineup card in all 57 games and in the starting lineup for 56 of them. Miguel Cabrera was

Chris McCosky   | The Detroit News Kansas City, Mo. — This really was the only way this oddball season could end — in the rain and unsure whether the last game on the 2020 schedule was going to be, in fact, the last game. The Tigers boarded their flight back to Detroit Sunday afternoon after a 3-1

Lynn Henning   | The Detroit News Finally, last week, he got home. To his place in Tampa. And all after some tough months in Detroit and Toledo. This week, it’s back to Lakeland, Florida, for Tigers instructional camp and for another shot at joining, maybe by next season, a Tigers rotation that for three years

Chris McCosky   | The Detroit News Kansas City, Mo. – That Miguel Cabrera wants to play some first base next season, that he detests the role of permanent designated hitter, has been well known for a couple of years now within the organization. He reiterated his desire to play defense again on Saturday. “I miss

Chris McCosky   | The Detroit News Kansas City, Mo. – Spencer Turnbull is done apologizing for it. If his quirkiness, his rituals, his mental and physical health regimens, whatever it is that maybe doesn’t conform to somebody else’s idea of professional normalcy, well, too bad. Because if Turnbull learned nothing else in this truncated, outlier

Chris McCosky   | The Detroit News Kansas City, Mo. – It’s Lloyd McClendon’s job now to answer questions about Miguel Cabrera’s “struggles.” They used to drive Ron Gardenhire a little nuts. “Look,” he’d say. “There are a lot of things I worry about with this club. Miguel Cabrera isn’t one of them. The guy is

Chris McCosky   | The Detroit News Kansas City, Mo. – When Matthew Boyd took the mound in the fourth inning Saturday, he might’ve thought he walked onto a different field. Playing first base was his catcher – Austin Romine. Brandon Dixon was suddenly at second base. His second baseman was at shortstop. Eric Haase was now