Detroit Tigers: 2016 Season in Review

Continuing our 2016 season review series, we take a look at how the Detroit Tigers just missed a postseason ticket, despite having one of the highest payrolls in MLB.

For the Detroit Tigers, the 2016 season was an improvement over their 2015 last-place finish, and yet, it was somehow almost more of a disappointment. Although the Tigers finished eight games back in the division, they were in contention for a Wild Card spot right up until the bitter end.

A pair of losses to end the season eliminated Detroit from the playoff race, marking the second straight year without October baseball in the Motor City. For most teams, that wouldn’t be bad, especially when considering this will be the third straight season that another AL Central team has competed in the World Series. For a team with a nearly $200 million payroll, though, missing the playoffs is unacceptable.

The Tigers finished 2016 with an 86-75 record, good for second place in the AL Central. The season included the resurgence of ace Justin Verlander, who seemed to finally make adjustments after a decline in velocity over the past few seasons. It also included the opportunity for rookies like Michael Fulmer to make their mark on a historic franchise.

The Tigers just never seemed to collectively get going in the right direction, especially within their division. They were 38-37 against AL Central opponents, despite three of those four teams finishing at or well-below .500.

So what were the best and worst aspects of the Tigers season? Let’s review.