Detroit Tigers 2017 Team Preview

The Detroit Tigers had an eerily silent offseason in the hopes that the status quo is sufficient for one more playoff push.

If you don’t remember much about the Detroit Tigers this offseason, you are not alone. The Tigers essentially stood pat, hoping that a core of star players has enough left in the tank to return to the postseason for the first time since winning the AL Central each year from 2010-2013.

If you play fantasy baseball, particularly in an auction league, you may be familiar with the stars and scrubs approach. Here, you buy the best players you can and fill out your roster with borderline players. The idea is that the best players provide elite production while the rest don’t hurt you.

The Tigers and GM Al Avila seem to be bringing this approach to a major league roster. The Tigers are extremely top-heavy. The offensive core of Miguel Cabrera, Ian Kinsler, J.D. Martinez, Victor Martinez, Justin Upton and Nick Castellanos can rival the 1-6 hitters in any lineup when healthy. After that, though, the cupboard seems a little bare.

In the rotation, Justin Verlander had an excellent case for winning the Cy Young Award in 2016. Michael Fulmer deservedly won Rookie of the Year honors. Francisco Rodriguez continues to be a strong anchor in the bullpen. Beyond them, while there are certainly some players who can produce, there aren’t really any sure things.

The 2016 Tigers finished 86-75, second in the AL Central behind Cleveland and 2.5 games out of the Wild Card. Can essentially the same roster pick up the few games necessary to reach the playoffs one more time before an overhaul becomes necessary?