5. Detroit Tigers
The glory days from the beginning of the decade are long gone for the Detroit Tigers.
Although they were unable to win the World Series, the Tigers had one of the best rotations in baseball, and a stellar offense. Then, the pitching slowly disappeared, traded away or leaving in free agency. The offense got old, the glory days moving further and further into the past. Yes, Miguel Cabrera may remain, but he is a shadow of his former self.
Detroit imported the Pirates former double play combination, Jordy Mercer and Josh Harrison, on one year contracts this season. Nick Castellanos is still on the roster, despite being the subject of trade rumors all off season. However, the rotation and bullpen are littered with question marks, especially considering that Matthew Boyd is atop the rotation depth chart.
For the Tigers, a successful season may need to be measured differently than normal. If they are able to flip Mercer and Harrison, and possibly Castellanos, at the trade deadline for prospects, then Detroit will have gotten what they wanted from those additions. Likewise, if Boyd can continue to show progress, and Joe Jimenez can seize the closer role, the Tigers could have a few pieces for the future.
Chances are, the Detroit Tigers are still a few years away from contending. Right now, it is a matter of finding the pieces needed to build that contender in the future.