The Detroit Tigers enter the 2023 season without a ton of expectation. It's a far cry from where they were this time last season, where many had them pegged as a potential playoff contender.
The Tigers are not a playoff contender for the 2023 season. Detroit did next to nothing to meaningfully improve their league-worst offense from a year ago. A push from the Detroit Tigers toward the playoffs would come as a major surprise.
Then again, their 2021 season came as a major surprise. That season was the catalyst for the buzz surrounding the Motor City heading into last season. Who's to say they couldn't catch lightning in a bottle again?
If they are do shock the baseball world once more, they would need a few players to return to form. With that in mind, here are three players who need to have bounce-back 2023 seasons for the Detroit Tigers.
3. Detroit Tigers outfielder Austin Meadows
Austin Meadows dealt with a lot of things off the field that certainly affected his performance on it. In fact, he only played 36 games after a late Spring Training trade from the Tampa Bay Rays.
In those 36 games, Meadows failed to hit a single home run. The Tigers outfielder drove in 11 runs in those games, and hit for just .250. It was not a great return on investment for Detroit.
Meadows struggled a lot with injuries. And in August, he announced he was taking a step back to focus on his mental health. It takes a lot of strength to admit when you need help, and he should be commended for seeking that out.
Meadows says he feels a lot better these days and is in a better place mentally. Hopefully, that translates to a great season on and off the field for the Tigers outfielder.
2. Detroit Tigers first baseman Spencer Torkelson
Spencer Torkelson came into his rookie season with a lot of expectations, much like the team. Many believed him to be the top prospect in all of baseball at the time of his promotion to the majors.
However, things didn't play out that way. He played 110 games in the majors last season, hitting eight home runs and maintaining a batting average of just .203. Torkelson found himself down in Triple-A at one point last season.
Torkelson still has the potential to be a star for the Tigers in the future. However, he needs to regain his confidence, and he needs to establish himself as the long term answer at first base.
If Torkelson bounces back in 2023, it'll help his confidence and it'll keep him entrenched as that long term answer. If he can't bounce back, however, it could spell disaster for the Tigers.
1. Detroit Tigers shortstop Javier Baez
Javier Baez came to the Tigers in free agency after splitting 2021 with the Chicago Cubs and New York Mets. And while he was the team's best hitter last year, he still wasn't great.
Baez signed a six-year, $140 million contract with the Tigers before the lockout. In 144 games, El Mago hit 17 home runs, drove in 67 runs, and maintained a .238 batting average.
When Baez was on, he was a spark plug for the Tigers. However, he was incredibly streaky. He'd be hot one week only to be cold for the next two and a half weeks. That needs to change in the 2023 season.
Baez bouncing back is extremely vital for the Tigers if they have any designs on shocking the baseball world. If he can't, new President of Baseball Operations Scott Harris will have a decision to make regarding the future of the shortstop position.
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