The Detroit Tigers have made their managerial hire, bringing aboard a man with plenty of recent success, and plenty of notoriety.
Jon Morosi of MLB Network reported the Tigers have signed former Houston Astros skipper A.J. Hinch to be the team's next manager. Morosi reported he is signing a multiyear deal.
OFFICIAL: #Tigers hire A.J. Hinch as manager. He has signed a multiyear contract. @MLB @MLBNetwork
— Jon Morosi (@jonmorosi) October 30, 2020
Hinch issued a statement following his hiring, thanking the Ilitch family and Tigers general manager Al Avila for bringing him on.
The former catcher continued, calling 2020 the “most difficult” year of his life and also alluding to his involvement in the Astros' sign-stealing scandal. He concluded by underlining his excitement at taking the helm of the Tigers ball club.
A.J. Hinch statement #Tigers pic.twitter.com/s1xtEMVZjB
— Mark Feinsand (@Feinsand) October 30, 2020
Hinch was one of the most successful managers of the last decade.
The Iowan was hired by the Astros ahead of the 2015 season, leading Houston to within a game of reaching the World Series. But Hinch would eventually have his moment.
Houston missed the playoffs in 2016, but the young core put everything together in 2017 en route to the first World Series title in franchise history. He would then guide the Astros back to the ALCS in 2018 and another World Series trip in 2019.
But Hinch's MLB future would get somewhat murky following revelations of the team's sign-stealing scandal during the 2017 campaign. Hinch and former Astros GM Jeff Luhnow were fired by owner Jim Crane, and Hinch was also suspended for a year by Major League Baseball.
However, Hinch was regarded as a top candidate to fill any number of managerial openings this offseason, and he has a new home in Detroit.
This will be a different challenge for Hinch, given the Tigers are in the midst of a rebuild. Nevertheless, he appears to be welcoming the opportunity.
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