Tigers’ Road Trip Reveals Surprising Vulnerabilities and Hidden Powers—What’s Next?

In the early going, Colt Keith and Dillon Dingler have been excellent, both showing some signs of building on their 2025 campaigns. Riley Greene and Spencer Torkelson, who are needed to provide plenty of power and run production, have scuffled. Kerry Carpenter meanwhile, has started off the year in a deep funk, striking out 12 times in just 25 plate appearances.

Obviously the Tigers need those three bats to give the Tigers similar production to last year, at a minimum. You’d love the three to be more consistent as well, but there aren’t many in the game, even among “All-Star” caliber hitters, who bang out good production month after month without any slumps during a baseball season. As long as they combine for 80 homers or more with a good combined on-base percentage, the Tigers’ run production will be in a good place. Likewise, a really bad year from one of them could really undercut the offense.

Torkelson really seemed to settle into his major league groove last season, avoiding the catastrophic slumps that plagued him from 2022-2024. He’s also the one with the most disciplined approach and should benefit somewhat more from the ABS challenge system than the rest. Of course, he’s got to use those challenges wisely to get the most of it, and that’s a unique new skill introduced to MLB this season.

Greene I just don’t worry about except physically. He’d trended steadily better and better through four seasons in the league until falling apart in the second half last year. At age 25, he’s just into what should be his prime years, but he also lost another step in the speed department last year. If you’re feeling worried about Greene’s ability to get back on track at the plate, that’s fair. I’m not, but it is at least clear that his defensive value has slipped considerably and there’s no injury to pin it on. Seeing Hinch pinch-run Jahmai Jones for Greene in the top of the ninth on Wednesday was just another signal that Greene’s once modestly above average speed is gone and that’s going to continue to ding his defensive profile.