Play Ball! Tigers Host Red Sox on Chilly Opening Day

Writer Tom Gage says 2017 team has a chance to make the playoffs.

Comerica Park 040617 - pb

The 2017 Detroit Tigers expect to contend for the playoffs after missing the post-season last year. To get there, they’ll need to stay healthy. They’ll also need younger players such as Nick Castellanos and JaCoby Jones to perform well enough to help veterans like Justin Verlander and Miguel Cabrera. Baseball writer Tom Gage, who has covered thousands of Tiger games, tells WDET’s Pat Batcheller this year’s team has a good chance to make the playoffs.

“Any team that has Justin Verlander and Miguel Cabrera as its core players has a head start on many, many teams,” Gage says. “I don’t see the aging process taking over for either player yet.”

The Tigers finished 86-75 in 2016, eight games behind the Cleveland Indians in the American League Central Division. Detroit won four straight division titles from 2011-14. 

Author

  • Pat Batcheller is a host and Senior News Editor for 101.9 WDET, presenting local news, traffic and weather updates during Morning Edition. He is an amateur musician.