Tigers’ strengths and weaknesses were on display in opening road trip
Most of the preseason strengths and weaknesses of the roster were on display through two series.
Detroit Tigers pitcher Justin Verlander (35) walks off the mound during their game against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Chase Field on March 30, 2026. | Joe Rondone/The Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images For many years, fans of Midwest and northeast teams wondered why MLB didn’t schedule most early series in warmer weather. Now, for two seasons they’ve made it happen.
Just like the 2025 season, when they opened against the Dodgers and the Mariners on the road, the Tigers opening road trip has ended with a 4-2 record after a series victory over the Padres and then getting swept out of Arizona. Of course, we have the voice of Sparky Anderson in our ears this time of year, reminding us to give it 40 games before making any definitive conclusions about a team. Even that only tells you so much, as teams evolve and change throughout a season to an even greater degree than they did in Sparky’s day.
That would put up into the road series against division rivals in Kansas City from May 8-10 before the old skipper would say you really know the team you have for the season. Of course, the 2025 Tigers at the 40, 80, and even 120 game mark didn’t prepare us for the utter collapse of the club over the final five weeks of the season. Baseball.
Personally, while the 40-game thing makes sense as a quality sample before considering too much radical reaction, I’ve started to think more in terms of 10-game blocks, corresponding to two turns through the rotation. That also provides a little easy comparison with the old 16-game NFL schedule most of us grew up on. Thinking of it that way, the Tigers are down two scores early in the third quarter of their first game.
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