2021_Detroit_Tigers_season

2021 Detroit Tigers season

2021 Detroit Tigers season

Major League Baseball team season


The 2021 Detroit Tigers season was the team's 121st season and its 22nd at Comerica Park. This was the Tigers' first season under new manager A. J. Hinch following the sudden retirement of Ron Gardenhire on September 19, 2020.[1][2] The Tigers' season began at home on April 1 against the Cleveland Indians.[3] They sought to make the playoffs for the first time since 2014. On June 8, Comerica Park was allowed to return to operating at full seating capacity for the first time since 2019. The 2020 season was played behind closed doors due to the COVID-19 pandemic restrictions, and April and May games this year were limited to 8,000 fans.[4]

Quick Facts Detroit Tigers, League ...

The Tigers finished the season with a 77–85 record (third place in the AL Central division), and failed to make the playoffs for the seventh consecutive season. After beginning the season 9–24, the Tigers played over .500 the rest of the year (68–61).

Roster moves

Coaching staff

Releases

Signings

  • On November 20, the Tigers purchased the minor-league contracts of pitchers Joey Wentz, Matt Manning, Alex Lange and Alex Faedo, adding them to the 40-man roster.[14]
  • On December 10, the Tigers claimed outfielder Akil Baddoo from the Minnesota Twins organization in the Rule 5 draft.[45]
  • On December 14, the Tigers signed pitcher Ian Krol to a minor-league contract, with an invitation to spring training.[46]
  • On December 23, the Tigers signed catcher Dustin Garneau to a minor-league contract, with an invitation to spring training.[47] Garneau was released from his minor-league contract on July 15. He was then signed by the Colorado Rockies to a minor-league contract on July 22.[48] He was traded back to the Tigers and added to the active roster on August 18.[49]
  • On December 23, the Tigers signed pitcher José Ureña to a one-year, $3.25 million contract.[50]
  • On January 4, the Tigers signed pitcher Locke St. John to a minor-league contract.[51]
  • On January 5, the Tigers signed outfielder Robbie Grossman to a two-year, $10 million contract.[52]
  • On January 7, the Tigers signed pitcher Miguel Del Pozo to a minor-league contract.[53]
  • On January 12, the Tigers signed pitcher Michael Fulmer to a one-year, $3.1 million contract, avoiding arbitration.[54]
  • On January 15, the Tigers agreed to one-year contracts with all remaining arbitration-eligible players, including infielders Jeimer Candelario and Niko Goodrum, outfielder JaCoby Jones, and pitchers Joe Jiménez, Buck Farmer, Matthew Boyd, Daniel Norris and José Cisnero.[55]
  • On January 15, the Tigers signed international shortstops Cristian Santana to a $2.975 million contract and Abel Bastidas to a $1.175 million contract.[56] The Tigers also signed outfielders Carlos Pelegrin and Elian Riera, pitchers Joel Baez, Rayner Castillo, and Keni Salgado, and shortstops Jensy De Leon, Yimmy Diaz and Justin Rodriguez.[57][58]
  • On January 16, the Tigers signed pitchers Robbie Ross Jr. and Andrew Moore, first baseman Aderlin Rodríguez and infielder Yariel Gonzalez to minor-league contracts.[59]
  • On January 19, the Tigers signed pitcher Erasmo Ramírez to a minor-league contract, with an invitation to spring training.[60]
  • On January 29, the Tigers signed catcher Wilson Ramos to a one-year, $2 million contract.[61]
  • On February 1, the Tigers signed pitcher Derek Holland to a minor-league contract, with an invitation to spring training.[62]
  • On February 5, the Tigers re-signed second baseman Jonathan Schoop to a one-year, $4.5 million contract.[63][64] On August 7, the Tigers signed Schoop to a two-year, $15 million contract extension for 2022 and 2023, with a clause allowing an opt-out after 2022.[65]
  • On February 9, the Tigers signed infielder Greg Garcia to a minor-league contract, with an invitation to spring training.[66]
  • On February 10, the Tigers signed first baseman Renato Núñez to a minor-league contract, with an invitation to spring training.[67]
  • On February 12, the Tigers signed outfielder Nomar Mazara to a one-year contract worth $1.75 million plus incentives.[68]
  • On February 19, the Tigers signed pitcher Julio Teherán to a minor-league contract with an invitation to spring training.[69] On March 22, Teherán opted out of his minor-league deal. On March 24, Teherán was selected to the 40-man roster and signed to a one-year $3 million contract, plus a $1 million bonus if he starts 20 major league games.[70]
  • On February 28, the Tigers signed pitcher Drew Hutchison to a minor-league contract.[71]
  • On August 2, the Tigers claimed pitcher Nivaldo Rodríguez off waivers from the Houston Astros.[72]

Trades

Season standings

American League Central

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Record against opponents

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Updated with the results of all games through October 3, 2021.

American League Wild Card

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Season highlights

Individual accomplishments

Hitting

  • On April 1, Miguel Cabrera became the second Tigers player to record 350 home runs and 2,000 hits with the team, following Al Kaline.[75]
  • On April 4, Akil Baddoo hit a home run on the first pitch he faced as a major league player, off Aaron Civale of the Cleveland Indians. Baddoo became the ninth player in franchise history to homer in his first major league at-bat, and only the second player to do so on the first pitch, following George Vico who accomplished the feat on April 20, 1948.[76]
  • On April 5, Akil Baddoo hit his first career grand slam against Randy Dobnak of the Minnesota Twins. He became the first player in franchise history to hit a home run in his first two career games and the first player in MLB history to do so from the ninth spot in the batting order.[77]
  • On April 6, Akil Baddoo hit his first career walk-off hit, an RBI single off of Minnesota Twins' closer Hansel Robles. He became the first Tigers player with a walk-off hit within his first three major league games since Gabe Alvarez singled off Cubs reliever Dave Stevens on June 24, 1998. Baddoo is the first MLB player since at least 1900 with two homers, including a grand slam, and a walk-off hit in his first three games.[78]
  • On April 13, Akil Baddoo recorded his fourth home run of the season. He became the first player in franchise history to post four homers and 10 RBIs within his first eight games, and the first major league player to do so since Kyle Lewis in 2019. He also became the first Tigers player, and one of six players in MLB history, to drive in a run in at least six of his first eight career games since Don Ross in 1931.[79][80]
  • On June 1, Miguel Cabrera recorded his 400th career double with the Tigers, becoming the eighth player in franchise history to reach the milestone.[81]
  • Also on June 1, Jonathan Schoop and Eric Haase became the first Tigers teammates with multiple home runs in the same game since September 2017.[82]
  • On July 27, opposing catchers (Mitch Garver of the Minnesota Twins and Eric Haase of the Tigers) hit grand slams in the same game for the first time in major league history.[83]
  • On August 2, Eric Haase was named American League Rookie of the Month for July. He became the first Tiger to win the award since Brennan Boesch in 2010. In July, Haase posted a .265 average and a .627 slugging percentage, with nine home runs and 29 RBI.[84][85]
  • On August 22, Miguel Cabrera recorded his 500th career home run, becoming the 28th player in MLB history to reach the milestone, and the first player to do so as a Tiger.[86][87]
  • On August 27, Víctor Reyes hit a pinch-hit inside-the-park home run, becoming the first MLB player to do so since Tyler Saladino on May 14, 2018, and the first Tigers player to do since Ben Oglivie on June 2, 1976.[88][89]
  • On September 7 against the Pittsburgh Pirates, Miguel Cabrera passed Ichiro Suzuki to become the all-time MLB leader with 369 career hits in interleague play.[90] Cabrera had two more hits in that game, then went 4-for-4 against the Pirates the next night, increasing his interleague hit total to 375.[91]
  • Over a three-game stretch from September 7 to September 10, Cabrera had a hit in nine consecutive plate appearances before making an out. This marks the longest streak by a Tiger since Walt Dropo tied a major league record with hits in 12 straight plate appearances in 1952, and the longest streak by any major league player age 38 or older since Ty Cobb in 1925.[92]
  • On September 20, Miguel Cabrera recorded his 1,800th career RBI, becoming the 20th player in MLB history to reach the milestone.[93]

Pitching

Team accomplishments

  • On May 28–30, the Tigers swept the Yankees in Detroit for the first time since May 12–14, 2000.[97]
  • On June 30, the Tigers swept a doubleheader in Cleveland against the Indians for the first time since September 14, 1977.[98]
  • On July 28, the Tigers scored 17 runs in a game without a home run for the first time since 1961, defeating the Minnesota Twins 17–14. This also marked the first time in MLB history since 1900 that a team allowed seven home runs in a game, went homerless, and still won the game. All nine players who batted for the Tigers had a hit, run and RBI, marking the first time this has been accomplished since the California Angels in 1978.[99][100][101]
  • On August 7, the Tigers defeated the Indians in Cleveland, 2–1, marking the first time the team won a road game in Cleveland when scoring two runs or fewer since September 14, 1977.[102]

Game log

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Roster

2021 Detroit Tigers
Roster
Pitchers Catchers

Infielders

Outfielders

Manager

Coaches

Player stats

Batting

Note: G = Games played; AB = At bats; R = Runs; H = Hits; 2B = Doubles; 3B = Triples; HR = Home runs; RBI = Runs batted in; SB = Stolen bases; BB = Walks; AVG = Batting average; SLG = Slugging average

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Pitching

Note: W = Wins; L = Losses; ERA = Earned run average; G = Games pitched; GS = Games started; SV = Saves; IP = Innings pitched; R = Runs allowed; ER = Earned runs allowed; BB = Walks allowed; SO = Strikeouts

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Farm system


References

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