The Tigers don’t need to invent a new way to win. The template is already out there, and it’s built on a skill Detroit has largely left on the shelf: speed.
That’s the lesson from the Rays and Brewers, two clubs that keep showing how much damage a running game can do even in an analytics-heavy era. Tampa Bay stole 164 bases this year, tying for second in baseball.
Milwaukee wasn’t far behind at 162, good for fifth, and the Brewers also led the majors in average sprint speed. Neither team has ever won a World Series, but both have put themselves within striking distance by forcing defenses to hurry.
Detroit went the other direction. The Tigers finished with just 58 steals, ranking 29th and beating out only the Astros.
On a 76-86 team, that’s a lot of extra 90-foot chunks left untouched. Scott Harris has already said the Tigers are going to start stealing more bases, and the encouraging part is that the raw material is already in the organization.
Max Clark offers a big piece of it. He has a 70-grade run tool and went 21-for-23 stealing bases at Triple-A, even if he barely ran after his promotion.
Ben Malgeri’s sprint speed landed in the 91st percentile, and Kevin McGonigle led the club with 12 steals in 15 attempts. A.J.
Hinch has said he wants a “fear-based” attack that keeps pressure on defenses, and now it’s on the staff to turn that athleticism into a real weapon.
There’s more speed in the system, too. Peyton Graham set an Erie franchise record with 66 steals this year and is among the names Harris will consider before the Rule 5 deadline. If Detroit can grow that kind of ability internally, it won’t have to pay for it later.
If the Tigers do look outside the organization, there are fit options. Jazz Chisholm Jr. stole 41 bases and hit 19 homers for the Yankees, can play second base with Gleyber Torres headed for free agency, and is still only 29.
Randy Arozarena would bring the right-handed bat this lineup has been missing, plus 26 homers, 26 steals and a .381 on-base percentage this season. On the lower end of the price scale, Cedric Mullins is also in free agency after adding 21 steals to Tampa Bay’s track-meet season.
Speed won’t solve everything, and the Dodgers remain proof that a team can win without leaning on it. But for a young Tigers club, those extra bases can start piling up into runs, and runs are what get you to wins. The Rays and Brewers are making that case right now.
In Other News...
Tigers May Have A Cheaper Casey Mize Alternative In Sight
With the Tigers continuing to piece together the long view of their rotation, Michael Soroka is the kind of name that quietly starts to make sense. The right-hander is expected to hit free agency this offseason after a mutual option is likely declined, and his 2026 season gave him a different kind of appeal than the one he brought earlier in his career. He lowered his arm angle and reworked his pitch mix, leaning more on his sinker while adding a cutter to the mix.
For Detroit, the intrigue is less about flash and more about fit. Sorokas updated profile now points toward strikeouts and weak contact, traits that can play in Comerica Park and give the Tigers another possible path to stability in 2027. He may not be the loudest name on the market, but with cost always part of the calculus, he could emerge as the sort of under-the-radar rotation option teams like Detroit are built to chase. [Read more 🡒]
Tigers Rotation May Depend On One Forgotten Arm After Lost Season
After a season that saw Detroit lean hard on patchwork pitching because of injuries and trades, the rotation picture still has a familiar wildcard hanging over it. Olson missed the entire 2026 campaign while recovering from shoulder surgery, but he remains one of the more intriguing arms in the organization because of what he flashed in earlier major league seasons.
The Tigers are expecting him to be in the spring training mix for a rotation job, which gives the staff another potentially useful option if his arm is ready for a heavier workload. The catch is simple enough: Detroit does not yet know how much he can handle, and until that gets answered, his comeback remains one of the more important storylines for a staff still searching for stability. [Read more 🡒]
Tigers Fans Have A New Reason To Dream About A Big Bat
Teruaki Satos reported posting from Nippon Professional Baseball earlier this month has quietly opened another lane for teams hunting for impact offense, and Detroit is one of the clubs worth watching. A Triple Crown winner in Japan, Sato brings the kind of power profile that can change the conversation around a lineup, which is why his name is already surfacing as the free-agent market starts to take shape.
For the Tigers, the appeal is obvious: a big bat with real pedigree, and a chance to add an offensive centerpiece if the market breaks their way. There is still a wrinkle to keep an eye on, though, with speculation that he could push toward free agency before the collective bargaining agreement expires on Dec. 1, which would affect the timing around any pursuit. For now, Detroit is being mentioned as a potential suitor, not a team with anything official on the books. [Read more 🡒]