The Red Wings’ search for a new general manager could end up tugging the Tigers into the middle of it.
Steve Yzerman’s “Yzerplan” didn’t deliver the way Detroit expected, and after his move to a different role in the organization, the Ilitches are now looking for someone to fill the vacant GM job. According to a report from the Detroit Free Press, they’re casting a wide net - but one of the leading names is already inside the family.
That name is Tigers general manager Jeff Greenberg.
The fit makes sense on paper. Greenberg already has NHL front-office experience, having served as associate general manager of the Chicago Blackhawks for a little over a year from April 2022 until September 2023, when the Tigers hired him. Before that, he spent close to a decade with the Cubs, working his way up to assistant general manager in 2020.
His track record in Chicago includes one of the Cubs’ best stretches in recent memory. While Greenberg was there, the team reached the playoffs five times and won its first World Series since 1908.
Detroit, meanwhile, has gotten a different version of Greenberg. Since taking over as Tigers GM in September 2023, he’s helped steer a franchise that had gone a decade without a postseason appearance into a regular contender. The Tigers have reached the ALDS in back-to-back seasons and are contending for a division title in 2026.
That hasn’t made him untouchable in the eyes of fans. Greenberg and president of baseball operations Scott Harris have taken heat for their roster moves, including the trade deadline and the lack of offseason bat acquisitions. But whatever the criticism, Greenberg has clearly been part of the Tigers’ turnaround.
And that’s what makes this Red Wings possibility so awkward. The Ilitches own both teams, which means moving Greenberg from one franchise to the other would leave them needing a new GM in baseball, too. It’s the kind of move that only makes sense if ownership decides one team matters more than the other.
If Greenberg ends up in the Red Wings’ front office, that decision will say plenty about where the priorities are.
In Other News...
Max Anderson Is Making Detroits Lefty Problem Harder To Ignore
The Tigers have found a little more offense in August, but the same old weakness keeps showing up when a left-handed pitcher is on the mound. That has made Triple-A standout Max Anderson worth a closer look, especially with the way he has been handling lefties in the International League and giving the organization another internal option to think about as the stretch run approaches.
Andersons production has been impossible to ignore in the minors, and it comes at a time when Detroit could use more balance in the lineup. The club is weighing whether he can eventually give them depth against left-handed pitching, which matters because the current mix has left that side of the matchup vulnerable and the Tigers would love a steadier answer before those games start deciding more of the season. [Read more 🡒]
Tigers Suddenly Have A Worrying Deadline Return Situation
Brady Smiths first few weeks in the Tigers system have already carried some real intrigue, and now they come with a bit of concern attached. The pitching prospect, acquired in the Tarik Skubal trade and ranked among Detroits better young arms, was making a High-A West Michigan start when things took an abrupt turn, with the trainer and manager both coming out after he was forced to exit early.
Smith lasted just 1.1 innings before the outing was cut short, a setback that immediately puts his status on the radar for a Detroit organization that is trying to keep tabs on every piece of its return. For a prospect the Tigers view as part of the future, any early arm issue is worth watching closely, and the next update will matter a lot more than the abbreviated box score. [Read more 🡒]