Even us ‘90s kids have seen some bad Detroit Tigers teams over the years, though few have been more disappointing than the 2026 club.
Not only were the Tigers expected to compete for another AL Central crown, but they were considered a dark horse team to win their first pennant since 2012. Instead, Sunday’s 8-1 loss to the rival White Sox ended any outside hopes of A.J. Hinch’s club making its third consecutive playoff appearance.
With six games left, the 73-83 Tigers will at least avoid hitting the 90-loss mark. That’s not much of a consolation, though, and many of the team’s veterans shoulder the blame for an ugly season in the Motor City. Did you know that the Tigers’ Pythagorean win-loss record is 85-71 entering Monday?
In a decision that might generate debate, we’ve omitted Justin Verlander from this list. The expectations for him shouldn’t have been overly high, and he’s fought hard to recover from hip and hamstring problems. He’s expected to make his final MLB appearance against the Pirates this coming weekend, and we expect a heartwarming atmosphere around Comerica Park.
Should Detroit Tigers fans blame Scott Harris for the team’s disappointing 2026 season?
Objectively speaking, most of Harris’ notable moves haven’t entirely backfired. Kevin McGonigle fell to Detroit in the 2023 draft’s second round, and he’s widely expected to be the AL Rookie of the Year recipient. Veteran second baseman Gleyber Torres has been solid when he’s been healthy over the last two years, and we won't even hold the Verlander signing against Harris.
We must also reiterate that Harris inherited Javier Báez, who has indisputably been one of the worst free agent signings in Tigers history. And although he drew significant pushback for the seemingly underwhelming return for Tarik Skubal, the early returns haven’t been awful on the Tigers’ end.
Top outfield prospect Zyhir Hope has an .822 OPS in nearly 150 plate appearances at Double-A Erie, and we’ll see whether he contends for an Opening Day spot next spring. River Ryan will make his Tigers debut when he starts against the Nationals on Monday night, though Brady Scott has missed much of the last month-plus with an arm injury.
We’ve seen far worse performances by lead baseball executives this year, and Harris shouldn’t warrant being the scapegoat. But you know what they say about deserving…
Framber Valdez, SP
The most significant black mark against Valdez is his three-year, $115 million contract. Had he been a veteran who’d signed a two-year deal worth $30 million, it’d have been easy for the Tigers to accept his 4.06 ERA and diminished strikeout rate. By no means would they have been encouraged heading into 2027, but the context of someone’s salary matters.
Valdez is due nearly $43 million next season and has a $35 million player option for 2028. We'd be shocked if he doesn't opt into the latter year, but could the Tigers possibly dump his salary elsewhere? Probably not, seeing as he also has a $40 million mutual option for 2029.
When you factor in Valdez’s suspension for allegedly throwing at Red Sox shortstop Trevor Story and the subsequent accusations of immaturity, we’re not exactly optimistic about how he’ll fare next year.
Javier Báez, SS/CF
How bad has Báez been in a Tigers uniform, you ask? He's managed just 0.8 bWAR since the start of 2023, and he has a .606 OPS in that time. Across a full 162-game season, the three-time All-Star would have averaged 12 home runs, 69 RBIs, a .262 on-base percentage, and 0.3 bWAR.
This year has been a complete disaster, with an ankle problem costing Báez several months on the injured list. He’s provided Detroit with -0.8 bWAR in nearly 200 plate appearances, and his five walks against 38 strikeouts aren’t exactly encouraging about what lies ahead.
If Báez still has any diehard fans, please step up to the podium. He has one year left on his contract, and his $24 million salary might guarantee he remains in Detroit for the foreseeable future.
Matt Vierling, CF
Vierling lacks the kind of lucrative contract that Valdez and Báez signed, but he’s right alongside the latter among the team’s lowest bWAR scores. The 30-year-old center fielder managed -0.9 bWAR and a .590 OPS in 291 plate appearances before groin and heel injuries prematurely ended his season.
At this point, we’re not sure why Harris — or his potential replacement — would keep Vierling around. He's been worth -1.1 bWAR in only 122 games since the start of last year, so claiming that he lacks value is the understatement of the month.
Zach McKinstry, RF/SS
Of the four players on our list, McKinstry leads the pack with 1.5 bWAR through 124 games. It's too bad that he's managed only 26 RBIs and a .584 OPS across 366 plate appearances. How do you have such a low RBI total with that many plate appearances? Even the argument about him usually hitting no higher than sixth doesn’t work, because we’ve seen plenty of No. 7 hitters have at least 60 RBIs.
Assuming that the Tigers plan to upgrade their outfield this winter, keep your eye on the Yankees’ Trent Grisham; the two-time Gold Glove winner played this year on the qualifying offer, and Detroit might be desperate enough in hoping he can replicate his 34 homers from last season.
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