The Detroit Tigers’ offense needs to improve, and it has undoubtedly been subpar to this point in 2022. The Tigers’ recent 14-7 win over the Texas Rangers looked alive, but otherwise, the team has to find ways to be better.
A few players have found ways to get the job done, but it’s been inconsistent overall. The only player who has been consistently hitting is Miguel Cabrera. The 39-year-old veteran is putting the ribbon on his big league career and has been one of the consistent hitters.
It’s embarrassing that Cabrera is the one piece of the offense that is performing. While it’s no shade about Cabrera, there must be some support around him, and having to bat him as the team’s clean-up hitter is tough to watch.
The Tigers’ offense needs to expect better; guys like Robbie Grossman, Jonathan Schoop, and Jeimer Candelario need to be better. For example, Schoop was one of the team’s better options in 2021 and has been a stellar bat for the Tigers, and in 2022 he looks lazy in the batters’ box.
The offense has been all over the map, and the only consistency is that they are objectively bad, and Cabrera is the only one who’s consistently getting things done.
Meanwhile, Cabrera is grinding out at-bats and getting the job done. He’s been exceptional, and while Spencer Torkelson’s performance has not been the most exciting, he’s getting the chance to learn from the best.
Detroit Tigers relying on Miguel Cabrera to hit fourth is sad.
Cabrera’s nearing the end of his big league career, one that is going to send him to the Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, New York. But, in the time that is left, he’s in a mentor role. With Torkelson starting the 2022 season in a Tigers uniform and Riley Greene making his debut, he’s going to show the youngsters the ropes.
To this point, he’s done an excellent job embracing this role, and his performance has been top-notch. In 2022, Cabrera has logged 220 plate appearances where he’s slashed .291/.327/.369 with ten extra-base hits and 22 RBI for the Tigers’ abysmal offense.
Cabrera has been far and alone the best producer in the team’s offense. He leads the team in RBI and has a 12-hit lead for most hits across all qualified Tigers hitters. It’s good for the best average, second-best on-base percentage, and second-best slugging.
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As the season continues, this has to change. While Cabrera can continue to produce at this level and be a solid member of the Tigers’ offense, the rest of the team must improve. Keeping Cabrera as the four-hitter or just in a clean-up/power-hitter role will not work.
That is where one of the team’s younger talents belongs, and continuing to bat Cabrera there, means that the team’s hitters are continuing to struggle. The Tigers’ offense has to shake off the struggles and start hitting because 39-year-old Cabrera is not the team’s three or four-hitter, even with how well he is swinging it right now.
Things have to change; one of the team’s youngsters needs to start surging, getting things going, and work some life back into this offense. Thankfully, Greene might be the spark the team has longed for.
For now, Cabrera will bat fourth and aim to keep up the quality performance while the rest of the Detroit Tigers’ offense drags behind him.
