It's no secret that the Detroit Tigers are still in rebuild mode. And for the first time since 2019, they'll have a full 162 game slate to track their progress against.
With several new faces on the roster as well as a new manager, fans certainly are eager to see how their team will perform in 2021.
But if you talk 2B Jonathan Schoop, you'll certainly feel a whole lot more optimistic. In his words, they're “close” to being a competitive playoff team, and it's all based on team chemistry.
During an interview on MLB Network Radio, Schoop said the following:
“I think we're close, man,” he said. “We've got really good chemistry going on, a lot of young guys and some veterans. We just have to put it together and come out as a team and see how many ways we can win games.
“That's all that matters – games. This is a team game. I know everyone wants to do their own numbers, but if you play as a team, you achieve your goals. You have to find a way to win and if you win, that's good. Everyone's happy and doing good.”
Schoop was re-signed by the Tigers after a productive campaign in 2020, posting a stat line of 278/.324/.475 (114 wRC+) while racking up 1.4 WAR in 44 games. He'll certainly be leaned upon if Detroit is to achieve the goal as he stated of being competitive.
– – Quotes via MLB Network Radio Link – –
