5 questions Tigers must answer this offseason

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DETROIT -- The Tigers are heading into the offseason riding the momentum of their first winning season since 2016 and their first postseason series victory since ’13. It was a season that changed the perception of the franchise. And it will never feel that same way again.

Sounds depressing, but it shouldn’t be. While Detroit has momentum, it comes with the weight of expectation. The success the Tigers build from here is conditioned by the perception that this team is ready for the next step.

Manager A.J. Hinch and president of baseball operations Scott Harris know this as they head into Harris’ third offseason in charge. Even if they hadn’t made a postseason run, there would be additions, based on how much the club traded away in July. Armed with recent success, payroll flexibility and system depth, Detroit is talking about being aggressive.

“If there’s a talented player we have conviction on that fits how we play and fits our clubhouse, and he costs money, we're going to pursue them aggressively,” Harris said Monday. “If we find a talent we have conviction on that fits how we play and fits our clubhouse, that costs prospects, we've done a lot of work to restock our farm system and should have the prospects to be able to make a trade like that. And if we find a situation where a player … we have conviction on fits how we play [and] costs both money and prospects, well, we're prepared to do that, too.”

Here are five questions facing the Tigers this offseason:

1. Where can Detroit upgrade its offense?

Harris is keeping this open. The Tigers’ positional versatility, notably third baseman/outfielder Matt Vierling, allows them to get creative if need be to find a fit for the right bat. Preferably, that bat would be right-handed with some punch.

“I think positionally, we got a little left-handed toward the end of the year,” Harris said.

That said, Harris added, the Tigers believe their biggest boost is internal.

“Regardless of what we do this offseason, the majority of our growth has to come from within,” Harris said Monday. “There are too many young players on this roster that can and must improve this offseason.”

On that note …

2. Is Tork’s spot safe?

Spencer Torkelson's future could be the toughest conundrum of Detroit’s offseason. He was the No. 1 overall Draft pick in 2020 with majestic power potential who quietly put together some quality at-bats in the postseason, but he struggled to replicate his 31-homer season from ’23. Torkelson’s .248/.338/.444 slash line after his August return from Triple-A Toledo showed marginal improvement.

“Tork is one of several players that needs to have a big offseason,” Harris said. “We have confidence that Tork is every bit as talented and has a promising future, as he always has. We just have to find a way to get that complete hitter out of him.”

The free-agent market will have veteran sluggers at first base in Pete Alonso, Cody Bellinger, Paul Goldschmidt and Christian Walker. If Detroit wants to create competition while adding short-term depth, Carlos Santana, Rowdy Tellez, Josh Bell and Justin Turner will also be free agents following the conclusion of the World Series.

3. Can anything from “pitching chaos” translate into long-term planning?

The Tigers defied conventional thought by successfully stringing together openers, bulk relievers and bullpen games for two months. To do that for a full season would be a tougher task, and with a chance to restock their pitching, they aren’t likely to test it.

“That strategy suited the pitching staff that we had, especially in the second half,” Harris said. “It’s nice to have that tool in our tool belt that we could do that if we get to a point where we have a pitching staff that demands us to pursue that strategy in the future.”

Still, Detroit’s success using openers could change how it introduces young starters to the challenge of Major League hitters. If the top of an opposing lineup presents bad matchups for, say, Brant Hurter or Ty Madden -- even Jackson Jobe -- there’s now a precedent for using Tyler Holton or Beau Brieske or someone else to ease them into the right pocket of hitters.

If that becomes a more common practice, it potentially raises the workload for some relievers who will be coming off a long, arduous season. Holton threw 100 innings between the regular season and the playoffs. Brieske threw 95 innings between Detroit, Triple-A Toledo and the postseason. The Tigers might need to consider their relief depth as much as their rotation.

4. Will Tigers stick with a short-term approach to pitching?

Much like his previous job as Giants general manager, Harris has found success in signing rebound candidates on the pitching market, using Detroit’s coaching expertise to foster turnarounds, and then flipping those pitchers in trades. Now that the Tigers are contenders, the end goal has changed, even if the short-term focus has not.

“I hope we are an attractive destination,” Harris said, “both because we demonstrated we can help players get better here, but also we demonstrated what it feels like to be on a winning Tigers team here. … Anyone who was watching us play down the stretch should want to be here, and so I expect it to change the tone of the conversations that I have with players.”

5. Who fits best for an extension?

Tarik Skubal, Jake Rogers and Casey Mize are two years from free agency. Brieske, Vierling, Jason Foley and Will Vest are arbitration-eligible. Riley Greene and Kerry Carpenter have one more season before arbitration. Detroit shifted its approach last winter by signing Colt Keith to a six-year contract before he made his MLB debut. Now, the Tigers face more pressing discussions on who might fit for contract extensions before they get to their contract years.

“When I step back and I look at this team, we’ve got a lot of young players that we are really high on, really bullish about their futures,” Harris said. “They’re already going to be a together for a long time by nature of their service time. If we can extend the window for a lot of them, we’re going to try to do that.”