The Detroit Tigers were perhaps the most unexpected team in Major League Baseball in 2024, as they finished with a record of 86 wins and 76 losses.
Although they finished third in the American League Central, the Tigers made their first postseason appearance since 2014 and beat the Houston Astros in the wild card series.
They eventually fell to the Cleveland Guardians in five games in the American League Division Series, but just making the postseason was a success for the organization.
MLB analyst Tom Verducci was asked if Tiger manager AJ Hinch has the most momentum heading into awards season as the AL Manager of the Year favorite.
“He should be,” Verducci said.
The Tigers won 24 of their last 34 games in the regular season and exceeded expectations in 2024.
Is AJ Hinch the favorite for AL Manager of the Year? pic.twitter.com/0eRkMq20ay
— MLB Network (@MLBNetwork) November 17, 2024
Hinch is the Tigers manager through 2021 after spending time managing the Astros from 2015-2019 and the Arizona Diamondbacks from 2009-2010.
With the Astros, Hinch won two American League touchdowns and one World Series, so he’s proven he knows how to win.
Hinch was able to lead the Tigers to the postseason for the first time in ten seasons, and that after a poor start to the season.
At the All-Star break, the Tigers had a lot of room to fill just to make the playoffs, but they finished the season winning 24 of their last 34 games to clinch a wild-card spot.
The Tigers are a young team with a very low payroll as their highest paid player is Javier Baez and he was injured late in the season.
Hinch and the Tigers will try to make the postseason again in 2025 and continue their hot streak that ended the 2024 season.
NEXT:
Tarik Skubal gets candid about the Tigers’ playoff run this season
