Tigers' Opening Day roster coming into focus

LAKELAND, Fla. – Spring Training always seems long after a certain point. But rest assured, the time becomes short soon enough when decisions loom.

“Two weeks from today, we’re leaving [Spring Training],” manager A.J. Hinch said after Sunday’s 5-3 win over the Pirates at Joker Marchant Stadium. “We have to be aware of where we are on the calendar, because we’re not just going to flip a switch when the season starts.”

On the field, that means pitchers whittling down their arsenal to what they expect to win with in the regular season. It means hitters getting their timing down and solidifying their approach, rather than just trying to work on attacking a particular pitch or area of the field. Defenders need to shore up their communication and sharpen their relays. Baserunners need to ingrain the aggressive mentality that made Detroit such an opportunistic team last offseason.

Off the field, however, is where the toughest part stands. The Tigers don’t necessarily have to have their Opening Day roster set when they leave for the West Coast on March 23, and they probably won’t until the days and hours leading up to Opening Day on March 27 against the Dodgers in Los Angeles. But they should know by then whether center fielder Parker Meadows (upper arm nerve inflammation) is ready to begin the season or will open on the injured list, which will have a domino effect on the positional roster. They should also have a good idea about their starting rotation and whether they’ll have a sixth starter working out of the bullpen.

With still plenty of uncertainty, here’s a second try at an Opening Day roster projection, a month after the original version.

Catcher (2): Jake Rogers, Dillon Dingler
While Rogers remains the top choice behind the plate for his ability to work with the range of Tigers pitchers, Dingler has quietly had a strong all-around spring, staying true to his career pattern of figuring out each level after a first-year adjustment. The result is a pretty strong tandem.

First base (1): Colt Keith
Keith’s move to first has had a learning curve so far this spring, particularly with the footwork at the bag. But he’s putting in the work to get better, and the process has shown no impact on him at the plate.

Second base (1): Gleyber Torres
Torres has made an impression with a professional approach to his fresh start with a new organization. He could play a vital role near the top of Detroit’s lineup, particularly against left-handers.

Shortstop (2): Javier Báez, Trey Sweeney
Báez has shown no ill effects from last year’s hip surgery, particularly with his swing. But Sweeney has also shown strides at the plate. The Tigers will have to figure out how much playing time Báez, who has split time at short and DH this spring, is ready to handle in the field starting out.

Third base (2): Jace Jung, Andy Ibá?ez
Hinch noted over the weekend how Jung “is trying to do everything in one at-bat” to dig out from a slow start and needs to relax. He still has enough games to settle down and earn the job, but if he needs time at Triple-A Toledo, Zach McKinstry has shown he can handle the position.

Outfielders (4): Riley Greene, Wenceel Pérez, Kerry Carpenter, Zach McKinstry
Injuries to Matt Vierling and Meadows have remade this group, at least for Opening Day. If Meadows isn’t ready to open the season, Pérez is the Tigers’ best option in center barring an end-of-camp signing or waiver claim. If McKinstry goes to third, it would open a spot for Jahmai Jones as an extra outfielder and right-handed bat.

DH (1): Spencer Torkelson
Torkelson has set himself up for a comeback story with the strongest Spring Training of his career. He could split time at DH with Carpenter while also providing an experienced defensive option at first base.

Starting pitchers (5): Tarik Skubal, Jack Flaherty, Reese Olson, Jackson Jobe, Casey Mize
Nobody has let up in the competition for the final two spots in the rotation. The way Jobe, the No. 5 prospect in baseball, has pitched, the Tigers have to give him a shot at a full season and give themselves a chance at an extra Draft pick via the Prospect Promotion Incentive. Mize has rejuvenated his game with a hard splitter and assortment of sliders.

Relief pitchers (8): John Brebbia, Beau Brieske, Andrew Chafin, Jason Foley, Tyler Holton, Tommy Kahnle, Kenta Maeda, Will Vest
Maeda has a strong case for a rotation spot, but he showed last year he can handle a relief role. Chafin has a chance to reclaim his old role after a couple of rough outings for Sean Guenther.