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2020 Detroit Tigers season

The 2020 Detroit Tigers season was the team's 120th season. This was the team's third and final year under manager Ron Gardenhire, and their 21st at Comerica Park. The start of season was delayed by four months due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Tigers finished the season with a 23–35 record, ranking last in their division and third-worst in the major leagues, and missed the playoffs for the sixth consecutive season. For the second straight season, the Tigers pitching staff compiled the MLB's worst team ERA (6.37).

The Tigers franchise experienced a major loss on April 6 when Hall of Famer Al Kaline died at the age of 85. Nicknamed "Mr. Tiger," Kaline had been affiliated with the team for 67 years in various roles: first as a player, then as a broadcaster, and most recently, as an executive. The Tigers wore a No. 6 patch this season to honor him.

On September 19, manager Ron Gardenhire announced his retirement from baseball effective immediately, due to recent health concerns including stress, a bout with prostate cancer, and a stomach virus due to food poisoning. Bench coach Lloyd McClendon was named interim manager for the remainder of the season.

Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic

On March 12, 2020, MLB announced that because of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the start of the regular season would be delayed by at least two weeks in addition to the remainder of spring training being cancelled. Four days later, it was announced that the start of the season would be pushed back indefinitely due to the recommendation made by the CDC to restrict events of more than 50 people for eight weeks.

On June 23, commissioner Rob Manfred unilaterally implemented a 60-game season. Players reported to training camps at their regular season home stadiums on July 1 in order to resume spring training, which included only inter-squad games, and prepare for a July 23 or 24 Opening Day. In an effort to slow the spread of the virus, teams only played their own division and the opposite league's corresponding geographical division, e.g. the Tigers only played American League Central (40 games total) and National League Central (20 games total) opponents. Games were played behind closed doors, with artificial crowd noise played over loud speakers.

On June 24, two members of the Tigers organization (later identified as pitcher Daniel Norris and a coach) tested positive for COVID-19. Norris was later cleared to join the Opening Day roster.

The Tigers' August 3–6 series against the St. Louis Cardinals was postponed several times after 17 of the latter's members tested positive for COVID-19. Two of the games were eventually canceled outright.

Roster moves

Coaching staff

Releases

Signings

  • On December 8, the Tigers signed outfielder Jorge Bonifacio to a minor-league contract, with an invitation to spring training.
  • On December 12, the Tigers claimed pitcher Rony García from the New York Yankees organization in the Rule 5 draft.
  • On December 13, the Tigers signed catcher Austin Romine to a one-year, $4.15 million contract.
  • On December 18, the Tigers signed pitcher Shao-Ching Chiang to a minor-league contract.
  • On December 20, the Tigers signed pitcher Zack Godley to a minor-league contract.
  • On December 21, the Tigers signed first baseman C. J. Cron and second baseman Jonathan Schoop to one-year, $6.1 million contracts.
  • On January 4, the Tigers signed pitcher Alex Wilson to a minor-league contract, with an invitation to spring training.
  • On January 6, the Tigers signed pitcher Michael Fulmer to a one-year, $2.8 million contract, avoiding arbitration.
  • On January 10, the Tigers avoided arbitration when they reached one-year deals with pitchers Matthew Boyd ($5.3 million), Buck Farmer ($1.15 million) and Daniel Norris ($2.962 million), and outfielder JaCoby Jones ($1.575 million).
  • On January 13, the Tigers signed pitcher Iván Nova to a one-year, $1.5 million contract.
  • On January 22, the Tigers signed pitcher Hector Santiago to a minor-league contract, with an invitation to spring training.
  • On January 30, the Tigers signed shortstop Jordy Mercer to a minor-league contract, with an invitation to spring training.
  • On February 12, the Tigers signed outfielder Cameron Maybin to a one-year, $1.5 million contract which could increase to $2.8 million with bonuses.
  • On August 31, the Tigers claimed pitcher Dereck Rodríguez off waivers from the San Francisco Giants.

Trades

Season standings

American League Central

Record against opponents

American League Wild Card

Season highlights

Individual accomplishments

Pitching

Hitting

Team accomplishments

Hitting

  • On August 8 against the Pittsburgh Pirates, the Tigers hit four home runs in the first inning for the first time since 1974, and the first time the Tigers hit four home runs in any inning since 2013. This was the first time an MLB team accomplished this since the Kansas City Royals in 2018. The Tigers hit three consecutive home runs in an inning for the first time since 2017.

Other

  • On August 21, the Tigers ended a franchise-record 20-game losing streak against the Cleveland Indians, winning 10–5. Only one MLB team has had a longer losing streak against another team, that being the Kansas City Royals who lost 23 straight to the Baltimore Orioles between May 10, 1969, and August 2, 1970.

Game log

|- style="background:#fbb;" | 1 || July 24 || @ Reds || 1–7 || Gray (1–0) || Boyd (0–1) || — || 0–1 || L1 |- style="background:#cfc;" | 2 || July 25 || @ Reds || 6–4 || Farmer (1–0) || Iglesias (0–1) || Jiménez (1) || 1–1 || W1 |- style="background:#cfc;" | 3 || July 26 || @ Reds || 3–2 || Cisnero (1–0) || Lorenzen (0–1) || Jiménez (2) || 2–1 || W2 |- style="background:#fbb;" | 4 || July 27 || Royals || 6–14 || Griffin (1–0) || Funkhouser (0–1) || — || 2–2 || L1 |- style="background:#cfc;" | 5 || July 28 || Royals || 4–3 || Alexander (1–0) || Zuber (0–1) || Jiménez (3) || 3–2 || W1 |- style="background:#cfc;" | 6 || July 29 || Royals || 5–4 || Garcia (1–0) || Kennedy (0–1) || Jiménez (4) || 4–2 || W2 |- style="background:#fbb;" | 7 || July 30 || Royals || 3–5 || Holland (1–0) || Cisnero (1–1) || Rosenthal (1) || 4–3 || L1 |- style="background:#cfc;" | 8 || July 31 || Reds || 7–2 || Turnbull (1–0) || Castillo (0–1) || — || 5–3 || W1 |-

|- bgcolor="bbbbbb" | — || August 1 || Reds || colspan="9" | Postponed (inclement weather). Rescheduled to August 2. |- style="background:#fbb;" | 9 || August 2 || Reds || 3–4 <small>(7)</small> || Iglesias (1–1) || Jiménez (0–1) || — || 5–4 || L1 |- style="background:#fbb;" | 10 || August 2 || Reds || 0–4 <small>(7)</small> || Bauer (1–0) || Norris (0–1) || — || 5–5 || L2 |- style="background:#bbb;" | — || August 3 || Cardinals || colspan="9" | Postponed (Cardinals' COVID-19 outbreak). Rescheduled to September 28. |- style="background:#bbb;" | — || August 4 || Cardinals || colspan="9" | Postponed (Cardinals' COVID-19 outbreak). Rescheduled to September 28. |- style="background:#bbb;" | — || August 5 || @ Cardinals || colspan="9" | Postponed (Cardinals' COVID-19 outbreak). Rescheduled to September 10. |- style="background:#bbb;" | — || August 6 || @ Cardinals || colspan="9" | Postponed (Cardinals' COVID-19 outbreak). Rescheduled to September 10. |- style="background:#cfc;" | 11 || August 7 || @ Pirates || 17–13 <small>(11)</small> || Garcia (2–0) || Neverauskas (0–2) || — || 6–5 || W1 |- style="background:#cfc;" | 12 || August 8 || @ Pirates || 11–5 || Nova (1–0) || Holland (0–1) || — || 7–5 || W2 |- style="background:#cfc;" | 13 || August 9 || @ Pirates || 2–1 || Turnbull (2–0) || Rodríguez (0–1) || Jiménez (5) || 8–5 || W3 |- style="background:#cfc;" | 14 || August 10 || White Sox || 5–1 || Norris (1–1) || Keuchel (2–2) || — || 9–5 || W4 |- style="background:#fbb;" | 15 || August 11 || White Sox || 4–8 || Foster (2–0) || Alexander (1–1) || — || 9–6 || L1 |- style="background:#fbb;" | 16 || August 12 || White Sox || 5–7 || Cease (3–1) || Boyd (0–2) || Colomé (5) || 9–7 || L2 |- style="background:#fbb;" | 17 || August 14 || Indians || 5–10 || Civale (2–2) || Nova (1–1) || — || 9–8 || L3 |- style="background:#fbb;" | 18 || August 15 || Indians || 1–3 || Bieber (4–0) || Turnbull (2–1) || Hand (5) || 9–9 || L4 |- style="background:#fbb;" | 19 || August 16 || Indians || 5–8 || Pérez (1–0) || Schreiber (0–1) || — || 9–10 || L5 |- style="background:#fbb;" | 20 || August 17 || @ White Sox || 2–7 || Heuer (1–0) || Boyd (0–3) || — || 9–11 || L6 |- style="background:#fbb;" | 21 || August 18 || @ White Sox || 4–10 || Cease (4–1) || Skubal (0–1) || — || 9–12 || L7 |- style="background:#fbb;" | 22 || August 19 || @ White Sox || 3–5 || Marshall (1–1) || Soto (0–1) || Colomé (6) || 9–13 || L8 |- style="background:#fbb;" | 23 || August 20 || @ White Sox || 0–9 || Giolito (2–2) || Turnbull (2–2) || — || 9–14 || L9 |- style="background:#cfc;" | 24 || August 21 ||@ Indians || 10–5 || García (1–0) || Plutko (1–2) || — || 10–14 || W1 |- style="background:#fbb;" | 25 || August 22 ||@ Indians || 1–6 || McKenzie (1–0) || Boyd (0–4) || — || 10–15 || L1 |- style="background:#cfc;" | 26 || August 23 ||@ Indians || 7–4 || Norris (2–1) || Carrasco (2–3) || – || 11–15 || W1 |- style="background:#fbb;" | 27 || August 24 || Cubs || 3–9 || Mills (3–2) || Mize (0–1) || — || 11–16 || L1 |- style="background:#cfc;" | 28 || August 25 || Cubs || 7–1 || Turnbull (3–2) || Chatwood (2–2) || — || 12–16 || W1 |- style="background:#cfc;" | 29 || August 26 || Cubs || 7–6 || Jiménez (1–1) || Tepera (0–1) || — || 13–16 || W2 |- bgcolor="bbbbbb" | — || August 27 || Twins || colspan=7 | Postponed (strikes due to shooting of Jacob Blake); Rescheduled to August 28. |- bgcolor="bbbbbb" | — || August 28 || Twins || colspan="9" | Postponed (inclement weather). Rescheduled to August 29. |- bgcolor="bbbbbb" | — || August 28 || Twins || colspan="9" | Postponed (inclement weather). Rescheduled to September 4 at Target Field. |- style="background:#cfc;" | 30 || August 29 || Twins || 8–2 <small>(7)</small> || Boyd (1–4) || Dobnak (5–2) || — || 14–16 || W3 |- style="background:#cfc;" | 31 || August 29 || Twins || 4–2 <small>(7)</small> || Skubal (1–1) || Duffey (1–1) || Soto (1) || 15–16 || W4 |- style="background:#cfc;" | 32 || August 30|| Twins || 3–2 || Alexander (2–1) || Maeda (4–1) || Soto (2) || 16–16 || W5 |-

|- style="background:#cfc;" | 33 || September 1 || @ Brewers || 12–1 || Norris (3–1) || Lindblom (1–3) || — || 17–16 || W6 |- style="background:#fbb;" | 34 || September 2 || @ Brewers || 5–8 || Yardley (2–0) || Jiménez (1–2) || Hader (9) || 17–17 || L1 |- style="background:#fbb;" | 35 || September 4 || @ Twins || 0–2 <small>(7)</small> || Dobnak (6–2) || Boyd (1–5) || Rogers (8) || 17–18 || L2 |- style="background:#fbb;" | 36 || September 4 || @ Twins || 2–3 <small>(8)</small> || Romo (1–1) || Jiménez (1–3) || May (2) || 17–19 || L3 |- style="background:#fbb;" | 37 || September 5 || @ Twins || 3–4 || Alcalá (2–1) || Cisnero (1–2) || — || 17–20 || L4 |- style="background:#cfc;" | 38 || September 6 || @ Twins || 10–8 || Funkhouser (1–1) || Romo (1–2) || Garcia (1) || 18–20 || W1 |- style="background:#fbb;" | 39 || September 7 || @ Twins || 2–6 || Pineda (1–0) || Fulmer (0–1) || — || 18–21 || L1 |- style="background:#cfc;" | 40 || September 8 || Brewers || 8–3 || Turnbull (4–2) || Houser (1–4) || — || 19–21 || W1 |- style="background:#fbb;" | 41 || September 9 || Brewers || 0–19 || Burnes (3–0) || Boyd (1–6) || — || 19–22 || L1 |- style="background:#fbb;" | 42 || September 10 || @ Cardinals || 2–12 <small>(7)</small> || Flaherty (3–1) || Skubal (1–2) || — || 19–23 || L2 |- style="background:#cfc;" | 43 || September 10 || @ Cardinals || 6–3 <small>(7)</small> || Cisnero (2–2) || Gallegos (1–2) || Garcia (2) || 20–23 || W1 |- style="background:#fbb;" | 44 || September 11 || @ White Sox || 3–4 || Marshall (2–1) || Cisnero (2–3) || Colomé (10) || 20–24 || L1 |- style="background:#fbb;" | 45 || September 12 || @ White Sox || 0–14 || López (1–2) || Fulmer (0–2) || — || 20–25 || L2 |- style="background:#fbb;" | 46 || September 13 || @ White Sox || 2–5 || Cordero (1–2) || Turnbull (4–3) || Colomé (11) || 20–26 || L3 |- style="background:#cfc;" | 47 || September 15 || Royals || 6–0 || Boyd (2–6) || Junis (0–2) || — || 21–26 || W1 |- style="background:#fbb;" | 48 || September 16 || Royals || 0–4 || Singer (3–4) || Skubal (1–3) || — || 21–27 || L1 |- style="background:#fbb;" | 49 || September 17 || Indians || 3–10 || Bieber (8–1) || Mize (0–2) || — || 21–28 || L2 |- style="background:#fbb;" | 50 || September 18 || Indians || 0–1 || Plesac (4–2) || Alexander (2–2) || Hand (13) || 21–29 || L3 |- style="background:#cfc;" | 51 || September 19 || Indians || 5–2 || Cisnero (3–3) || Maton (2–3) || Garcia (3) || 22–29 || W1 |- style="background:#fbb;" | 52 || September 20 || Indians || 4–7 || Carrasco (3–4) || Boyd (2–7) || — || 22–30 || L1 |- style="background:#fbb;" | 53 || September 22 || @ Twins || 4–5 <small>(10)</small> || Rogers (2–4) || Garcia (2–1) || — || 22–31 || L2 |- style="background:#fbb;" | 54 || September 23 || @ Twins || 6–7 || Maeda (6–1) || Mize (0–3) || Romo (5) || 22–32 || L3 |- style="background:#fbb;" | 55 || September 24 || @ Royals || 7–8 || Hahn (1–0) || Alexander (2–3) || Newberry (1) || 22–33 || L4 |- style="background:#fbb;" | 56 || September 25 || @ Royals || 2–3 || Keller (5–3) || Turnbull (4–4) || Hahn (2) || 22–34 || L5 |- style="background:#cfc;" | 57 || September 26 || @ Royals || 4–3 || Boyd (3–7) || Hernández (0–1) || Garcia (4) || 23–34 || W1 |- style="background:#fbb;" | 58 || September 27 || @ Royals || 1–3 || Singer (4–5) || Skubal (1–4) || Hahn (3) || 23–35 || L1 |-|- bgcolor="bbbbbb" | 59 || September 28 || Cardinals || colspan="9" | Cancelled |-|- bgcolor="bbbbbb" | 60 || September 28 || Cardinals || colspan="9" | Cancelled |-

|- style="text-align:center;" | Legend:&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; = Win&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; = Loss&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; = Postponement<br />Bold = Tigers team member

Notes:

  • The Tigers were designated the home team for the makeup game from August 28.

Roster

Player stats

Batting

Note: G = Games played; AB = At Bats; R = Runs scored; H = Hits; 2B = Doubles; 3B = Triples; HR = Home runs; RBI = Runs batted in; AVG = Batting average; SB = Stolen bases

+Totals with Tigers only.

Pitching

Starters and other pitchers

Note: W = Wins; L = Losses; ERA = Earned run average; G = Games pitched; GS = Games started; SV = Saves; IP = Innings pitched; R = Runs allowed; ER = Earned runs allowed; BB = Walks allowed; K = Strikeouts

Bullpen

Farm system

See also

References

External links