DETROIT – It was a rough first week for the Detroit Tigers, from postponements to losing a heartbreaker on Opening Day to being shut out twice by midlevel starting pitchers.
Tigers fans are expecting the 2018 season to be a long one, but that doesn't mean there isn't a reason to pay attention. While the organization begins a complete rebuild, many of the young players bear watching, as they could have an impact on the next competitive Tigers team.
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Three games have been postponed due to weather, but the Tigers did play five games. Here are some of the positive signs that came out of the 1-4 start.
Nicholas Castellanos on base 10 times
Nicholas Castellanos is expected to take a step forward for the Tigers this season, as he's 26 years old and batting in the heart of the order.
Through five games, Castellanos has already recorded seven hits, three of which went for extra bases.
He's also drawn three walks, giving him a .417 on-base percentage. While he's unlikely to finish the year with an OBP above .400, it's a positive sign that Castellanos is showing improved plate discipline.
In parts of six years, Castellanos has a career .315 OBP and has never drawn more than 41 walks in a season. He's slugged in the .490s for two straight years, so he could be a borderline elite offensive player with an improved OBP.
Strikeouts are still an issue, as Castellanos has six in 21 at-bats. But if he has a walk for every two strikeouts, he'll be in great shape.
Joe Jimenez back-to-back perfect outings
It's been a mixed bag so far for Joe Jimenez, but he proved he can get the job done on back-to-back days, which is critical for MLB relievers.
The Tigers' prized bullpen prospect struggled mightily in his first season, allowing 26 earned runs in 19 innings and more than two baserunners per inning. He only struck out 17 batters compared to nine walks in 19 innings.
He had a rough outing to start the year, allowing a hit and two walks in two-thirds of an inning against the Pirates. But he bounced back on April 1 and 2, retiring all five batters he faced.
READ: Should Daniel Norris be in Detroit Tigers' starting rotation?
Jimenez has yet to record a strikeout despite whiffing 241 batters over 167.2 innings in the minors, so the Tigers hope he starts missing more bats. All five outs were in the air -- three fly balls and two pop-ups.
He went to a three-ball count against three of the five batters and only one of the outs was recorded on fewer than five pitches, so there are clearly areas for improvement in the 23-year-old. But it's an encouraging sign that he prevented runs in consecutive appearances.
Dixon Machado extra-base power
In 166 at-bats last season, Dixon Machado hit five doubles for the Tigers. In 20 at-bats this season, he's already got three doubles.
Machado is a defensive specialist who was one of the Tigers' better prospects when the farm system was in shambles. Now that a total rebuild has started, the 26-year-old has to prove himself offensively to become a part of the organization's future plans.
Machado is viewed similarly to Jose Iglesias in terms of upside: he's a good middle infielder who showed some ability to hit for average in the minors but doesn't have any power. Right now, the Tigers are starting two middle infielders who could finish with an OPS (on-base percentage plus slugging percentage) below .650, which is a major offensive liability.
Even though Machado isn't going to hit the ball over the fence very often, he could make up for it by hitting doubles and drawing walks. So far, he's showing some positive signs.
Matthew Boyd's strong first start
When the Tigers traded David Price to the Blue Jays three years ago, the return haul looked promising. Now, the positivity is starting to diminish.
Daniel Norris has battled injuries and ineffectiveness the last two seasons, Matthew Boyd hasn't been reliable at the MLB level and Jairo Labourt was booted from the 40-man roster.
Boyd, 27, is the oldest of the three players, and it's nearing now or never time for the talented left-hander. Over the last two seasons, Boyd has shown signs of great potential, but he's also had his share of disastrous starts.
He passed his first test this year against the Royals, allowing just four hits and one run over six innings. Boyd isn't a great strikeout pitcher, averaging just 7.18 K/9, and he only had one strikeout in his first start. Still, Boyd only allowed four base runners over six frames, so the start was mostly positive.
Jeimer Candelario's plate discipline
The first five games have been tough for Tigers prospect Jeimer Candelario, but his ability to get on base even when he isn't swinging the bat well is a major positive.
Candelario, 24, is just 4-21 so far, but he's also drawn four walks compared to five strikeouts. As a result, Candelario has a .320 on-base percentage, which is a great sign for his numbers when he starts piling up base hits.
He had a .373 on-base percentage in more than a season's worth of games at Triple-A, so Candelario has a history of strong plate discipline. Young players often lose the ability to draw walks during slumps, so it's encouraging to see Candelario maintain one of the traits that attracted the Tigers in last year's Justin Wilson trade with the Cubs.
Candelario had a .404 OBP in 27 games with the Tigers last season, so when his bat heats up, he could be a worthy No. 2 hitter in the Tigers lineup.