DETROIT The start of the 2020 season has gone better for the Detroit Tigers than anyone could have reasonably imagined. With a quarter of their season in the books, the Tigers are squarely in the middle of the playoff hunt. Casey Mize #74 of the Detroit Tigers pitches during the Detroit Tigers Summer Workouts at Comerica Park on July 6, 2020 in Detroit, Michigan. JaCoby Jones #21 of the Detroit Tigers bats during game one of a doubleheader against the Cincinnati Reds at Comerica Park on August 2, 2020 in Detroit, Michigan. In a 162-game season with 10 playoff teams, the Tigers wouldnt have a prayer of making the postseason.

His comments Wednesday morning make it sound like the Detroit Tigers could be without him for a long time. Free agentsThere arent many free agents to choose from in the middle of the season, and the ones who are out there are free agents for a reason. The San Francisco Giants are buried behind the Los Angeles Dodgers, San Diego Padres and Colorado Rockies in the NL West and dont expect to compete in the near future. Brandon Belt #9 of the San Francisco Giants fields during the game against the Colorado Rockies at Oracle Park on September 24, 2019 in San Francisco, California. (2019 Getty Images)Belt has won two World Series titles in San Francisco, which could be attractive to the Tigers.

DETROIT The Detroit Tigers have placed slugging first baseman C.J. Cron on the 10-day injured list with a left knee sprain. Cron left Mondays game against the Chicago White Sox after taking a line drive off his knee in the top of the fourth inning. Cron #26 of the Detroit Tigers bats during game one of a doubleheader against the Cincinnati Reds at Comerica Park on August 2, 2020 in Detroit, Michigan. Willi Castro #49 of the Detroit Tigers runs the bases during an exhibition game against the Cincinnati Reds at Great American Ball Park on July 22, 2020 in Cincinnati, Ohio.

CINCINNATI, Ohio The Detroit Tigers have released their starting lineup for their first game of the 2020 season against the Cincinnati Reds. Matt Boyd will make his first Opening Day start after establishing himself as the teams ace in 2019. The starting lineup is the one most expected:Niko Goodrum, SS Jonathan Schoop, 2B Miguel Cabrera, DH C.J. He wasnt a good fit with the New York Yankees but appears to be back to his ace form in Cincinnati. Despite finishing in fourth place last year, the Reds enter 2020 as the favorites in the NL Central.

DETROIT The Detroit Tigers revealed their final 30-man Opening Day roster for the 2020 season Thursday, just hours before the noon deadline. The Tigers had most of their roster figured out before the second round of spring training began, but there was still competition for the final bullpen and reserve spots. They had on-and-off moments throughout summer camp, and the Tigers could have gone with higher upside choices such as Shao-Ching Chiang or Nolan Blackwood. MORE: Did we see the Tigers Opening Day lineup on Tuesday? Greiner, Lugo and Mercer earned the final three spots over more exciting options such as Willi Castro and Derek Hill.

CINCINNATI, Ohio Are the Detroit Tigers offering a glimpse of their full Opening Day lineup today during their first exhibition game against the Cincinnati Reds? LATEST: Daniel Norris cleared to rejoin Detroit Tigers after positive COVID-19 testAll nine of the teams presumed everyday starters are in the lineup for Tuesday nights game. Heres how the lineup breaks down:Niko Goodrum, SS Jonathan Schoop, 2B Miguel Cabrera, DH C.J. 2 and Cron at cleanup puts the teams two best hitters in the two most important lineup slots. The four new additions -- Schoop, Cron, Maybin and Romine -- give the Tigers much more power and depth throughout the lineup.

DETROIT The Detroit Tigers sent 19 players to their alternate training site in Toledo on Monday, leaving 37 players to battle for 30 Opening Day roster spots. READ: How will the Tigers fill their final rotation spots after the Jordan Zimmermann injury? Haase and Rogers were fighting for what figured to be two or three catcher spots on the roster. That means seven of these 13 players will also be sent to Toledo or the taxi squad, while six make the roster. Lets assume its 11, leaving four bullpen spots and two reserve spots open.

DETROIT It almost doesnt seem real, but one week from Friday is the start of what could be the strangest Detroit Tigers season ever. Roster makeupPredicting the roster for a team like the Tigers -- with so many unproven players fighting for jobs -- is tricky even in a normal year. READ: Here are the players included on the Detroit Tigers spring training rosterMLB expanded rosters by one spot before the pandemic, allowing teams to carry 26 players. He gave up way too many runs, but hes looked better in both spring training segments. Reyes was much better than Stewart during spring training in March, when the latter struggled to make any solid contact.

DETROIT The Detroit Tigers have offered live streams of their intrasquad games for about a week now, and while the rules are loose and the results come with an asterisk, its blatantly obvious this team is much better than a year ago. READ: Predicting the full Tigers 30-man roster one week before the season beginsBack in February, I predicted that the Tigers could be 15-20 games better than their 47-114 record this season. After watching the Tigers intrasquad games from Saturday through Thursday (five games total), here are five positive observations. Cron of a home run during the Detroit Tigers' intrasquad game July 13, 2020, at Comerica Park. Cron #26 (L) of the Detroit Tigers is greeted at home plate by teammate Jonathan Schoop #8 after he hit a home run during the Detroit Tigers Summer Workouts at Comerica Park on July 11, 2020 in Detroit, Michigan.

DETROIT Make no mistake about it: The Detroit Tigers drafted Riley Greene because of his skills at the plate. The Tigers drafted Greene No. 5 overall in 2019 because he projects to be an elite hitter, but during Mondays intrasquad game, it was his glove that stole the show. Greene drifted back to his right, timed his jump perfectly and snatched the ball before it could land in the bullpen. It looks like the Tigers have a future star waiting in the wing whenever Greene rises to the MLB level.

DETROIT This might be the most exciting time of the year for Detroit Tigers fans. Probability of being in actual Opening Day lineup: Keep dreaming! But the main reason hes included in this version of the Tigers lineup is his continuing ascent up the all-time leaderboards. Miguel Cabrera #24 of the Detroit Tigers looks on during Spring Training workouts at the TigerTown Facility on February 17, 2020 in Lakeland, Florida. Isaac Paredes #19 of the Detroit Tigers looks on during Spring Training workouts at the TigerTown Facility on February 18, 2020 in Lakeland, Florida.

DETROIT The Detroit Tigers have released their initial Club Player Pool, including 58 players who can participate in spring training. Schwindel was one of the nice success stories of spring training in March. Willi Castro could benefit from the extra roster spots, but Lugo feels like someone who could still end up on the outside looking in. ProspectsThese are the players Tigers fans are most anxious to see, and for good reason. Dingler made the cut just weeks after being the teams second-round draft pick, but hell likely just get some work in Toledo.