The Detroit Tigers are having one of the best seasons in franchise history, and are currently in a tight race for the top seed in the American League.
One thing that is absent in the Tigers' lineup is a strong right-handed slugger. They have all the talent from the left side with Riley Greene, Kerry Carpenter, and Colt Keith. Javy Baez has struggled mightily over the last two months, and Gleyber Torres is really the only right-handed presence in that lineup. Following the 2025 season, the Tigers have a chance to make a huge splash in the free agent market.
2026 lineup prediction features Eugenio Suarez
Eugenio Suárez was traded from the Arizona Diamondbacks to the Seattle Mariners after a torrid first half of the 2025 season. His power numbers with Seattle have slowed down a bit, but the 34-year-old slugger has proved his worth this season by smashing 45 home runs. He's also expected to hit the free agent market following the season.
In a recent Bleacher Report prediction piece, Eugenio Suárez lands in the Tigers' 2026 Opening Day lineup as the cleanup hitter.
The lineup prediction also features Gleyber Torres being out of the lineup, and that is anticipating that he also hits the free agent market and signs elsewhere.
If the Tigers do lose Torres in free agency, that puts more pressure on Detroit's front office to make a big splash in order to continue competing in the American League in the coming years. As indicated, the Tigers have many capable and productive left-handed bats, but the Opening Day lineup prediction shows that Detroit's lineup needs a balance with a strong right-handed bat in the middle of the order.
Suárez is hitting .236 this season, but has an OPS+ of 132, 109 RBIs, and is slugging .547 in 140+ games.
There's no doubt that Suárez will be one of the big sweepstakes this Winter, and the idea is that Detroit will steadily be in the market and race until he ultimately makes his decision.