5 DETROIT TIGERS

O/U WINS: 69.5

KEY PLAYER: A.J. Hinch.

Like Alex Cora, Hinch was suspended last year due to his involvement with the Astros’ signstealing malfeasance.

Unlike Cora, he ended up somewhere new.

Hinch never had a losing record in five years with the Astros. He is almost certainly going to have one this year, so improvement would be marked by successfully breaking in top prospects and upgrading the preparation standard for the team. PLAYER WHO’LL NEED TO STEP UP: Matt Boyd. The Tigers have young pitching coming, but it would sure help the present and perhaps the future if Boyd, Julio Teheran and Michael Fulmer could revive enough to potentially be trade chips.

NAME YOU’LL

GET TO KNOW: Riley Greene. So much attention is on Spencer Torkelson, who was picked first overall in 2020. But the bat that will probably arrive first is that of Greene, a leftyswinging center fielder. BIGGEST QUESTION MARK: How good are their three big pitching prospects? So much of the near future revolves around Matt Manning, Casey Mize and Tarik Skubal.

HOW IT’LL GO DOWN: Miguel Cabrera will bring interest as he tries for 500 homers (13 away) and 3,000 hits (134 away). But the key will be whether young starters break through and if Willi Castro and Jeimer Candelario show they are a legitimate left side of the infield.

PROJECTED LINEUP LF Robbie Grossman 3B Jeimer Candelario SS Willi Castro 1B Miguel Cabrera 2B Jonathan Schoop DH Nomar Mazara C Wilson Ramos RF Victor Reyes CF JaCoby Jones

ROTATION

LHP Matthew Boyd RHP Julio Teheran LHP Tarik Skubal RHP Jose Urena RHP Casey Mize