| 2003 Detroit Tigers | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| League | American League | |||
| Division | Central | |||
| Ballpark | Comerica Park | |||
| City | Detroit | |||
| Record | 43–119 (.265) | |||
| Divisional place | 5th | |||
| Owners | Mike Ilitch | |||
| General managers | Dave Dombrowski | |||
| Managers | Alan Trammell | |||
| Television | WKBD (Frank Beckmann,Jack Morris) FSN Detroit (Mario Impemba,Rod Allen) | |||
| Radio | WXYT (AM) (Jim Price,Dan Dickerson) | |||
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The2003 Detroit Tigers season was the team's 103rd season and fourth atComerica Park. Beginning with this season, they are nicknamed the "Motor City Kitties".[1] In one of theworst MLB seasons in the modern era since the1962 New York Mets, the team finished with a record of 43–119, which surpassed the1916 Philadelphia Athletics for the most losses inAmerican League history (though not for the worst winning percentage) and came within one loss of tying the 1962 Mets of the National League for the most losses in modern major league history at the time.[2] The team's 119 losses were the second most in the modern era and became the third most when the2024 Chicago White Sox lost their 121st game to the Tigers'2024 team, surpassing the 1962 Mets. The 2003 Tigers were also the only team to hold the record of 119 losses until the2025 Colorado Rockies tied this record.
The Tigers were outscored by 337 runs over the course of the season (928 to 591) and finished 47 games behind theMinnesota Twins. They were swept a total of 21 times while notching only eight series victories (by any margin) of their own. They were eliminated from playoff contention on August 22, the earliest elimination in the divisional era at the time, since surpassed by the2018 Baltimore Orioles and2024 Chicago White Sox.[3][2]
Blame for the dismal season was shared by both the pitching staff, which had an ERA of 5.30, and the batters, who finished with a team batting average of .240, 19 points below the American League's .259 batting average. However, 2003 was a nadir from which the Tigers recovered remarkably quickly, making theWorld Series in 2006 and avoiding another 100-loss season until2019.
Reeling from yet another terrible season in2002, Tigers management found themselves in a big hole: a farm system that wasn't producing, a big-league club with major deficiencies, and contracts being paid to veterans not playing to expectations; those who did produce –Juan Acevedo,Randall Simon, andRobert Fick - did not return for 2003. Leading the team was first-year manager, former Tigers shortstop, and future Hall of FamerAlan Trammell, who had a dilemma nearly everywhere on the roster, particularly the starting rotation.Gary Knotts, who had pitched mostly in relief in his career, was to be converted to a starting role; Detroit area nativeSteve Avery was looking to make a comeback after not pitching in two years; two untested rookies,Jeremy Bonderman – drafted straight out of high school – andNate Robertson - acquired in a trade forMark Redman to theFlorida Marlins – also vied for their chances to make the big-league rotation.
The results were disastrous. The Tigers lost their first nine games, won their first against theChicago White Sox on April 12, then proceeded to drop eight in a row to fall to 1–17. An almost non-existent offense accounted for most of the team's early season problems, batting just .228 as a team in the first half. To the surprise of many, their young corps of pitchers were performing better than expected and remained durable as the team struggled to score runs and the losses continued to pile up – 18 in May, 22 in June – with no reason to expect any change in fortune.
By the end of May, the Tigers were 14–39, 16.5 games out of first, and their season was all but finished. On August 30, after a 5–2 loss to the White Sox, the Tigers had lost 100 games for the second straight season; furthermore, they were gaining nationwide attention as they seemed a sure bet to break the infamous1962 Mets' record for most losses in a season. Looking for a spark from the farm system, players were constantly being shuffled back and forth between Detroit and nearbyToledo, where the team's Triple-AAA affiliate theToledo Mud Hens played. Unfortunately, the Mud Hens were not well-stocked, either, compounding frustrations for a team already in complete disarray. Meanwhile, the pitching staff, which had remained remarkably intact through the first half, finally collapsed;Mike Maroth lost 21 games, the first MLB pitcher to lose 20 games in a season sinceBrian Kingman lost 20 for the1980 Oakland Athletics, while Jeremy Bonderman lost 19 before Trammell mercifully pulled him from the rotation with two weeks remaining. Tigers' starters Maroth, Bonderman andCornejo were the top three pitchers in losses for the 2003 season, the only time in Major League history that one team had the top three losers in a season. Franklyn Germán had the most saves on the team, with five in limited opportunities.
By September 22, the Tigers had lost ten straight and 118 on the season. Just as they appeared likely to go into the record books for futility, the Tigers roared back to life and won five of their last six games to finish 43–119. While it was one game short of the 120 losses by the 1962 Mets, it was still the most losses in American League history and one of the worst seasons for a non-expansion team in modern baseball history. The final series of the season was particularly memorable against the division championMinnesota Twins, 48 games ahead of Detroit. The Twins sat their starters for almost all of the series in order to keep players rested for the playoffs. On September 27, in their next-to-last game, the Tigers came back from an 8–0 deficit to beat the Twins, 9–8 – on a strikeout wild pitch, an appropriate finish to a team that had struggled mightily all summer long. The Tigers then won the season finale, 9–4, to avoid tying the record and received a standing ovation from the crowd.
While the 2003 Tigers finished with what were at the time the third-most losses in major league history (behind the1899 Cleveland Spiders and 1962 Mets),[2] they fare slightly better based on winning percentage.[2]
As of 2023, the 2003 Tigers rank only as the 12th worst team in history based on winning percentage (minimum 120 games), but unlike the 2003 Tigers, most of the other teams usually described as the worst of all time were plagued by significant off-field troubles:
For this reason, the 2003 Tigers had been described as being possibly "the worst team of all time without a good excuse."
Designated hitter/left fielderDmitri Young was the one member of the 2003 Tigers to have a truly good year, with a .297 batting average, 29 home runs, and .537 slugging percentage. According to Win Shares, the Tigers would have had about six fewer wins without him.
On the pitching staff,Jamie Walker stands out as the one pitcher who had a good season. Walker appeared in 78 games (2nd most in the AL) and had an ERA of 3.32 (Adjusted ERA+ of 130).
Some blamed first-year managerAlan Trammell for the team's performance. However, the 2002 team was 55–106 under managerLuis Pujols and in short, Trammell inherited a team in shambles. The Tigers did not sign any significant new talent in 2003 and lost several key players from the 2002 team, including the team's best starter,Jeff Weaver, closerJuan Acevedo, second basemanDamion Easley, right fielderRobert Fick, and designated hitterRandall Simon. Dean Palmer, who had 275 career home runs, tried to resuscitate an injury-plagued career, but ended up retiring. Even with fellow 1984 teammatesKirk Gibson andLance Parrish on the coaching staff, Trammell could not turn the team around in 2003.
After the 2003 season, the Tigers acquiredIván Rodríguez,Carlos Guillén,Ugueth Urbina, andRondell White. With the infusion of new talent, Trammell was able to lead the start of the franchise's turnaround, as the team improved to 72–90 in 2004, a 29-game improvement over the 2003 season which was the largest single-season improvement in the American League since Baltimore's 33-game improvement from 1988 to 1989.
Three years after losing 119 games, theTigers went 95–67 and made it to the2006 World Series. The 2006 pennant winners featured 10 players from the 2003 team:Brandon Inge,Ramón Santiago (who spent 2004 and 2005 with theSeattle Mariners),Craig Monroe,Omar Infante,Mike Maroth,Jeremy Bonderman,Nate Robertson,Jamie Walker,Wilfredo Ledezma, andFernando Rodney. Dmitri Young was released in September 2006 following a number of off-field issues.
The loss record would not be threatened until2018, when theBaltimore Orioles went 47–115. A year later,the Tigers themselves would also threaten the mark—winning just 47 games. However, due to a cancelled game that reduced their season to 161 games, they only had 114 losses, meaning that Baltimore had the worst team of the 2010s.
In 2024, both the American League and MLB records were broken by theChicago White Sox. In ironic fashion, it was the Tigers who handed the White Sox their record breaking 121st loss—while capping a late-season 31–11 run and simultaneously clinching a spot in the postseason as a wild card team.[2]
| Team | W | L | Pct. | GB | Home | Road |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Minnesota Twins | 90 | 72 | .556 | — | 48–33 | 42–39 |
| Chicago White Sox | 86 | 76 | .531 | 4 | 51–30 | 35–46 |
| Kansas City Royals | 83 | 79 | .512 | 7 | 40–40 | 43–39 |
| Cleveland Indians | 68 | 94 | .420 | 22 | 38–43 | 30–51 |
| Detroit Tigers | 43 | 119 | .265 | 47 | 23–58 | 20–61 |
| Team | ANA | BAL | BOS | CWS | CLE | DET | KC | MIN | NYY | OAK | SEA | TB | TEX | TOR | NL | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Anaheim | — | 1–8 | 3–6 | 3–4 | 6–3 | 6–1 | 6–3 | 5–4 | 3–6 | 8–12 | 8–11 | 6–3 | 9–10 | 2–7 | 11–7 | ||
| Baltimore | 8–1 | — | 9–10 | 2–4 | 3–3 | 3–3 | 3–4 | 3–4 | 6–13–1 | 2–7 | 4–5 | 8–11 | 7–2 | 8–11 | 5–13 | ||
| Boston | 6–3 | 10–9 | — | 5–4 | 4–2 | 8–1 | 5–1 | 2–4 | 9–10 | 3–4 | 5–2 | 12–7 | 5–4 | 10–9 | 11–7 | ||
| Chicago | 4–3 | 4–2 | 4–5 | — | 11–8 | 11–8 | 11–8 | 9–10 | 4–2 | 4–5 | 2–7 | 3–3 | 3–4 | 6–3 | 10–8 | ||
| Cleveland | 3–6 | 3–3 | 2–4 | 8–11 | — | 12–7 | 6–13 | 9–10 | 2–5 | 3–6 | 3–6 | 5–2 | 4–5 | 2–4 | 6–12 | ||
| Detroit | 1–6 | 3–3 | 1–8 | 8–11 | 7–12 | — | 5–14 | 4–15 | 1–5 | 3–6 | 1–8 | 2–4 | 1–6 | 2–7 | 4–14 | ||
| Kansas City | 3–6 | 4–3 | 1–5 | 8–11 | 13–6 | 14–5 | — | 11–8 | 2–4 | 2–7 | 4–5 | 4–3 | 7–2 | 1–5 | 9–9 | ||
| Minnesota | 4–5 | 4–3 | 4–2 | 10–9 | 10–9 | 15–4 | 8–11 | — | 0–7 | 8–1 | 3–6 | 6–0 | 5–4 | 3–3 | 10–8 | ||
| New York | 6–3 | 13–6–1 | 10–9 | 2–4 | 5–2 | 5–1 | 4–2 | 7–0 | — | 3–6 | 5–4 | 14–5 | 4–5 | 10–9 | 13–5 | ||
| Oakland | 12–8 | 7–2 | 4–3 | 5–4 | 6–3 | 6–3 | 7–2 | 1–8 | 6–3 | — | 7–12 | 6–3 | 15–4 | 5–2 | 9–9 | ||
| Seattle | 11–8 | 5–4 | 2–5 | 7–2 | 6–3 | 8–1 | 5–4 | 6–3 | 4–5 | 12–7 | — | 4–5 | 10–10 | 3–4 | 10–8 | ||
| Tampa Bay | 3–6 | 11–8 | 7–12 | 3–3 | 2–5 | 4–2 | 3–4 | 0–6 | 5–14 | 3–6 | 5–4 | — | 3–6 | 11–8 | 3–15 | ||
| Texas | 10–9 | 2–7 | 4–5 | 4–3 | 5–4 | 6–1 | 2–7 | 4–5 | 5–4 | 4–15 | 10–10 | 6–3 | — | 5–4 | 4–14 | ||
| Toronto | 7–2 | 11–8 | 9–10 | 3–6 | 4–2 | 7–2 | 5–1 | 3–3 | 9–10 | 2–5 | 4–3 | 8–11 | 4–5 | — | 10–8 | ||
| 2003 Detroit Tigers | |||||||||
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Pitchers
| Catchers Infielders | Outfielders
Other batters | Manager Coaches
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| 2003 Game Log: 43–119 (Home: 23–58; Away: 20–61) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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April: 3–20 (Home: 1–7; Away: 2–13)
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May: 11–18 (Home: 4–12; Away: 7–6)
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June: 5–22 (Home: 2–12; Away: 3–10)
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July: 9–17 (Home: 6–5; Away: 3–12)
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August: 6–23 (Home: 3–13; Away: 3–10)
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September: 9–18 (Home: 7–8; Away: 2–10)
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Note: G = Games played; AB = At bats; H = Hits; Avg. = Batting average; HR = Home runs; RBI = Runs batted in
| Player | G | AB | H | Avg. | HR | RBI |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dmitri Young | 155 | 562 | 167 | .297 | 29 | 85 |
| Bobby Higginson | 130 | 469 | 110 | .235 | 14 | 52 |
| Carlos Peña | 131 | 452 | 112 | .248 | 18 | 50 |
| Ramón Santiago | 141 | 444 | 100 | .225 | 2 | 29 |
| Craig Monroe | 128 | 425 | 102 | .240 | 23 | 70 |
| Alex Sánchez | 101 | 394 | 114 | .289 | 1 | 22 |
| Shane Halter | 114 | 360 | 78 | .217 | 12 | 30 |
| Warren Morris | 97 | 346 | 94 | .272 | 6 | 37 |
| Brandon Inge | 104 | 330 | 67 | .203 | 8 | 30 |
| Eric Munson | 99 | 313 | 75 | .240 | 18 | 50 |
| Kevin Witt | 93 | 270 | 71 | .263 | 10 | 26 |
| Omar Infante | 69 | 221 | 49 | .222 | 0 | 8 |
| Andrés Torres | 59 | 168 | 37 | .220 | 1 | 9 |
| Matt Walbeck | 59 | 138 | 24 | .174 | 1 | 6 |
| Gene Kingsale | 39 | 120 | 25 | .208 | 1 | 8 |
| Ben Petrick | 43 | 120 | 27 | .225 | 4 | 12 |
| Dean Palmer | 26 | 86 | 12 | .140 | 0 | 6 |
| A. J. Hinch | 27 | 74 | 15 | .203 | 3 | 11 |
| Danny Klassen | 22 | 73 | 18 | .247 | 1 | 7 |
| Craig Paquette | 11 | 33 | 5 | .152 | 0 | 0 |
| Hiram Bocachica | 6 | 22 | 1 | .045 | 0 | 0 |
| Cody Ross | 6 | 19 | 4 | .211 | 1 | 5 |
| Ernie Young | 5 | 11 | 2 | .182 | 0 | 0 |
| Pitcher Totals | 162 | 16 | 3 | .188 | 0 | 0 |
| Team Totals | 162 | 5466 | 1312 | .240 | 153 | 553 |
Note: Individual pitchers' batting statistics not included
Note: G = Games pitched; IP = Innings pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts
| Player | G | IP | W | L | ERA | SO |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nate Cornejo | 32 | 194.2 | 6 | 17 | 4.67 | 46 |
| Mike Maroth | 33 | 193.1 | 9 | 21 | 5.73 | 87 |
| Jeremy Bonderman | 33 | 162.0 | 6 | 19 | 5.56 | 108 |
| Adam Bernero | 18 | 100.2 | 1 | 12 | 6.08 | 54 |
| Matt Roney | 45 | 100.2 | 1 | 9 | 5.45 | 47 |
| Gary Knotts | 20 | 95.1 | 3 | 8 | 6.04 | 51 |
| Wil Ledezma | 34 | 84.0 | 3 | 7 | 5.79 | 49 |
| Nate Robertson | 8 | 44.2 | 1 | 2 | 5.44 | 33 |
| Shane Loux | 11 | 30.1 | 1 | 1 | 7.12 | 8 |
Note: G = Games pitched; IP = Innings pitched; W= Wins; L= Losses; SV = Saves; GF= Games finished; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts
| Player | G | IP | W | L | SV | GF | ERA | SO |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jamie Walker | 78 | 65.0 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 19 | 3.32 | 45 |
| Chris Spurling | 66 | 77.0 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 18 | 4.68 | 38 |
| Franklyn Germán | 45 | 44.2 | 2 | 4 | 5 | 15 | 6.04 | 41 |
| Steve Sparks | 42 | 89.2 | 0 | 6 | 2 | 24 | 4.72 | 49 |
| Chris Mears | 29 | 41.1 | 1 | 3 | 5 | 16 | 5.44 | 21 |
| Fernando Rodney | 27 | 29.2 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 11 | 6.07 | 33 |
| Matt Anderson | 23 | 23.1 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 10 | 5.40 | 13 |
| Eric Eckenstahler | 20 | 15.2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 2.87 | 12 |
| Danny Patterson | 19 | 17.2 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 9 | 4.08 | 19 |
| Steve Avery | 19 | 16.0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 5.63 | 6 |
| Brian Schmack | 11 | 13.0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3.46 | 4 |
| Team Pitching Totals | 162 | 1438.2 | 43 | 119 | 27 | 159 | 5.30 | 764 |
In the episode “The Path” from the seriesThe Last of Us, in thesecond season, which aired on April 27, 2025, onHBO, the characterGail, played byCatherine O'Hara, after a dialogue withTommy, played byGabriel Luna, in which she claimed to be a Tigers fan, made a joke comparing the game played by children to the team's 2003 season, saying, “This game looks a lot like the Tigers' 2003 season.”[10]
