2014 Detroit Tigers
American League Central champions
League	American League
Division	Central
Ballpark	Comerica Park
City	Detroit,Michigan
Record	90–72 (.556)
Divisional place	1st
Owners	Mike Ilitch
General managers	Dave Dombrowski
Managers	Brad Ausmus
Television	Fox Sports Detroit (Mario Impemba,Rod Allen)
Radio	Detroit Tigers Radio Network (Dan Dickerson,Jim Price)
Stats	ESPN.com Baseball Reference
← 2013 Seasons 2015 →

The2014Detroit Tigersseason was the team's 114th season. This was the team's first year under a mostly new coaching staff led by rookie ManagerBrad Ausmus. On September 28, the last day of the regular season, the Tigers clinched theAmerican League Central title with a 3–0 win over theMinnesota Twins. The Tigers finished one game ahead of theKansas City Royals, with a 90–72 record. It was their fourth consecutive American League Central title. They became the first AL Central team to win four consecutive titles since theCleveland Indians won five straight from1995 to1999, and the first Tigers team to ever make four consecutive postseason appearances.^[1] Despite all of this, the Tigers' season ended on October 5 when they were swept by theBaltimore Orioles in theAmerican League Division Series.^[2] This snapped Detroit'sstreak of three consecutiveAmerican League Championship Series appearances.

The Tigers would not return to postseason play until2024.

• On October 21,Jim Leyland stepped down from his managerial position after eight years with Detroit.^[3] He later confirmed that he joined the Tigers front office as a special assistant to team president/GM/CEODave Dombrowski.^[4]
• On November 3, the Tigers announcedBrad Ausmus was named Leyland's successor, and signed to a three-year contract with a club option for 2017.^[5]
• On November 3, the Tigers announced bench coachGene Lamont will return in the same role for the 2014 season.^[6]
• Hitting coachLloyd McClendon did not return for 2014, as he was named the new manager of theSeattle Mariners on November 5.^[7] The Mariners later hired former Tigers bullpen coachMike Rojas.^[8]
• On November 6, the Tigers announcedJeff Jones would return as pitching coach. They also announced the hiring ofDave Clark as third-base coach and outfield instructor.^[9]
• On November 17, the Tigers announced the hiring ofWally Joyner as hitting coach,Mick Billmeyer as bullpen coach, and Matt Martin was named to the newly created post of defensive coordinator.^[10]
• On November 18, the Tigers announced the hiring ofOmar Vizquel as the first-base, infield and baserunning coach.^[10]
• On November 25, the Tigers announced the hiring ofDarnell Coles as assistant hitting coach, rounding out their 2014 coaching staff.^[11]

• On November 21, the Tigers avoided arbitration with relief pitcherPhil Coke with a one-year contract.^[12]
• On December 2, the Tigers avoided arbitration with utility playerDon Kelly with a one-year contract.^[13]
• On December 4, the Tigers signed closerJoe Nathan to a two-year, $20 million contract, with a club option for 2016.^[14]
• On December 11, the Tigers signed outfielderRajai Davis to a two-year, $10 million contract.^[15]
• On December 13, the Tigers signed pitcherJoba Chamberlain to a one-year contract worth $2.5 million plus incentives.^[16]
• On January 8, the Tigers re-signed shortstopJosé Iglesias to a one-year, $1.65 million contract.^[17]
• On January 17, the Tigers avoided arbitration when they reached one-year deals with pitchersAl Alburquerque,Rick Porcello andMax Scherzer, and outfieldersAndy Dirks andAustin Jackson. Scherzer, the reigning AL Cy Young winner, received a $15.525 million salary for 2014.^[18]
• On January 31, the Tigers avoided arbitration with catcherAlex Avila, agreeing on a one-year contract worth $4.15 million with a club option for 2015.^[19]
• On February 24, the Tigers reached one-year deals with third basemanNick Castellanos, outfielderSteven Moya, and pitchersDrew Smyly,Kyle Lobstein,José Ortega,Luke Putkonen andEvan Reed.^[20]
• On March 1, the Tigers rounded out their 40-man roster by signing one-year deals with pitchersJosé Álvarez,Ian Krol,Melvin Mercedes, andBruce Rondón; catcherBryan Holaday, second basemenSteve Lombardozzi Jr. andHernán Pérez, and third basemanFrancisco Martínez.^[21]
• On March 24, the Tigers signed outfielderJ. D. Martinez to a minor league contract.^[22]
• On March 28, the Tigers signedMiguel Cabrera to an eight-year, $248 million contract extension. Combined with the $44 million the Tigers owed on the remaining two years of Cabrera's current contract, the total ten-year commitment is worth $292 million, and will keep Cabrera under contract until at least 2023.^[23]
• On March 29, the Tigers purchased the contract of outfielderTyler Collins fromAA Erie.^[24]
• On May 2, the Tigers signed relief pitcherJoel Hanrahan to a one-year, $1 million contract, plus incentives.^[25]
• On August 5, the Tigers signed relief pitcherJim Johnson to a minor-league contract.^[26]

• On October 30, the Tigers announced they will not re-sign backup catcherBrayan Peña.^[27]
• On November 1, the Tigers announced they had declined the option on relief pitcherJosé Veras' contract, making him a free agent.^[28]
• On November 1, the Tigers announced relief pitcherDarin Downs left the Tigers and was claimed off waivers by theHouston Astros, and utility playerMatt Tuiasosopo left and was claimed off waivers by theArizona Diamondbacks.^[28]
• On November 24, free agent shortstopJhonny Peralta left the Tigers and signed a four-year deal with theSt. Louis Cardinals.^[29]
• On December 4, the Tigers announced they will not re-sign free agent relief pitcherJoaquín Benoit and released him to free agency.^[30]
• On December 16, free agent second basemanOmar Infante left the Tigers and signed a four-year deal with theKansas City Royals.^[31]
• On January 30, free agent utility infielderRamón Santiago left the Tigers after eight years and signed a minor league contract with theCincinnati Reds.^[32]
• On April 20, the Tigers released shortstopÁlex González.^[33]

• On November 20, the Tigers traded first basemanPrince Fielder to theTexas Rangers for second basemanIan Kinsler and cash considerations.^[34]
• On December 2, the Tigers traded starting pitcherDoug Fister to theWashington Nationals for second basemanSteve Lombardozzi Jr. and pitchersIan Krol andRobbie Ray.^[35]
• On March 21, the Tigers traded pitcherJosé Álvarez to theLos Angeles Angels of Anaheim for shortstopAndrew Romine.^[36]
• On March 24, the Tigers traded second basemanSteve Lombardozzi Jr. to theBaltimore Orioles for shortstopÁlex González.^[37]
• On July 23, the Tigers traded pitchersJake Thompson andCorey Knebel to theTexas Rangers for relieverJoakim Soria.^[38]
• On July 31, the Tigers traded outfielderAustin Jackson to theSeattle Mariners, and pitcherDrew Smyly and shortstopWilly Adames to theTampa Bay Rays in a three-team deal to acquire pitcherDavid Price.^[39]

• On May 5,Max Scherzer became the first pitcher in franchise history to start a season with seven or more strikeouts in his first seven starts, and the first American League pitcher to do so sinceMike Mussina in2003.^[40]
• On June 12, Max Scherzer ended a drought of 178 career starts without acomplete game when he pitched a complete gameshutout in a three-hit 4–0 win over theChicago White Sox. This was the longest stretch any major league starter had gone without a complete game since 1900.^[41]
• On July 1,Rick Porcello became the first Tiger to pitch back-to-backshutouts sinceJack Morris in1986. Following a 6–0 shutout win over theTexas Rangers on June 26, he shut out theOakland Athletics 3–0 in his next start. In the latter game, Porcello became the first Major League pitcher to throw a shutout without a walk or a strikeout sinceJeff Ballard on August 21, 1989, and the first Tiger pitcher to do so sinceDizzy Trout in1944.^[42]
• On July 26,Drew Smyly became the first Detroit Tigers left-hander to strike out at least 11 batters in a game sinceDavid Wells on June 4, 1993.^[43]
• On August 14,Max Scherzer recorded a season-high 14 strikeouts in a 5–2 victory over thePittsburgh Pirates.^[44] Coincidentally, Max's career high of 15 strikeouts in a game also came at the expense of the Pirates, on May 20, 2012.^[45]
• On August 20, Rick Porcello recorded his third complete game shutout of the season in a three-hit 6–0 win over theTampa Bay Rays. Porcello tiesHenderson Álvarez for the major league lead in shutouts. Porcello's three complete game shutouts are the most by a Tiger pitcher in a single season sinceJeff Weaver threw three in2002.^[46]
• On August 21,David Price allowed one hit and one unearned run, in a complete game 1–0 loss against his former team, the Tampa Bay Rays. Price is the first pitcher in the major leagues to lose a complete game, one-hitter or better, with no earned runs sinceAndy Hawkins lost a no-hitter for theNew York Yankees on July 1, 1990. It was the first time since1914 that a pitcher has lost a complete game, one-hit, no walk start without allowing an earned run.^[47]
• On August 24, Max Scherzer became the American League's first 15-game winner this season after the Tigers defeated the Minnesota Twins 13–4.^[48]
• On September 28, in the AL Central division-clinching game, David Price struck out eightMinnesota Twins batters to overtake theCleveland Indians'Corey Kluber for the most strikeouts in the major leagues. Price finished with 271 strikeouts to Kluber's 269.^[49]

• On May 13,Víctor Martínez became the second Detroit Tigers player to hit a home run completely out ofOriole Park at Camden Yards and ontoEutaw Street, followingMickey Tettleton in 1992.^[50]
• On June 7,Nick Castellanos had his third consecutive three-hit game, making him the fifth rookie in Tigers history to do so, and the first sinceRicky Peters in1980.^[51]
• On June 14,Eugenio Suárez fell asingle shy of thecycle, hitting a solohome run,double, andtriple, to help the Tigers defeat theMinnesota Twins, 12–9.^[52]
• On June 30,Rajai Davis hit awalk-off grand slam to defeat the Oakland Athletics 5–4, the day the Tigers celebrated the 30th anniversary of the1984 World Series winning team. It was the first walk-off grand slam by a Tiger sinceCarlos Peña on June 27, 2004, the day the Tigers celebrated the 20th anniversary of their 1984 title-winning team. The last Tigers walk-off grand slam before that was 10 years earlier, on June 21, 1994, byLou Whitaker.^[53]
• Austin Jackson finished the month of July with 15 multi-hit games, the second most in franchise history in the month of July, behind onlyRon LeFlore with 16 in1977.^[54]
• On October 2, during Game 1 of the ALDS against theBaltimore Orioles,Ian Kinsler saw 37 pitches in four plate appearances, tying him withBobby Abreu for fourth most in a postseason game since the statistic began being kept in 1988. Kinsler broke the record for most pitches seen in a playoff game in four or fewer plate appearances, previously held byManny Ramirez, seeing 31 in Game 3 of the2007 ALDS. Kinsler averaged 9.25 pitches per plate appearance, breaking the old mark of 7.75 that was also set by Ramirez in Game 3 of the 2007 ALDS.^[55]
• On October 3, during Game 2 of the ALDS against the Baltimore Orioles,J. D. Martinez became the first player in Tigers history to homer in each of his first two career postseason games, the 16th player in Major League history, and the first overall sinceArizona'sPaul Goldschmidt in2011.^[56]
• Designated hitter Víctor Martínez won the American League'sSilver Slugger Award at DH, with a .335 batting average (second in the AL to Houston'sJose Altuve), 32 home runs, .974 OPS (which led all of baseball), and his .409 on-base percentage (which led the AL).^[57] Martínez was also named a finalist for theAmerican League Most Valuable Player award, finishing second toMike Trout.^[58]

• Ian Kinsler was awarded theWilson Defensive Player of the Year Award as the best second baseman in the Major Leagues.^[59]

• On August 2, the Tigers scored at least one run in every inning of the game in an 11–5 win over theColorado Rockies. They became the first team to accomplish this feat since theNew York Yankees did so against theToronto Blue Jays on April 29, 2006, and the first Tigers team to do so since1912.^[60]
• On August 10, the Tigers were defeated by theToronto Blue Jays 6–5 in a 19 inning game that took six hours and 37 minutes. It was the first 19 inning game for the Tigers since April 27, 1984. The game was the second longest Tigers game in duration since a 22-inning, seven-hour game on June 24, 1962. It tied for the fourth longest game innings-wise in franchise history.^[61][62]
• On August 24, the Tigers tied the franchise record for the most hits in a four-game series with 60 hits against theMinnesota Twins. The last time the Tigers had 60 hits in a four-game series was against theChicago White Sox in1956.^[48]
• The Tigers spent 162 calendar days atop of theAmerican League Central, the most days in first place by any team in the majors during the 2014 season.^[63]
• On October 2, during Game 1 of the ALDS against the Baltimore Orioles, Víctor Martínez and J. D. Martinez hit back-to-back home runs in the second inning. During Game 2 of the ALDS, J. D. Martinez and Nick Castellanos hit back-to-back home runs in the fourth inning. The Tigers became the fourth team in postseason history to hit back-to-back home runs in consecutive postseason games, following theTampa Bay Rays during the2008 ALCS, theFlorida Marlins during the2003 NLCS, and theNew York Yankees during the1995 ALDS.^[64] Detroit is the first team in history to open the postseason with back-to-back home runs in consecutive games.^[65]

The Tigers sent three players to the2014 All-Star Game. First basemanMiguel Cabrera was voted in as the starter at first base in the fan voting, while designated hitterVíctor Martínez and pitcherMax Scherzer were selected as reserves in the player voting.^[66] Martínez did not participate in the All-Star game due to right side soreness, so his teammate, second basemanIan Kinsler, took his place on the American League roster.^[67] The Tigers had a chance to send a fourth player to the All-Star Game this season, as pitcherRick Porcello was one of the five finalists for the AL in theAll-Star Final Vote, but he was beaten out byChris Sale of theChicago White Sox.^[68]

Scherzer became the winning pitcher of the game, the first Tiger to do so sinceJim Bunning in1957,^[69] while Cabrera became the first Tiger to hit a home run in the All Star Game sinceLou Whitaker did so in1986.^[70]

Note: G = Games played; AB = At bats; R = Runs scored; H = Hits; 2B = Doubles; 3B = Triples; HR = Home runs; RBI = Runs batted in; AVG = Batting average; SB = Stolen bases

+Totals with Tigers only.

Note: W = Wins; L = Losses; ERA = Earned run average; G = Games pitched; GS = Games started; SV = Saves; IP = Innings pitched; R = Runs allowed; ER = Earned runs allowed; BB = Walks allowed; K = Strikeouts

+Totals with Tigers only.

Note: W = Wins; L = Losses; ERA = Earned run average; G = Games pitched; GS = Games started; SV = Saves; IP = Innings pitched; R = Runs allowed; ER = Earned runs allowed; BB = Walks allowed; K = Strikeouts

+Totals with Tigers only.

^[71]

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