The Tigers and manager AJ Hinch quietly agreed to a long-term contract extension through the 2025 season, president of baseball operations Scott Harris announced today at his season-ending news conference.video link). Harris and Hinch did not specify the length of the contract, but Hinch is now apparently signed until at least 2027. Harris expressed praise for Hinch, calling him one of the best managers in the sport and saying he hopes to continue working with him “as long as I can work with him.”
Hinch, 51, just completed his fifth season as a manager in Detroit. This is the second time the organization has “proactively” extended him – as Harris put it – before his existing contract expired.
The Tigers reached the postseason and won a Wild Card series before falling to the ALDS the past two seasons. Hinch’s club has gone 394-416 since he was hired after the 2020 season, although the Tigers spent the first three years of his managerial tenure completing a massive rebuild, so it’s tough to give him a sub-.500 record. Hinch spent parts of 12 seasons as a Major League manager in Detroit, Houston and Arizona.
Regarding the team’s coaching staff, the Harris/Hinch duo have not indicated whether any changes are on the way. Hinch expressed pride in his staff, but noted that a review period will take place at all levels within the organization in the coming days as leadership looks ahead to the 2026 season.
Of course, even if Harris and Hinch plan to bring back the same staff, there’s no guarantee that will happen. An incredible eight teams are currently looking for a new manager, and it is common for clubs looking for new captains to look to the coaching staff of rival clubs. Even if a Tigers coach isn’t poached for a new managerial gig elsewhere, new managers from other teams will also look to the contenders’ coaching staffs to fill out their own. For example, if another team is interested in a Tigers assistant pitching coach or assistant hitting coach to take on a leadership role in their organization, that could lead to some turnover.
While some changes further down the ladder cannot be ruled out, the leaders in baseball operations and in the dugout return right away, providing continuity as the Tigers look to capitalize on their strengths. Pull Skubal‘s final season of club control prior to his entry into the free agent market next season.
There was never any real thought that Hinch’s job would be in jeopardy, even after the collapse of his team in the final few months of the season. The Tigers struggled down the stretch, ultimately ceding the division crown to the Guardians despite already holding a 9.5-game lead in the AL Central as of September 10. However, they rallied to topple Cleveland in the Wild Card round before falling in a 15-inning ALDS Game 5 nail-biter to the AL West champion Mariners.
Fans of one of the incredible eight (!!) teams looking for a new skipper might have hoped that Hinch might be available, but all indications since his appointment in Detroit are that he has firmly established himself as a pillar of the organization. Harris’ comments today reflect that, and Hinch himself spoke about how much he has embraced the Tigers organization, the city of Detroit and the state of Michigan. Hinch said:
“I’m so happy to be in Detroit. I’m so proud to be the manager here. I love working for it.” [Harris]. And this is the second time I was approached and asked for more – and for me it was an immediate ‘yes’. If you have an environment that both stimulates and satisfies you, then you want to be in it. I was honored. I was excited. It was one conversation with my wife, and I went back to Scott with an immediate yes, and off we went.
…I can’t tell you how proud I am to be the manager of the Tigers. It’s a rewarding place to be. I bought a house here. We live here most of the year and continue to love becoming more Michiganders as a family.
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