2020 Detroit Tigers season
The 2020 Detroit Tigers season was the team's 120th season. This was the team's third and final year under manager Ron Gardenhire, and their 21st at Comerica Park. The start of season was delayed by four months due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Tigers finished the season with a 23–35 record, ranking last in their division and third-worst in the major leagues, and missed the playoffs for the sixth consecutive season. For the second straight season, the Tigers pitching staff compiled the MLB's worst team ERA (6.37).
| 2020 Detroit Tigers | ||
|---|---|---|
| League | American League | |
| Division | Central | |
| Ballpark | Comerica Park | |
| City | Detroit, Michigan | |
| Record | 23–35 (.397) | |
| Divisional place | 5th | |
| Owners | Christopher Ilitch; Ilitch family trust | |
| General managers | Al Avila | |
| Managers | Ron Gardenhire (until September 19) Lloyd McClendon (as of September 19) | |
| Television | Fox Sports Detroit (Matt Shepard, Kirk Gibson, Jack Morris) | |
| Radio | Detroit Tigers Radio Network (Dan Dickerson, Jim Price) | |
| Stats | ESPN.com BB-reference | |
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The Tigers franchise experienced a major loss on April 6 when Hall of Famer Al Kaline died at the age of 85. Nicknamed "Mr. Tiger," Kaline had been affiliated with the team for 67 years in various roles: first as a player, then as a broadcaster, and most recently, as an executive. The Tigers wore a No. 6 patch this season to honor him.
On September 19, manager Ron Gardenhire announced his retirement from baseball effective immediately, due to recent health concerns including stress, a bout with prostate cancer, and a stomach virus due to food poisoning. Bench coach Lloyd McClendon was named interim manager for the remainder of the season.