Detroit Tigers need another big season out of Jeimer Candelario

The Detroit Tigers need to have some high expectations from Jeimer Candelario for the 2022 season. While he has put together two favorable seasons in a row, the hope should be this is becoming the new norm.

If the Detroit Tigers can count on Candelario to be a steady player for them, it’s going to be great for the future of this team for multiple reasons. Candelario has taken some time to settle in after being a little rushed to the big leagues but has performed exceptionally well in recent years.

The Tigers have to be expecting him to continue this trend into the future. If he can be a solid first base/third base option for them, they can rely on him. While Spencer Torkelson in the pipeline makes things tighten up positionally, Candelario could still become trade bait with continued success.

Keeping the expectations high for Candelario seems like the best plan, given that he appears to have broken through that ceiling and is starting to become an even more reliable player. He’s been around since he was acquired during the final teardown in 2017.

Candelario’s weathered the storm of the rebuild and is proving that he belongs with this group moving forward.

Detroit Tigers Jeimer Candelario should be looking for more success in 2022.

Looking at the summer of 2021, Candelario slashed .271/.351/.443 with 16 home runs and 67 RBI over 149 games for the Tigers. After returning to the field post-pandemic postponement, it was a lovely encore season to his excellent performance during the shortened 2020 season for him.

Candelario slashed .297/.369/.503 with seven home runs and 29 RBI over 52 games during the Tigers season. He’s been a productive member of the lineup and should be able to continue to be for the time being.

As the 2022 season gets on the horizon, if it even happens, Candelario has to be able to put up numbers once again. It’s not that he was some standout all-star caliber player, but Candelario’s production level is in a good spot.

Going into the 2022 season from an expectations standpoint, the Tigers should be expecting him to be an integral part of the lineup. Looking ahead, he’s someone that has to be in the third or fourth hole, especially with the arrival of Javier Báez in his offseason signing.

The biggest variable in this situation is the work stoppage. With no real timetable for a return, it could affect Candelario and how he performs during the 2022 season if there is one. The disruption to Spring Training seems more likely, which means a tougher go for players to get settled in.

It’s something to keep an eye on as the work stoppage discussion continues. Someone like Candelario may be hurt by the disruption from getting back on the field.