Robbie Grossman should be the Detroit Tigers leadoff hitter in 2022
By Tyler Kotila
Soon enough, the Detroit Tigers will be headed North to get their 2022 season underway. This means that they have to start crafting some lineups and figuring out which combinations will work the best.
When it comes to the Detroit Tigers, the lineup card is A.J. Hinch’s, and he’s going to try and pick a lineup that offers the team the best opportunity to compete and to win. For that reason, outfielder Robbie Grossman should bat first in the lineup.
Whether it’s against left or right-handed pitching, the Tigers should be looking to Grossman as the leadoff hitter. He’s a switch-hitter, so worrying too much about match-ups should not be too worrisome.
Grossman’s ability to do damage in the leadoff spot and get on base should make him a candidate for the job. He’s coming off an excellent 2021 season where he provided plenty of benefit to the lineup day in and day out; the hope is he can do the same in 2022.
Robbie Grossman is the perfect leadoff hitter for the Detroit Tigers.
His 2021 numbers are moving in the right direction. He played in 156 games where he slashed .239/.357/.415 with 23 home runs and 67 RBI for the Tigers. He was issued 98 walks on the season as well; he’s got an incredible eye and is less likely to swing and miss than most.
While his average alone is not super exciting, he’s someone who runs up counts, draws walks, and could help get deeper into a pitching staff. Not to mention that he gets on base and can get things moving for the offense early.
Grossman is not afraid to get active in the running game, and being a leadoff threat who walks a lot would mean pitchers may start to focus on the run game. This leads to mistakes at the plate, and mistakes mean the hitter can do damage, in turn producing runs (one would hope).
The Tigers may not have it all mapped out yet, but letting Grossman try and settle in as the leadoff hitter for the 2022 season seems like it’s worth trying out. He would be a stellar leadoff hitter, and the Tigers have to consider it when putting together the lineup card.
The first month or so of the season will be a good time for trial and error. There will be some variation with some new faces expected to populate the Tigers roster, whether it’s new additions like Javier Báez or prospects who finally make the roster like Riley Greene.
Must Read. Detroit Tigers’ Robbie Grossman could improve one aspect of his game. light
However, the Tigers should give Grossman a shot in the leadoff spot early and often.