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Tigers Sign Manager A.J. Hinch to Long-Term Extension

By Vinnie Portell

Sep 20, 2023; Los Angeles, California, USA; Detroit Tigers manager A.J. Hinch (14) reacts during the game against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
Sep 20, 2023; Los Angeles, California, USA; Detroit Tigers manager A.J. Hinch (14) reacts during the game against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports /
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The Detroit Tigers put their faith in manager A.J. Hinch on Monday, announcing they signed him to a long-term contract, according to multiple reports.

Terms of the deal were not disclosed immediately, with President of Baseball Operations Scott Harris saying “We’re going to be working together a long time,” according to Jason Beck of MLB.com.

The Tigers haven’t had much success under Hinch, with three straight losing seasons, including an abysmal 66-96 campaign in 2022. However, that hasn’t necessarily been his fault.

Let’s break down what this means for Detroit.

Tigers News: Hinch Signed to Extension

Despite a 221-265 record (.455 winning percentage), Hinch has actually been an under-the-radar success in Detroit.

He was given what amounted to little more than a Triple-A roster in 2021 and he’s helped guide the improvement of young players like Spencer Torkelson and Riley Greene, along with a young pitching staff that includes Tarik Skubal, Casey Mize and Matt Manning.

It can’t be ignored that 2022 was an extremely disappointing season, but you also must remember the series of unfortunate events that unfolded that summer – from Austin Meadows battling anxiety to Eduardo Rodriguez stepping away from the team due to marital issues and even Javier Baez turning in an awful first season.

Those offseason additions couldn’t have panned out much worse for the Tigers, and we can only hope that that doesn’t continue now that Harris is in charge instead of Al Avila.

At the worst, this move provides some stability for a Tigers team that is in desperate need of some familiar faces.

At best, this is the next Jim Leyland-type of manager who will be here to stay and break the Tigers’ nine-year postseason drought.

“I love working here,” Hinch told Evan Petzold of the Detroit Free Press. “I love who I work for. … I think we can win here.”

Detroit is starting to get serious as it tries to build a winner, and you can, too, thanks to the new-user offer at FanDuel Sportsbook. All you have to do is sign up, deposit $10 or more and then bet $5 or more on any team’s moneyline odds. If your team wins, you’ll win $150 in bonus bets. Sign up for FanDuel today!

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