2022 Detroit Tigers season

The expiration of the league's collective bargaining agreement (CBA) with the Major League Baseball Players Association occurred on December 1, 2021 with no new agreement in place.[4] As a result, the team owners voted unanimously to lockout the players stopping all free agency and trades.[5][6]

The parties came to an agreement on a new CBA on March 10, 2022.[7]

Pursuant to the new CBA, several new rules were instituted for the 2022 season:[8][9]

• The National League will adopt the designated hitter full-time.
• The postseason will expand from ten teams to twelve.
• Advertising patches and decals will appear on player uniforms and helmets for the first time.
• Due to the shortened spring training, teams will be able to carry 28 players from the start of the 2022 regular season through May 1. After May 1, teams must reduce their rosters to 26 players.[10]

Also, a draft lottery will be implemented, beginning with the 2023 draft.

• On January 27, 2022, the Tigers promoted Toledo Mud Hens manager Gary Jones to first base coach for the major league team, succeeding Kimera Bartee who passed away suddenly in late 2021. Former Tigers hitting coach Lloyd McClendon was hired to succeed Jones as Toledo Mud Hens manager.[11]

• On November 3, the Tigers traded minor league infielder Nick Quintana to the Cincinnati Reds in exchange for catcher Tucker Barnhart.[12] On November 7, the Tigers exercised Barnhart's $7.5 million contract option for the 2022 season, signing him to the team.[13]
• On April 4, the Tigers traded infielder Isaac Paredes and a competitive balance round B pick in the 2022 MLB draft to the Tampa Bay Rays in exchange for outfielder Austin Meadows.[14]
• On April 13, the Tigers acquired minor league utility player Jamie Westbrook from the Milwaukee Brewers in exchange for cash considerations and assigned him to the Toledo Mud Hens.[15]

• On November 7, the Tigers selected the minor league contract of pitcher Elvin Rodriguez, adding him to the 40-man roster.[16]
• On November 16, the Tigers signed free agent pitcher Eduardo Rodríguez to a five-year/$77 million contract, with an opt-out clause after the 2023 season.[17]
• On November 19, the Tigers selected the minor league contracts of infielder Kody Clemens and pitcher Ángel De Jesús, adding them to the 40-man roster.[18]
• On December 1, the Tigers signed infielder Javier Báez to a six-year, $140 million contract.[19]
• On December 1, the Tigers signed pitcher Jacob Barnes to a minor league contract with an invitation to spring training.[20]
• On March 16, the Tigers signed pitcher Andrew Chafin to a two-year, $13 million contract.[21]
• On March 19, the Tigers signed pitcher Michael Pineda to a one-year, $5.5 million contract.[22]
• On March 22, the Tigers reached one-year contract agreements with infielders Jeimer Candelario ($5.8 million) and Harold Castro ($1.275 million), outfielder Víctor Reyes ($1.4 million), catcher Dustin Garneau ($1.175 million), and pitchers Michael Fulmer ($4.95 million), Joe Jiménez ($1.79 million) and José Cisnero ($1.9 million), avoiding arbitration with all players.[23]
• On April 14, the Tigers signed pitchers Derek Law and Bubba Derby to minor league contracts.[24]

• On October 6, outfielder JaCoby Jones declined a minor league assignment and declared free agency.[25] Jones subsequently signed a minor league deal with the Kansas City Royals.[26]
• On November 3, pitchers Wily Peralta, Julio Teherán, José Ureña and Derek Holland declared free agency.[27] On March 16, Peralta re-signed with the Tigers on a minor league contract that includes an invitation to spring training.[28] On March 18, Holland signed a minor league deal with the Boston Red Sox that includes an invitation to spring training.[29] On March 29, Ureña signed with the Milwaukee Brewers.[30] On April 21, Teherán signed with the Staten Island FerryHawks of the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball.[31]
• On November 5, pitchers Drew Hutchinson and Ian Krol were outrighted to the minors. Both players declined their minor league assignments and declared free agency.[27] On March 14, Hutchinson re-signed with the Tigers on a minor league deal, with an invitation to spring training.[32] On March 18, Krol signed a minor league contract with the San Diego Padres.[33]
• On November 9, pitcher Locke St. John declared free agency.[27] On November 29, St. John signed a minor league deal with the Chicago Cubs.[34]
• On November 9, outfielder Christin Stewart declined a minor league assignment and declared free agency.[35] Stewart subsequently signed a minor league deal with the Boston Red Sox.[36]
• On November 19, the Tigers cut utility player Niko Goodrum from the 40-man roster, outrighting him to the minor leagues. Goodrum cleared waivers and became a free agent. The Tigers also removed outfielder Jacob Robson and pitcher Nivaldo Rodríguez from the 40-man roster, outrighting each player to Triple-A Toledo.[18] On March 15, Goodrum signed with the Houston Astros.[37]
• On November 29, catcher Grayson Greiner cleared waivers and elected free agency.[38] On March 14, Greiner signed a minor league contract with the Arizona Diamondbacks that included an invitation to spring training.[39]
• On November 30, pitcher Matthew Boyd was not tendered a contract and became a free agent.[40] On March 20, 2022, Boyd finalized a deal with the San Francisco Giants on a one-year contract worth $5.2 million plus incentive bonuses.[41]

• On April 23, Miguel Cabrera recorded his 3,000th career hit, becoming the 33rd player in MLB history to join the 3,000 hit club. He is the third Tigers player to do so after Ty Cobb and Al Kaline, and the first Venezuelan to join.[42]