Lockout 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. As a result, the team owners voted unanimously to
lockout the players stopping all free agency and trades. The next day,
Commissioner of Baseball Rob Manfred announced a
lockout of players, following expiration of the
collective bargaining agreement (CBA) between the league and the
Major League Baseball Players Association (MLBPA). On March 10, 2022, the MLB and MLBPA agreed to a new collective bargaining agreement, thus ending the lockout. Although MLB previously announced that several series would be cancelled due to the lockout, the agreement provides for a 162-game season, with originally cancelled games to be made up via
doubleheaders.
Rule changes Pursuant to the new CBA, several new rules were instituted for the 2022 season: • 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. Also, a draft lottery will be implemented, beginning with the 2023 draft.
Coaching staff • 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 died suddenly in late 2021. Former Tigers hitting coach
Lloyd McClendon was hired to succeed Jones as Toledo Mud Hens manager.
Trades • On November 3, the Tigers traded minor-league infielder
Nick Quintana to the
Cincinnati Reds in exchange for catcher
Tucker Barnhart. On November 7, the Tigers exercised Barnhart's $7.5 million contract option for the 2022 season, signing him to the team. • 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. • 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. • On August 2, the Tigers traded outfielder
Robbie Grossman to the
Atlanta Braves for pitcher
Kris Anglin. • On August 2, the Tigers traded pitcher
Michael Fulmer to the
Minnesota Twins for pitcher
Sawyer Gipson-Long. • On August 14, the Tigers acquired minor league pitcher
Ricardo Sánchez from the Philadelphia Phillies for cash considerations.
Signings • On November 7, the Tigers selected the minor-league contract of pitcher
Elvin Rodríguez, adding him to the 40-man roster. • On November 16, the Tigers signed pitcher
Eduardo Rodríguez to a five-year/$77 million contract, with an opt-out clause after the 2023 season. • 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. • On December 1, the Tigers signed infielder
Javier Báez to a six-year, $140 million contract. • On December 1, the Tigers signed pitcher
Jacob Barnes to a minor-league contract with an invitation to spring training. His contract was selected prior to opening day. • On February 1, the Tigers signed pitcher
Luis Castillo to a minor league contract. His contract was selected on August 6. • On March 16, the Tigers signed pitcher
Andrew Chafin to a two-year, $13 million contract. • On March 19, the Tigers signed pitcher
Michael Pineda to a one-year, $5.5 million contract. • 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. • On April 14, the Tigers signed pitchers
Derek Law and Bubba Derby to minor-league contracts. Law's contract was selected on July 30. • On July 19, the Tigers signed pitcher
Chi Chi Gonzalez to a minor league contract. On August 26, he opted out of that contract. He signed a minor league contract with the
New York Yankees on August 31. • On July 26, the Tigers signed pitcher
Daniel Norris to a minor-league contract. His contract was selected on August 12. • On September 9, the Tigers signed pitcher
Daniel Ponce de Leon to a minor league contract.
Releases • On October 6, outfielder
JaCoby Jones declined a minor-league assignment and declared free agency. Jones subsequently signed a minor-league contract with the
Kansas City Royals. • On November 3, pitchers
Wily Peralta,
Julio Teherán,
José Ureña and
Derek Holland declared free agency. On March 16, Peralta re-signed with the Tigers on a minor-league contract that includes an invitation to spring training. On March 18, Holland signed a minor-league contract with the
Boston Red Sox that includes an invitation to spring training. On March 29, Ureña signed with the
Milwaukee Brewers. On April 21, Teherán signed with the
Staten Island FerryHawks of the
Atlantic League of Professional Baseball. • On November 5, pitchers
Drew Hutchison and
Ian Krol were outrighted to the minors. Both players declined their minor-league assignments and declared free agency. On March 18, Krol signed a minor-league contract with the
San Diego Padres. • On November 9, pitcher Locke St. John declared free agency. • On November 9, outfielder
Christin Stewart declined a minor-league assignment and declared free agency. Stewart subsequently signed a minor-league contract with the
Boston Red Sox. • 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. • On November 29, catcher
Grayson Greiner cleared waivers and elected free agency. On March 14, Greiner signed a minor-league contract with the
Arizona Diamondbacks that included an invitation to spring training. • On November 30, pitcher
Matthew Boyd was not tendered a contract and became a free agent. On March 20, 2022, Boyd finalized a contract with the
San Francisco Giants on a one-year contract worth $5.2 million plus incentive bonuses. • On May 13, pitcher Drew Hutchison declined a minor-league assignment and declared free agency. On May 23, he signed a minor-league contract with the Tigers and rejoined the team on June 14. After being designated for assignment and electing free agency, Hutchison once again signed a minor-league contract with the Tigers on June 27. He rejoined the team on July 5. • On June 14, pitcher
Jacob Barnes was designated for assignment. After electing free agency, Barnes signed a minor-league contract with the
Seattle Mariners on June 22. After being released by the Mariners, Barnes signed a minor league contract with the Tigers on July 26. After being released from his contract on August 26, Barnes signed a minor league contract with the New York Yankees on August 31. • On August 1, outfielder
Derek Hill was designated for assignment. He was claimed off waivers by the Seattle Mariners on August 5. • On August 5, pitcher
Derek Law was designated for assignment. On August 14, he signed a minor league contract with the
Cincinnati Reds. • On August 19, pitcher
Wily Peralta was designated for assignment. He was released on August 22. On February 3, 2023, he signed a minor league contract with the
Washington Nationals with an invitation to spring training. • On September 4, pitcher
Michael Pineda was designated for assignment. He was released on September 7. ==Season standings==