The snow is falling, the chill is in the air and my thoughts turn to Spring Training, which will be Summer Training this year, as the players report to the two-week camp just after the first day of Summer and start the season on July 4th - How American.
Riley Greene & Spencer Torkleson tear it up in Triple A before the MLB season starts. They play the whole season with the Tigers. Greene shines and wins Rookie Of The Year. Torkleson struggles early but shows massive power and finishes strong. Javy Baez leads the league in Runs Saved at shortstop, but has an average season at the plate. The Tigers finish with a record of 42-38, 2nd in the Central, and 7th in the playoff seeding, where they will play #2 Chicago in a 3 game series, all 3 games being in Chicago (the #7 and #8 seeds have to play all games on the road). Justin Verlander, who had a very inconsistent season, wins Game 3, like he used to do against the A's. Then the Tigers move on to play #1 New York in a 5-game series and prove they still have the Yankees' number in the playoffs. In the ALCS the Tigers drop the series vs. #4 Tampa Bay in 5 games.
In the World Series Tampa defeats the NL's #3-seeded New York Mets in 6 games.
It is the lowest World Series TV ratings in the sport's recent history
Less than 30 days after the parade, the Rays announce they're moving to Nashville.
Everyone trashes baseball.
By 2025, with baseball still being reviled over the 2022 strike, and no cities willing to pay for any stadiums, the Marlins and A's fold and President DeSantis tries to penalize MLB over Miami's departure. The Diamondbacks start playing some home games in Las Vegas.
In 2026 the Texas Rangers open their brand new ballpark, Tax-Dodge Field @ Arlington West