Editing Detroit Tigers (section)

====2008====
{{Main|2008 Detroit Tigers season}}
[[File:Justin Verlander 2008.jpg|thumb|230px|[[Justin Verlander]], June 2008]]
Going into the 2008 season, the franchise traded for prominent talent in [[Édgar Rentería]] (from the [[Atlanta Braves]]) and [[Miguel Cabrera]] and [[Dontrelle Willis]] (from the [[Florida Marlins]]).<ref>{{cite web|title=Tigers deal two prospects to Braves for Renteria|url=https://www.espn.com/mlb/news/story?id=3085675|website=ESPN.com|agency=Associated Press|date=October 30, 2007|access-date=October 15, 2018|archive-date=October 16, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181016032715/http://www.espn.com/mlb/news/story?id=3085675|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Tigers send top prospects to Marlins for Cabrera, Willis|url=https://www.espn.com/mlb/news/story?id=3141703|website=ESPN.com|agency=ESPN.com news services|date=December 5, 2007|access-date=October 15, 2018|archive-date=October 16, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181016032725/http://www.espn.com/mlb/news/story?id=3141703|url-status=live}}</ref> However, the Tigers, who now boasted the second-highest team payroll in the majors at over $138 million,<ref>{{cite web|author=Fox Sports |url=http://msn.foxsports.com/mlb/story/7978102/2008-MLB-team-payrolls |title=Fox Sports on MSN: 2008 MLB team payrolls |work=[[Fox Sports]] |access-date=December 27, 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080610021454/http://msn.foxsports.com/mlb/story/7978102/2008-MLB-team-payrolls |archive-date=June 10, 2008 }}</ref> began the regular season by losing seven straight games.<ref>{{cite web|title=Tigers fall to Red Sox for seventh straight loss|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-baseball-boston/tigers-fall-to-red-sox-for-seventh-straight-loss-idUSN0841513420080408|website=Reuters|date=April 8, 2008|access-date=October 15, 2018|archive-date=October 16, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181016032635/https://www.reuters.com/article/us-baseball-boston/tigers-fall-to-red-sox-for-seventh-straight-loss-idUSN0841513420080408|url-status=live}}</ref> The Tigers climbed back, and at the midway point of the season, they were 42–40.<ref>{{cite web|title=Twins' bullpen loses touch as Tigers come back to win sixth in row|url=https://www.espn.com/mlb/recap?gameId=280630109|website=ESPN.com|agency=Associated Press|date=July 1, 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190403023311/http://www.espn.com/mlb/recap?gameId=280630109|archive-date=April 3, 2019|access-date=January 24, 2020}}</ref> In the end, the team finished miserably, slumping to a 74–88 record.<ref>{{cite web|title=Ramirez's grand slam paves way as White Sox force tiebreaker with Twins|url=https://www.espn.com/mlb/recap?gameId=280929104|website=ESPN.com|agency=Associated Press|date=September 30, 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191202112510/https://www.espn.com/mlb/recap?gameId=280929104|archive-date=December 2, 2019|access-date=January 24, 2020}}</ref> Justin Verlander finished with his worst season as a pro, as he went 11–17 with a 4.84 ERA.<ref>{{cite web|first=Jayson|last=Stark|title=Jayson Stark: Detroit Tigers' success hinges on pitching|url=https://www.espn.com/mlb/spring2009/columns/story?columnist=stark_jayson&id=3976410|website=ESPN.com|date=March 13, 2009|access-date=October 15, 2018|archive-date=October 16, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181016032713/http://www.espn.com/mlb/spring2009/columns/story?columnist=stark_jayson&id=3976410|url-status=live}}</ref> The Tigers also lost closer Todd Jones to retirement on September 25, 2008.<ref>{{cite web|title=Tigers reliever Todd Jones to retire|url=https://www.upi.com/Tigers-reliever-Todd-Jones-to-retire/71821222365827/|website=UPI.com|date=September 25, 2008|access-date=October 15, 2018|archive-date=October 16, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181016032542/https://www.upi.com/Tigers-reliever-Todd-Jones-to-retire/71821222365827/|url-status=live}}</ref> Despite the disappointing season, the team set an attendance record in 2008, drawing 3,202,654 customers to Comerica Park.<ref>{{cite web|first=Bill|last=Shea|title=Tigers at the midway point: Attendance bleeding continues|url=https://www.crainsdetroit.com/article/20170703/blog003/633116/tigers-midway-point-attendance-bleeding-continues|website=Crain's Detroit Business|date=July 3, 2017|access-date=October 15, 2018|archive-date=October 15, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181015231613/https://www.crainsdetroit.com/article/20170703/blog003/633116/tigers-midway-point-attendance-bleeding-continues|url-status=live}}</ref>