Are the Detroit Tigers the worst team in MLB? Bleacher Report says yes

We're about a month away from a new era of Detroit Tigers baseball.

That's right, pitchers and catchers report to spring training in Lakeland, Fla. on Feb. 13, and the team's first full-squad workout is Feb. 19.

But it's unlikely to be a sunny season for the Tigers, who are coming off an MLB-worst 64-98 record in 2017, after which they parted ways with manager Brad Ausmus.

It was an ugly season. They traded J.D. Martinez, Justin Upton and franchise-great Justin Verlander in a stunning last-second deal.

►More: Justin Verlander's best moments with the Tigers

Verlander went on to win the World Series with the Houston Astros, a feat he fell shy of twice in Detroit. At least the Tigers have the No. 1 pick in June's 2018 MLB draft!

At the MLB Winter Meetings in mid-December, Tigers general manager Al Avila shipped Ian Kinsler to the L.A. Angels.

►More: Meet the prospects Tigers landed in Ian Kinsler trade

►Fenech: Tigers move the right way — forward — in trading Ian Kinsler

So, what's the outlook for 2018 under new manager Ron Gardenhire?

How about the worst roster in baseball.

That's right, Joel Reuter, a national MLB columnist at Bleacher Report, has the Tigers 30th in his "1 Month from Spring Training" MLB power rankings.

Reuter explains: "The Detroit Tigers have already cashed in their obvious veteran trade chips as they get set to embark on a necessary overhaul of the roster.

"Thanks to a number of high-profile trades over the past seven months, they've quickly built up a respectable farm system. Now it's just a matter of waiting on the prospects to develop trusting the process.

"Signing Mike Fiers to a one-year, $6 million deal is exactly the type of moves the front office should be making. Landing another low-cost arm or two and perhaps dangling right-hander Shane Greene (now that the reliever market has thinned) remain on the offseason to-do list."

If it makes you feel better, Kansas City is No. 29 and the Chicago White Sox are No. 26. Minnesota is No. 12 and two-time defending AL Central Division champion Cleveland is No. 6.

The top five: 1. Houston, 2. L.A. Dodgers, 3. Washington, 4. N.Y. Yankees, 5. Chicago Cubs.

Now, as a Tigers fan, sitting last in the MLB shouldn't surprise you, after the payroll shedding of last year. This is the first season in perhaps a decade that the Tigers are projected to have no shot at competing for a playoff spot.

►Chat recap: Predicting how many wins for Tigers in 2018

They do have some interesting young players that will be fun to track, including infielders Jeimer Candelario and Dixon Machado, converted outfielder Nick Castellanos and staff ace Michael Fulmer.

Here's Gardenhire's projected lineup, from Reuter:

1. CF Leonys Martin

2. 3B Jeimer Candelario

3. 1B Miguel Cabrera

4. DH Victor Martinez

5. RF Nick Castellanos

6. C James McCann

7. LF Mikie Mahtook

8. 2B Dixon Machado

9. SS Jose Iglesias

Miguel Cabrera, who enters 2018 off a career-worst season in which he hit .249 and battled back ailments, shed weight this offseason working with LeBron James' trainer in Miami. Cabrera has been in the news for another reason, with his mistress filing a paternity suit against him last year.

Back to baseball: The Tigers' starting rotation has the potential to be competent, led by Fulmer. Mike Fiers, Jordan Zimmermann, Matthew Boyd and Daniel Norris round out the rest of the projected rotation, with Shane Greene perhaps reprising his late-season role as the closer.

And the team has replenished the farm system, thanks to the four big trades.

What are your predictions for this season? What and/or who will you be watching?

Let us know in the comments section.

More Tigers news:

►Tigers' trades looking better in hindsight

►Nicholas Castellanos takes top spot on the Tigers' trade block

►Windsor: It's a no-brainer: Tigers should trade Michael Fulmer

►Is tanking in Tigers' future? Rebuild 'will cause you to lose'

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Contact Marlowe Alter: malter@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @MarloweAlter.