The 2009 Detroit Tigers season was the team's 109th season. The Tigers' new slogan for 2009 was "Always a Tiger." It replaced the 2006–2008 slogan "Who's Your Tiger?" The Tigers ended the season on October 6 with a 6–5 loss in 12 innings to the Minnesota Twins in the tie-breaker game to win the American League Central. The Tigers spent 146 days in first place and became the first team in Major League history to lose a three-game lead with four games left to play.

2008–2009 offseason events

Trades

On July 30, the Tigers traded outfielder Josh Anderson to Kansas City for cash considerations. On July 31, the Tigers traded rookie left-handed pitcher Luke French and left-handed pitcher Mauricio Robles to Seattle for veteran left-handed starting pitcher Jarrod Washburn. On August 17, the Tigers traded pitcher Brett Jacobson to Baltimore for Aubrey Huff.

Season highlights

The Tigers' home opener was on April 10 against the Texas Rangers. The Tigers won that game 15–2, which included a grand slam by Miguel Cabrera and finished the series with a sweep. The Tigers swept their rivals the Indians in Cleveland during the second weekend of May. The Tigers also completed back-to-back sweeps in May, against the Athletics and the Rangers. The Tigers also completed back-to-back sweeps in late June, over the Brewers and Cubs. On May 15, the Tigers hit 2 grand slams in a game, only the third time in team history. On June 19, Instant replay was used twice in the Tigers' 10–4 victory over the Milwaukee Brewers at Comerica Park, the first time that's happened in league history. Miguel Cabrera's third-inning single off the top of the wall is called a home run after instant replay review shows that it had actually cleared the wall. Contrarily, Dusty Ryan's fourth-inning home run was overturned to a ground rule double. Later that weekend, the Tigers won the series with a sweep. On May 19, Dontrelle Willis and four relief pitchers combined to throw a one-hitter in a 4–0 Tigers Victory. Willis had a stretch in which he retired 17 straight batters The Tigers completed back-to-back sweeps against the Indians and Rays in early September. The Tigers held the 1st-place position from May 8 until they lost it to the Twins in the tiebreaker game on October 6. The Tigers swept the Indians for the third time of the season in late September.

Regular season

Season standings

Roster

Record vs. opponents

Game log

Player stats

Through October 6, 2009

Batting

''Note: G = Games played; AB = At bats; H = Hits; Avg. = Batting average; HR = Home runs; RBI = Runs batted in'' Individual pitchers batting statistics not included.

Starting and other pitchers

Note: G = Games pitched; IP = Innings pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts

Relief pitchers

Note: G = Games pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; SV = Saves; HLD = Holds; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts

• No longer on active roster

Farm system