The 2004 Detroit Tigers season was the team's 104th season and its fifth at Comerica Park. It involved the Detroit Tigers attempting to win the American League Central. The team set a major league record with 11 players on the team hitting at least 10 home runs. The Tigers' 104th season ended with the team finishing in fourth place at 72–90, 29 games better than their disastrous season of the previous year. However, they were still 20 games behind the AL Central Champion Minnesota Twins.
The Tigers tied their own major league record for most home runs by a losing team when they hit seven homers in an 11–9 defeat to the Boston Red Sox on August 8.
Offseason December 18, 2003: Al Levine was signed as a free agent with the Detroit Tigers. December 19, 2003: Rondell White was signed as a free agent with the Detroit Tigers. January 8, 2004 Acquired Carlos Guillén for Ramon Santiago and minor leaguer Juan Gonazalez. January 14, 2004: Bobby Estalella was signed as a free agent with the Detroit Tigers.Bobby Estalella Statistics Baseball-Reference.com February 6, 2004: Iván Rodríguez signed as a free agent with the Detroit Tigers.Iván Rodríguez Statistics Baseball-Reference.com February 9, 2004: Bobby Estalella was released by the Detroit Tigers. March 29, 2004: Ugueth Urbina was signed as a free agent with the Detroit Tigers.
Regular season
Standings
Record vs. opponents
Notable transactions June 7, 2004: Justin Verlander was drafted by the Detroit Tigers in the 1st round (2nd pick) of the 2004 amateur draft. Player signed October 25, 2004.Justin Verlander Statistics Baseball-Reference.com
Game log
|- bgcolor="bbffbb" | 1 || April 5 || @ Blue Jays || 7–0 || Johnson (1–0) || Halladay (0–1) || — || 47,817 || 1–0 || W1 |- bgcolor="bbffbb" | 2 || April 6 || @ Blue Jays || 7–3 || Maroth (1–0) || Batista (0–1) || Robertson (1) || 21,003 || 2–0 || W2 |- bgcolor="bbffbb" | 3 || April 7 || @ Blue Jays || 6–3 || Bonderman (1–0) || Hentgen (0–1) || — || 13,100 || 3–0 || W3 |- bgcolor="bbffbb" | 4 || April 8 || Twins || 10–6 || Cornejo (1–0) || Fultz (0–1) || — || 42,121 || 4–0 || W4 |- bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 5 || April 10 || Twins || 5–10 || Radke (1–0) || Johnson (1–1) || — || 23,409 || 4–1 || L1 |- bgcolor="bbffbb" | 6 || April 11 || Twins || 6–5 || Colyer (1–0) || Roa (1–1) || — || 12,138 || 5–1 || W1 |- bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 7 || April 13 || Blue Jays || 5–7 || Adams (1–0) || Patterson (0–1) || Speier (1) || 8,804 || 5–2 || L1 |- bgcolor="bbffbb" | 8 || April 14 || Blue Jays || 5–3 || Robertson (1–0) || Lilly (0–1) || Patterson (1) || 15,129 || 6–2 || W1 |- bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 9 || April 15 || Blue Jays || 0–11 || Halladay (1–2) || Johnson (1–2) || — || 17,572 || 6–3 || L1 |- bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 10 || April 16 || @ Indians || 3–10 || Sabathia (1–0) || Cornejo (1–1) || — || 18,507 || 6–4 || L2 |- bgcolor="bbffbb" | 11 || April 17 || @ Indians || 6–1 || Maroth (2–0) || Davis (0–1) || — || 18,955 || 7–4 || W1 |- bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 12 || April 18 || @ Indians || 7–9 || Lee (2–0) || Bonderman (1–1) || Riske (1) || 19,240 || 7–5 || L1 |- bgcolor="bbffbb" | 13 || April 19 || @ Indians || 10–4 || Levine (1–0) || Betancourt (0–2) || — || 13,650 || 8–5 || W1 |- bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 14 || April 20 || @ Twins || 4–6 || Silva (2–0) || Johnson (1–3) || Nathan (3) || 15,079 || 8–6 || L1 |- bgcolor="bbffbb" | 15 || April 21 || @ Twins || 11–8 || Levine (2–0) || Radke (2–1) || Urbina (1) || 15,158 || 9–6 || W1 |- bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 16 || April 22 || @ Twins || 3–4 || Santana (1–0) || Maroth (2–1) || Nathan (4) || 14,857 || 9–7 || L1 |- bgcolor="bbffbb" | 17 || April 23 || Indians || 17–3 || Bonderman (2–1) || Davis (0–2) || Yan (1) || 22,008 || 10–7 || W1 |- bgcolor="bbffbb" | 18 || April 24 || Indians || 5–2 || Urbina (1–0) || Stewart (0–1) || — || 20,913 || 11–7 || W2 |- bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 19 || April 25 || Indians || 2–3 || Westbrook (1–1) || Johnson (1–4) || — || 17,253 || 11–8 || L1 |- bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 20 || April 27 || Angels || 4–10 || Lackey (1–3) || Cornejo (1–2) || Shields (1) || 18,208 || 11–9 || L2 |- bgcolor="bbffbb" | 21 || April 28 || Angels || 10–2 || Maroth (3–1) || Colon (3–2) || — || 17,175 || 12–9 || W1 |- bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 22 || April 29 || Angels || 3–12 || Washburn (4–1) || Robertson (1–1) || — || 20,678 || 12–10 || L1 |- bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 23 || April 30 || Mariners || 1–3 || Myers (1–1) || Levine (2–1) || Guardado (4) || 19,989 || 12–11 || L2
|- bgcolor="bbffbb" | 24 || May 1 || Mariners || 4–2 || Bonderman (3–1) || Franklin (1–2) || Urbina (2) || 16,407 || 13–11 || W1 |- bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 25 || May 2 || Mariners || 2–12 || Meche (1–2) || Cornejo (1–3) || — || 13,720 || 13–12 || L1 |- bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 26 || May 3 || @ Angels || 9–11 || Gregg (1–0) || Levine (2–2) || Percival (8) || 33,683 || 13–13 || L2 |- bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 27 || May 4 || @ Angels || 4–11 || Washburn (5–1) || Robertson (1–2) || — || 34,920 || 13–14 || L3 |- bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 28 || May 5 || @ Angels || 3–6 || Escobar (2–1) || Johnson (1–5) || Percival (9) || 39,827 || 13–15 || L4 |- bgcolor="bbffbb" | 29 || May 7 || @ Rangers || 8–7 || Levine (3–2) || Ramirez (1–2) || Urbina (3) || 41,095 || 14–15 || W1 |- bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 30 || May 8 || @ Rangers || 15–16 || Cordero (1–0) || Urbina (1–1) || — || 45,017 || 14–16 || L1 |- bgcolor="bbffbb" | 31 || May 9 || @ Rangers || 5–3 || Robertson (2–2) || Rogers (4–2) || Urbina (4) || 25,034 || 15–16 || W1 |- bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 32 || May 11 || Athletics || 4–5 || Duchscherer (1–1) || Patterson (0–2) || Mecir (2) || 15,859 || 15–17 || L1 |- bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 33 || May 12 || Athletics || 1–2 || Harden (2–2) || Bonderman (3–2) || Rhodes (7) || 16,693 || 15–18 || L2 |- bgcolor="bbffbb" | 34 || May 13 || Athletics || 3–1 || Maroth (4–1) || Redman (2–2) || Urbina (5) || 21,712 || 16–18 || W1 |- bgcolor="bbffbb" | 35 || May 14 || Rangers || 7–1 || Knotts (1–0) || Benoit (1–1) || Yan (2) || 22,449 || 17–18 || W2 |- bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 36 || May 15 || Rangers || 1–6 || Rogers (5–2) || Robertson (2–3) || — || 26,120 || 17–19 || L1 |- bgcolor="bbffbb" | 37 || May 16 || Rangers || 3–1 || Johnson (2–5) || Drese (2–1) || Urbina (6) || 21,615 || 18–19 || W1 |- bgcolor="bbffbb" | 38 || May 18 || @ Athletics || 5–1 || Bonderman (4–2) || Harden (2–3) || — || 11,842 || 19–19 || W2 |- bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 39 || May 19 || @ Athletics || 2–6 || Redman (3–2) || Maroth (4–2) || — || 20,477 || 19–20 || L1 |- bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 40 || May 20 || @ Athletics || 2–3 || Hudson (5–1) || Walker (0–1) || Rhodes (8) || 20,808 || 19–21 || L2 |- bgcolor="bbffbb" | 41 || May 21 || @ Mariners || 5–0 || Robertson (3–3) || Meche (1–4) || — || 39,102 || 20–21 || W1 |- bgcolor="bbffbb" | 42 || May 22 || @ Mariners || 8–4 || Johnson (3–5) || Putz (0–1) || — || 42,565 || 21–21 || W2 |- bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 43 || May 23 || @ Mariners || 1–3 || Garcia (2–3) || Bonderman (4–3) || Guardado (6) || 44,850 || 21–22 || L1 |- bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 44 || May 25 || @ Royals || 3–4 || Grimsley (2–1) || Maroth (4–3) || Affeldt (1) || 14,297 || 21–23 || L2 |- bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 45 || May 26 || @ Royals || 3–7 || May (2–6) || Knotts (1–1) || Affeldt (2) || 19,534 || 21–24 || L3 |- bgcolor="bbffbb" | 46 || May 27 || @ Royals || 17–7 || Robertson (4–3) || Anderson (1–7) || — || 15,475 || 22–24 || W1 |- bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 47 || May 28 || Orioles || 5–7 || DuBose (4–3) || Johnson (3–6) || Julio (8) || 23,298 || 22–25 || L1 |- bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 48 || May 29 || Orioles || 4–8 || Cabrera (3–1) || Bonderman (4–4) || Parrish (1) || 30,440 || 22–26 || L2 |- bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 49 || May 30 || Orioles || 3–7 || Groom (2–0) || Urbina (1–2) || — || 25,337 || 22–27 || L3 |- bgcolor="bbffbb" | 50 || May 31 || Royals || 8–4 || Knotts (2–1) || May (2–7) || — || 12,982 || 23–27 || W1
|- bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 51 || June 1 || Royals || 3–5 || Grimsley (3–1) || Yan (0–1) || Affeldt (4) || 12,685 || 23–28 || L1 |- bgcolor="bbffbb" | 52 || June 2 || Royals || 2–0 || Johnson (4–6) || Greinke (0–1) || Urbina (7) || 12,186 || 24–28 || W1 |- bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 53 || June 3 || Royals || 6–9 || Reyes (2–0) || Bonderman (4–5) || Affeldt (5) || 16,711 || 24–29 || L1 |- bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 54 || June 4 || @ Twins || 2–3 || Nathan (1–0) || Walker (0–2) || — || 15,391 || 24–30 || L2 |- bgcolor="bbffbb" | 55 || June 5 || @ Twins || 6–0 || Knotts (3–1) || Greisinger (2–5) || — || 17,573 || 25–30 || W1 |- bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 56 || June 6 || @ Twins || 5–6 || Romero (3–1) || Yan (0–2) || Nathan (15) || 20,378 || 25–31 || L1 |- bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 57 || June 8 || Braves || 3–4 || Reitsma (2–1) || Patterson (0–3) || Smoltz (9) || 19,062 || 25–32 || L2 |- bgcolor="bbffbb" | 58 || June 9 || Braves || 4–2 || Dingman (1–0) || Thomson (5–3) || Urbina (8) || 20,577 || 26–32 || W1 |- bgcolor="bbffbb" | 59 || June 10 || Braves || 7–4 || Maroth (5–3) || Alfonseca (5–2) || Urbina (9) || 21,166 || 27–32 || W2 |- bgcolor="bbffbb" | 60 || June 11 || Marlins || 8–4 || Knotts (4–1) || Phelps (1–1) || — || 27,184 || 28–32 || W3 |- bgcolor="bbffbb" | 61 || June 12 || Marlins || 6–2 || Robertson (5–3) || Penny (6–4) || Urbina (10) || 38,524 || 29–32 || W4 |- bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 62 || June 13 || Marlins || 2–9 || Willis (6–3) || Johnson (4–7) || — || 27,334 || 29–33 || L1 |- bgcolor="bbffbb" | 63 || June 15 || @ Phillies || 10–3 || Bonderman (5–5) || Powell (0–1) || — || 39,555 || 30–33 || W1 |- bgcolor="bbbbbb" | – || June 16 || @ Phillies || colspan=7|Postponed (rain); rescheduled for June 17 |- bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 64 || June 17 || @ Phillies || 2–6 || Myers (5–3) || Maroth (5–4) || — || 44,551 || 30–34 || L1 |- bgcolor="bbffbb" | 65 || June 17 || @ Phillies || 5–4 || Urbina (2–2) || Madson (4–2) || Patterson (2) || 39,674 || 31–34 || W1 |- bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 66 || June 18 || @ Mets || 2–3 || Looper (1–1) || Patterson (0–4) || — || 36,141 || 31–35 || L1 |- bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 67 || June 19 || @ Mets || 3–4 || Looper (2–1) || Dingman (1–1) || — || 36,925 || 31–36 || L2 |- bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 68 || June 20 || @ Mets || 1–6 || Trachsel (7–5) || Bonderman (5–6) || — || 39,446 || 31–37 || L3 |- bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 69 || June 22 || @ Royals || 1–8 || Gobble (4–4) || Maroth (5–5) || Field (2) || 16,276 || 31–38 || L4 |- bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 70 || June 23 || @ Royals || 3–7 || May (5–8) || Knotts (4–2) || — || 18,493 || 31–39 || L5 |- bgcolor="bbffbb" | 71 || June 24 || @ Royals || 12–3 || Robertson (6–3) || George (1–1) || — || 18,172 || 32–39 || W1 |- bgcolor="bbffbb" | 72 || June 25 || Diamondbacks || 2–1 || Johnson (5–7) || Webb (3–8) || Urbina (11) || 32,573 || 33–39 || W2 |- bgcolor="bbffbb" | 73 || June 26 || Diamondbacks || 7–6 || Urbina (3–2) || Villafuerte (0–1) || — || 33,579 || 34–39 || W3 |- bgcolor="bbffbb" | 74 || June 27 || Diamondbacks || 9–5 || Walker (1–2) || Villafuerte (0–2) || — || 32,751 || 35–39 || W4 |- bgcolor="bbffbb" | 75 || June 29 || Indians || 9–7 || Dingman (2–1) || Jiménez (1–7) || — || 30,457 || 36–39 || W5 |- bgcolor="bbffbb" | 76 || June 30 || Indians || 12–5 || Robertson (7–3) || Davis (2–6) || — || 27,665 || 37–39 || W6
|- bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 77 || July 1 || Indians || 6–7 || Riske (4–2) || Urbina (3–3) || White (1) || 25,159 || 37–40 || L1 |- bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 78 || July 2 || @ Rockies || 8–9 || Chacon (1–5) || Walker (1–3) || — || 47,585 || 37–41 || L2 |- bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 79 || July 3 || @ Rockies || 6–11 || Jennings (7–7) || Maroth (5–6) || — || 48,131 || 37–42 || L3 |- bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 80 || July 4 || @ Rockies || 8–10 || Bernero (1–0) || Knotts (4–3) || Chacon (17) || 26,944 || 37–43 || L4 |- bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 81 || July 5 || @ Yankees || 3–10 || Lieber (6–5) || Robertson (7–4) || — || 52,608 || 37–44 || L5 |- bgcolor="bbffbb" | 82 || July 6 || @ Yankees || 9–1 || Johnson (6–7) || Mussina (9–6) || — || 41,772 || 38–44 || W1 |- bgcolor="bbffbb" | 83 || July 7 || @ Yankees || 10–8 || Bonderman (6–6) || Halsey (1–2) || Urbina (12) || 50,338 || 39–44 || W2 |- bgcolor="ffbbbb"