Ausmus was hired in November of 2013 to take the reigns from the legendary Jim Leyland, who led the Detroit Tigers to two AL Pennants and an American League Championship Series appearance in his final year before departing after eight seasons.
A graduate of the prestigious Dartmouth College, the 18-year MLB veteran was slated to usher in a new era of Tigers baseball, using his smarts and leadership from a career behind the plate to lead the way.
There were certainly enough pieces to the puzzle for Ausmus to continue Leyland’s success, as the team still boasted the likes of Justin Verlander and Max Scherzer in a stacked rotation and Miguel Cabrera and Victor Martinez in the lineup.