Less than 12 months ago, concern turned to anger as fans wondered how on earth Justin Upton tricked the Detroit Tigers front office so badly. One of the biggest signings off the offseason — earning over $22 million a year — was hitting just .228/.286/.369 with 73 wRC+ after three months in Detroit. Upton is a notoriously streaky player, but this was more than a minor slump. The outlook for the next six years looked bleak.
Almost a full year later, these concerns seem laughable. Upton leads the team with 13 homers this season, ranking third with 125 wRC+ and second with 1.