The 1971 Tigers were a team in transition. The changes began right after the 1970 season ended. Mayo Smith, the manager of the World Series winning team in 1968, was out following a disappointing 79-93 fourth place finish. Billy Martin, who led the Minnesota Twins to the American League Championship Series as a rookie manager in 1969 – and was fired soon afterward due to a clash with ownership, was in.
Days after the managerial change, Tigers’ General Manager Jim Campbell pulled off a blockbuster trade. He dealt the controversial former ace Denny McLain to the Washington Senators in an eight-player transaction that netted McLain’s replacement in the rotation, righthander Joe Coleman.