For four months last season, the Detroit Tigers set the pace in the American League Central before running out of gas and succumbing to a rash of injuries in the final two months.

The Tigers start 2011 as a big player in the wide-open Central race. The Tigers finished 81-81 a season ago, ending up in third place 13 games behind division winner Minnesota.

Detroit signed catcher/DH Victor Martinez to bolster an offense that features power-hitting first baseman Miguel Cabrera. Right fielder Magglio Ordonez is back to offer lineup protection for Cabrera, and Martinez should hit somewhere in the middle of the lineup as well.

The Tigers have the pitching to contend. Justin Verlander, Max Scherzer and Rick Porcello anchor a strong starting rotation. Jose Valverde returns after saving 26 games for the Tigers a year ago.

Detroit opens the season Thursday at New York against the Yankees. The home opener is April 8 against Kansas City.

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A lot of managers and coaches do not like to head into the final season of their contract without an extension in place.

Leyland said he understands that his butt is on the line this season, along with the general manager.

He said he is not going to be intimidated by the fact that he is heading into the final year of his contract.

Instead, he plans to focus on bringing another World Series title to Detroit, which has been his goal all along.

He was 1-2 with a 1.34 ERA in 60 innings last year for the Tampa Bay Rays. He also recorded 75 strikeouts.

He was a setup man for closer Rafael Soriano, who also became a free agent this year. The Rays could need some major bullpen help.

Benoit will likely settle into a similar role in Detroit, setting up for closer Jose Valverde, who was signed last offseason.

Giving relievers big contracts is always a scary proposition, but the Tigers have a lot of money to spend this offseason.

After making a strong initial impression in the big leagues, Porcello struggled and was sent back down.

The pitcher started tinkering with different pitches, ultimately developing a cutter that has made a big difference.

Porcello’s main pitch is his sinker, but he said that the cutter feels so good coming out of his hand that it’s his second best pitch.

The pitch runs into left-handed batters, which he has had big problems getting out in the big leagues.

Ordonez fractured his right ankle sliding into home plate in the third inning of the Tigers’ game against Toronto. He’s expected to miss six-to-eight weeks. It’s a crippling blow to an offense that has struggled this season, with Ordonez one of the few consistently productive performers. He’s batting .304 with 12 home runs and 59 RBI on the year.

Guillen strained his calf in the same game, although he’s expected to return sooner than Ordonez. He’s batting .280 on the year, and this is just the latest in a rash of injuries he has suffered over the past couple of years.

“We just have to go out and play. That’s the bottom line,” outfielder Johnny Damon said. “We know we’re missing two of our big guys. We just have to deal with it.”

The Tigers trailed the division-leading by 2.5 games heading into Sunday’s action.

The Tigers currently sit in second place just a few games behind the American League Central leading Minnesota Twins.

The Tigers have gotten a monster year out of first baseman Miguel Cabrera, who seems to have gotten more serious about his playing shape.

The team has also enjoyed a bounce-back year from outfielder Magglio Ordonez and an outstanding rookie campaign from Austin Jackson.

Ace Justin Verlander is throwing up his usual numbers on the mound and is getting some support from Armando Galarraga.