A.J. Hinch, no longer suspended, returns to MLB as Detroit Tigers’ manager

A.J. Hinch, the World Series-winning skipper who just completed a one-season suspension for his involvement in the Houston Astros’ sign-stealing scandal, has been named the manager of the Detroit Tigers, the team announced Friday.

The move gives Hinch, 46, a chance to resuscitate his managerial career.

Though the former Stanford and Oakland A’s catcher led the Astros to the 2017 World Series title, that championship lost its merit in the wake of an investigation that revealed Houston used a video camera and trash-can banging to decode opposing pitches.

After serving the suspension levied by Major League Baseball that ended at the conclusion of the World Series on Tuesday, Hinch, who was fired by the Astros in January, agreed to terms on a multiyear deal to manage Detroit.

“Our fans have high expectations for their baseball team, and all of us with the Tigers are confident that today’s announcement is a big step towards returning to the on-field success they deserve,” Tigers CEO Christopher Ilitch said in a statement.

As he did with the Astros in 2015, Hinch takes over a rebuilding team. The Tigers went 23-35 in a shortened season, finished last in the AL Central and have not made the playoffs since 2014.

“It’s time to start playing winning baseball,” Hinch, who replaces the retired Ron Gerdenhire, said in a statement. “I am confident this organization is positioned to make that happen.”