Detroit Tigers: Six Free Agent Relievers Detroit Should Target
Sep 12, 2016; Detroit, MI, USA; Detroit Tigers relief pitcher Francisco Rodriguez (57) reacts to the last out in the ninth inning against the Minnesota Twins at Comerica Park. Detroit won 4-2. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports
Detroit Tigers fans have long been witness to struggling bullpens. While the team took steps forward last season, more reinforcements are needed for the upcoming campaign.
Detroit Tigers general manager Al Avila did an excellent job reshaping the team’s bullpen in his first year in charge of the club. The additions of Francisco Rodriguez and Justin Wilson helped bring stability to a group that had previously lacked it.
However, Detroit’s bullpen is by no means perfect.
Wilson, Shane Greene and Mark Lowe all suffered through bouts of inconsistency, while Alex Wilson, Bruce Rondon and Kyle Ryan didn’t flourish until later in the season.
In other words, more depth is needed.
Even with Blaine Hardy and a healthy Drew VerHagen, the argument can still be made that Detroit needs relief help. Ideally, another late-inning arm to help bridge the gap to Rodriguez, should he return.
At some point in 2017, Joe Jimenez is likely to debut after making it all the way to Triple-A. However, the top prospect can’t be the only addition, Detroit needs more. There are plenty of options on the free agent market that could appeal to the Tigers, here are just six of them.
Ranging from late-inning arms to rebound candidates, all of these relievers would significantly improve Detroit’s bullpen outlook.
Jul 10, 2016; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Toronto Blue Jays relief pitcher Brett Cecil (27) throws a pitch during the eighth inning in a game against the Detroit Tigers at Rogers Centre. The Toronto Blue Jays won 6-1. Mandatory Credit: Nick Turchiaro-USA TODAY Sports
Brett Cecil
2016 Team: Toronto Blue Jays2016 SIERA: 2.712016 WHIP: 1.2822016 K/9: 11.0
If it were most other teams, re-signing a top set-up reliever would probably be Toronto’s top priority. However, the Blue Jays aren’t most other teams.
Among the other potential free agents on John Gibbons’ club include Edwin Encarnacion, Jose Bautista and Michael Saunders. That’s all without mentioning a likely arbitration raise for All-Star third baseman Josh Donaldson.
With a number of other free agents (Dioner Navarro, Joaquin Benoit, Jason Grilli, Darwin Barney, R.A. Dickey), Toronto will have a number of holes to fill in the offseason.
Should Cecil hit the open market, the Tigers should pounce.
Detroit will obviously need to clear some money if the team ends up cutting payroll, but Cecil would be worth it.
The 30-year-old owns a career 10.4 swinging strike percentage, and at his best posted swinging strike percentage numbers in the 15-16 range. What’s more, the reliever has pitched to a 2.90 ERA and a 2.73 FIP since switching to the bullpen full-time at the start of the 2013 campaign.
Potential Role With the Detroit Tigers
Cecil would join Bruce Rondon, Justin Wilson and Alex Wilson as the top setup options in building a bridge to Francisco Rodriguez. What’s more, Cecil could also fill in occasionally as a closer when Rodriguez isn’t available.
Jul 27, 2016; Boston, MA, USA; Boston Red Sox pitcher Brad Ziegler (29) delivers a pitch during the ninth inning against the Detroit Tigers at Fenway Park. Mandatory Credit: Greg M. Cooper-USA TODAY Sports
Junichi Tazawa and Brad Ziegler
2016 Team: Boston Red Sox2016 SIERA: 3.25 (Tazawa) 3.43 (Ziegler)2016 WHIP: 1.282 (Tazawa) 1.368 (Ziegler)2016 K/9: 9.8 (Tazawa) 7.7 (Ziegler)
Somewhat similar to the Blue Jays, Boston has a number of impending free agents. While none are quite as prominent as Jose Bautista or Edwin Encarnacion, the Red Sox will have players to replace and players to allocate payroll towards.
This includes likely arbitration raises towards the likes of Xander Bogaerts, Jackie Bradley Drew Pomeranz, Brock Holt and Robbie Ross.
Should Boston let either of Tazawa or Ziegler go, Detroit should be interested. Both relievers have long track records in the Majors, and can fill a variety of roles.
Tazawa
First and foremost, both would be excellent additions to the eighth inning mix in Motown. Tazawa is holding batters to a .239 batting average and a .269 on-base percentage in 133.2 frames of work taking place in the eighth inning.
What’s perhaps most impressive about the veteran reliever, who has been in the league for seven seasons, is that he’s allowed just 10 total, career runs versus Minnesota, Cleveland and Kansas City.
Ziegler
While Ziegler has spent more than half his career in the National League with the Diamondbacks, he could be an excellent addition to Detroit’s bullpen.
In 596.2 career innings of work, the right-hander owns a 2.44 ERA. While his 6.1 career strikeouts per nine innings doesn’t jump off the page, Ziegler’s unique release point would give the Tigers relief corps another look to throw at opposing hitters.
Additionally, the ex-Arizona reliever does have 66 saves since the beginning of 2013, so he could provide valuable insurance to Francisco Rodriguez.
Sep 9, 2016; Phoenix, AZ, USA; San Francisco Giants relief pitcher Sergio Romo (54) delivers a pitch during the eighth inning against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Chase Field. Mandatory Credit: Jennifer Stewart-USA TODAY Sports
Sergio Romo
2016 Team: San Francisco Giants2016 SIERA: 2.972016 WHIP: 1.0762016 K/9: 9.7
Sergio Romo may not be the closer for the San Francisco Giants anymore, but that hasn’t stopped him from being effective.
Dating back to the beginning of the 2015 campaign, the reliever pitched to a 2.57 FIP and 104 strikeouts in 88 innings pitched.
The Giants will certainly have plenty of money coming off the books with Angel Pagan, Jake Peavy, Romo, Santiago Casilla, Javier Lopez and Gregor Blanco’s respective contracts expiring.
However, Johnny Cueto, Jeff Samardzija, Madison Bumgarner, Buster Posey, Denard Span and Matt Moore’s contracts all call for increases in salary. Add in likely arbitration increases for Will Smith, George Kontos and Eduardo Nunez and San Francisco may not have too much money to play with.
Potential Role With the Detroit Tigers
Romo is obviously still effective (14.9 swinging strike percentage, 9.7 strikeouts per nine innings) and could thrive as Francisco Rodriguez’ top setup man.
Much in the same way Rodriguez’ arrival last season allowed relievers to settle into regular roles, Romo’s arrival could do the same with the rest of Detroit’s bullpen.
With a potential bullpen of Rodriguez, Romo, Bruce Rondon, Justin Wilson, Alex Wilson, Shane Greene and Joe Jimenez firing on all cylinders, Detroit stands an excellent chance to return to the postseason.
Apr 14, 2016; Denver, CO, USA; Colorado Rockies relief pitcher Boone Logan (48) delivers a pitch in the ninth inning against the San Francisco Giants at Coors Field. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-USA TODAY Sports
Boone Logan
2016 Team: Colorado Rockies2016 SIERA: 3.172016 WHIP: 1.0142016 K/9: 11.1
Pitching at Coors Field is like pitching at a launching pad, it significantly favors hitters.
So you can somewhat forgive some pitchers who struggle slightly pitching at the stadium relative to their career stats.
However, Boone Logan actually thrived pitching for the Rockies over the last two seasons. The left-hander posted a 3.40 FIP and 101 strikeouts in 81.2 innings pitched. Additionally, the former Yankee fanned 11.1 batters per nine innings.
Logan was particularly effective this past year, posting a sparkling 3.17 SIERA while holding left-handed batters to a .142 batting average and a .222 on-base percentage. The 32-year-old also turned in a career-best 16.4 swinging strike percentage.
With the Rockies in rebuilding mode, Detroit’s ability to potentially offer postseason could work in the Tigers’ favor.
Potential Role With the Detroit Tigers
Logan would thrive not just as a lefty specialist, but as a setup reliever in general. Last year, right-handed hitters managed just a .221 batting average versus the veteran.
In addition to getting top left-handed batters out, the veteran could also join Shane Greene and Alex Wilson in the mix for the sixth and seventh innings
It certainly doesn’t hurt that he owns a 2.45 in 20 appearances at Comerica Park.
Aug 9, 2016; Seattle, WA, USA; Seattle Mariners relief pitcher Drew Storen (45) throws against the Detroit Tigers during the twelfth inning at Safeco Field. Mandatory Credit: Joe Nicholson-USA TODAY Sports
Drew Storen
2016 Teams: Toronto Blue Jays, Seattle Mariners2016 SIERA: 3.512016 WHIP: 1.3352016 K/9: 8.4
It wasn’t very long ago that Drew Storen was one of the premier relief pitchers in baseball. The former first-round pick thrived early in his career with the Nationals, putting up a 3.09 FIP, a 3.02 ERA and 95 saves from 2010 to 2015.
Storen’s best season came in 2011 when he notched 43 saves while pitching to a shiny 2.75 SIERA in 75.1 innings. The reliever also turned in a minuscule 1.12 ERA back during the 2014 campaign.
Despite struggling in Toronto to begin the year, the reliever is still just one season removed from closing 29 games and notching a career-low 2.67 SIERA in 2015.
After failing to stick with the Blue Jays, Storen moved to another Wild Card contender in the Seattle Mariners. He experienced a turnaround in the Pacific Northwest after seeing his FIP balloon to 5.01 with the Blue Jays.
In 18.1 innings for Seattle, the ex-National posted a 3.44 ERA and a 2.77 FIP. He also posted respectable strikeout numbers (7.9 punch outs per nine innings) while limiting both walks and home runs. Storen allowed just 1.5 walks per nine frames, and 0.5 home runs per nine innings with the M’s.
Should Drew Storen continue to pitch like he did with the Mariners and Nationals, he’d be an excellent addition to the Detroit Tigers.
Like many on this list, he could serve as an insurance policy to closer Francisco Rodriguez. Similar to Romo, the 29-year-old could serve as K-Rod’s top setup man.
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