Key Additions: SP Jordan Zimmermann, OF Justin Upton, RP Francisco Rodriguez, OF Cameron Maybin, SP Mike Pelfrey
Key Subtractions: C Alex Avila, OF Rajai Davis, RP Joakim Soria
Spring training may as well be the most wonderful time of the year for baseball players and fans because it means the dawn of a new season. For the Detroit Tigers and their fans, it has been a rather long offseason. One that followed an injury-riddled season that forced the Tigers to be sellers at the trade deadline. The Tigers are looking to bounce back and make a run at the playoffs in 2016.
General Manager Al Avila made headlines this offseason by signing starting pitcher Jordan Zimmermann and outfielder Justin Upton. The most underrated move he made was acquiring closer Francisco Rodriguez from the Milwaukee Brewers.
Detroit’s bullpen finished 27th in MLB in 2015 with an ERA of 4.38. That was bad enough to finish worst in their division, which had two teams in the top four, and second worst in the American League leaving the Oakland A’s as the only team faring worse.
The return of Alex Wilson and Blaine Hardy following great 2015 campaigns should give some stability to the backend of the Tigers’ bullpen. Wilson appeared in 51 games, starting one, and had an ERA of 2.19 and a FIP of 3.53. Hardy appeared in 70 games and had an ERA of 3.08 with a FIP of 2.89. Wilson led the Tigers in ERA and Hardy led them in FIP during the 2015 season.
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Adding K-Rod in the closer role only strengthens the bullpen. Coming into spring training the Tigers need to find a solid arm to bridge from the starter to the closer in a sixth or seventh inning role. They could then add one more reliever for depth, and that’s what needs to be sorted out when spring training is finished.
After a shaky start to 2015 from missing time due to an injury, Justin Verlander turned out a good season. He led the rotation with an ERA of 3.38 and a FIP of 3.49. With the addition of Zimmermann, the Tigers have a good one-two punch at the top. Anibal Sanchez struggled in 2015 with a 4.99 ERA and a FIP of 4.73, which led to the worst season of his career. He should rebound in 2016 with a more formidable, healthy rotation.
Mike Pelfrey is slotted into the fourth spot of the Tigers’ rotation, according to the team’s depth chart. Barring an injury, he should be a solid option. He made 30 starts in 2015 and went 6-11 with a 4.26 ERA. He had a FIP of 4.00 and averaged five-plus innings per start. Depending on the development of young pitchers Daniel Norris and Matt Boyd, Pelfrey could be bumped to the fifth spot in the rotation, or even to the bullpen.
Norris, 22, will likely end up in the fifth rotational spot, but spring training needs to be a time for him to develop. He has appeared in 18 games over his short, two-season career. He has a 3.92 ERA in 14 starts. He isn’t a guy that’s going to overpower hitters with his fastball, which sits around 92 mph. He does a good job of mixing his pitches and changing speeds but he could also work on developing his curveball, which he only throws about 10 percent of the time. Command and location are going to be the determining factors of Norris’ success.
Boyd, 25, is a left-hander that is similar to Norris, but appears to be heading to the bullpen. His fastball is around 91 mph and he relies heavily on his change-up and slider 17.7 percent and 16.9 percent of the time, respectively. Boyd needs to develop his curveball into a reliable fourth pitch to maximize his effectiveness at the major league level. He only throws it 8.4 percent of the time, but at 71 mph it could be very effective since it clocks in around 8 mph slower than his change-up.
The Tigers’ lineup is set up to be better than what they had with Yoenis Cespedes in it. With the additions of Upton and Cameron Maybin — both projected as starters — the outfield will be one of the best offensive threats in the AL. The biggest key is going to be health as the Tigers’ core group of players are getting older.
Both Miguel Cabrera and Victor Martinez missed a significant amount of time in 2015. Cabrera is arguably the best hitter in the game and his health is the most important for the Tigers to be successful. The emergence of J.D. Martinez and James McCann allowed the Tigers to address their pitching needs and their outfield situation.
Martinez broke out by hitting .282 with 38 home runs and 102 runs batted in. McCann, 25, hit .264 with 18 doubles, five triples and seven home runs in 114 games during his rookie campaign. His speed on the base paths is a rarity for catchers, as he stole nine bases in Triple-A before joining Detroit. This should make the Tigers’ lineup more versatile.
Entering spring training, there aren’t too many position battles for the Tigers. The Tigers have Maybin listed as the starter in center field, however Anthony Gose will contend to win this position. In fact, manager Brad Ausmus may be inclined to start either Gose or Maybin depending on opposing match-ups.
Aside from solidifying the bullpen, the only other position battle is going to be for backup catcher. The Tigers signed Jarrod Saltalamacchia for added depth b. He’s listed as third on the depth chart in favor Bryan Holaday, who hit .289 in 24 games in 2015. Salty may have the edge due to his veteran presence, and could force the Tigers to carry three catchers.
The 2016 season is drawing near and the Tigers have re-tooled to make a run at the division. But they have work to do with the Chicago White Sox improving and the Cleveland Indians putting together another good team. Of course, each team in the AL Central will be looking to slay the World Series champion Kansas City Royals.