The Detroit Tigers are not likely to be big spenders this offseason. However, it appears that a left-handed bat could be on their shopping list.
Going into the 2018 campaign, it appears that few are expecting big things out of the Detroit Tigers. After finishing last season with an AL-worst record of 64-98, newly-hired manager Ron Gardenhire will be taking over a team that is clearly in rebuilding mode.
In the not-so-distant past, the Tigers were big spenders. It seems very unlikely that they will be handing out any large deals this offseason. Still, the Tigers could look to add a low-cost piece here and there to help patch up a few holes on their current roster.
According to Anthony Fenech of the Detroit Free Press, GM Al Avila has said that the Tigers could use “pitching help,” both in the starting rotation and bullpen. Though pitching will be the top priority, Fenech also noted that the team could be looking for lefty hitters as well.
Right-handed heavy lineup
As Jason Beck of MLB.com recently pointed out, switch-hitters Victor Martinez and Jeimer Candelario are the only players on the Tigers’ current 40-man roster who are capable of swinging the bat from the left side.
Martinez batted only .255/.324/.372 with 10 homers last year before undergoing a season-ending heart procedure. Candelario was very impressive with the Tigers last season, but he has logged only a total of 43 games at the major league level.
According to Beck, the Tigers will likely soon add Mike Gerber to their 40-man roster, but he has very limited experience playing above Double-A. While they may not be on the Opening Day roster, Gerber, along with fellow prospect Christin Stewart, could both find their way to Detroit at some point next season.
The Tigers did recently sign switch-hitter Niko Goodrum to a minor league deal. That said, they may be better served adding another player with more big league experience. Goodrum has appeared in only 11 games in the majors, all of which came last season. He did, however, have a pretty nice season in Triple-A Rochester last year, hitting .265/.309/.425 with 13 homers and 66 RBI.
Possible fits
If the Tigers choose to explore the free agent market for an affordable full or part-time player, they should be able to find several fits. Last week, R.J. Anderson of CBS Sports suggested that the Tigers should look at Jon Jay. The 32-year-old Jay, who can play all three outfield positions, spent last season with the Chicago Cubs.
He slashed a rock-solid .296/.374/.375 with two homers in 433 plate appearances. With questions still surrounding JaCoby Jones‘ current ability to hit at the major league level, Jay could be a good platoon partner or backup option in center field.
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Another player the Tigers may want to consider is Nori Aoki. At the end of October, Aoki became a free agent after being released by the New York Mets.
Like Jay, Aoki won’t hit for much power, but he is a lifetime .285/.350/.387 hitter. He can play anywhere in the outfield as well.
Other options include, but are not limited to, Curtis Granderson and Andre Ethier. Granderson, who began his career with the Tigers, has struggled to hit for average the last couple years.
However, he has hit 20-plus home runs in each of the past four seasons. Ethier could be a good low-risk, high-reward signing.
After being sidelined by injuries for most of the past two seasons, the Los Angeles Dodgers recently declined Ethier’s option for 2018. He was a great offensive player as recently as 2015, hitting .294/.366/.486 (137 OPS+) over 445 plate appearances. Granderson and Ethier each have experience playing all three outfield positions as well.
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With multiple options available, the Tigers shouldn’t find it too hard to find what they appear to be looking for. It will be interesting to see if they may soon decide to bring a free agent aboard.