Obviously there is potential for the Tigers to sign more free agents once the lockdown has ended, but I am not fully sure where they would be looking. Maybe another rotation piece, but they need to make sure they have room for the young guys to get their starts, and there are not many names left through free agency, with Carlos Rodon, Clayton Kershaw, and Zack Greinke really being the only ones of interest. Unless you want to look at the other than smaller names like Danny Duffy, Chris Archer, or maybe Michael Pineda.
The infield already looks set with Baez and Jonathan Schoop up the middle, Jeimer Candelario in the hot corner, and Torkelson primed to man first base for most of the season. Once Greene comes up the outfield looks in place for 2022 at least, with Akil Baddoo in left, Riley Greene in centre, and Robbie Grossman in right. So, other than the bullpen and maybe a veteran starter, neither of which would cost that much, or someone else to play second base, where there are few options better than Schoop in free agency, I don’t see where they are going to be spending all of this extra money.
Also, did you know that both E-Rod and Baez have opt-outs after two seasons, meaning they can just up and leave if the young guys haven’t found their stride yet? That could potentially leave Detroit with a lot of money to spend in the 2024, but could also leave them completely empty-handed in just a couple of seasons.
Boiling down the frustration about the Detroit Tigers signing Javier Baez
I just really thought it was going to be an offseason where the Detroit Tigers made a big statement, signing the best shortstop in MLB to lead this team into the future with a couple of young bats on the way and a young rotation that could be the best in baseball if they all hit their ceilings. I really feel that would have been the best route to go for Detroit.
Now, there is the possibility that neither Correa nor Seager wanted to sign with them. A team can have all the interest in the world but, if the guys are not interested, there isn’t much they can do about it. That feels unlikely though. Outside of the warm weather and a running mate now in Marcus Semien, is there really anything else about the Rangers that makes it a better destination for the future than this rising Detroit Tigers squad?
For Correa, I think he wants to start fresh somewhere outside of Houston, outside of the New York Yankees and Los Angeles Dodgers if they want to fork out the money, there is not much of a better option for him than Detroit heading looking ahead to the future, especially if they are just giving out player options after two seasons.
Overall, it’s more of a tale of disappointment for me. I expected more heading into the offseason for Detroit to secure itself as such a prime spot for a guy like Correa to go. I really do hope that Baez can regularly be what he was in 2018 for the Tigers or, at the very least, just be consistent. Maybe with him manning shortstop, the Tigers the can be fighting for a playoff spot as as soon as next season.
I just wish they really went for it.