Detroit Tigers Are Perfect Suitor for Sleeper Free Agent Starting Pitcher
The Detroit Tigers are heading into what could be a very intriguing offseason.
After making an unexpected run down the stretch of the regular season and getting into the playoffs, the Tigers were able to sweep the Houston Astros in the Wild Card. They then took the Cleveland Guardians to a Game 5 in the ALDS before they unfortunately ended up losing and being knocked out.
Looking at the offseason, Detroit will have plenty of opportunities to add players, improve, and become an even more dangerous contender in the American League for 2025.
One need that the Tigers should look to address would be adding better starting pitching.
Thankfully, there are a lot of pitchers that will be available in free agency. There are many different names to consider in every price range.
Detroit could look to get aggressive and land an elite ace like Blake Snell or Corbin Burnes. However, it's much more likely that they would pursue a mid-tier starter who could come in and be a strong No. 2 option in the rotation behind Tarik Skubal.
Assuming that is the direction they choose to go, Yusei Kikuchi could be a perfect sleeper option for the Tigers.
Kikuchi turned into a legitimate No. 1 pitcher after being traded to the Astros ahead of the deadline. Down the stretch of the season, he was elite.
In the 10 games that he started with Houston, Kikuchi compiled a 5-1 record to go along with a 2.70 ERA, a 0.93 WHIP, a 5.4 K/BB ratio, and 60.0 innings pitched.
Granted, there is no guarantee that he could pitch like that for an entire season. He has never shown that kind of ability throughout his career up until his tenure with the Astros.
That being said, Kikuchi proved in a short period of time that he can be a very good starter. Even if he doesn't pitch at that elite level, he could be a quality No. 2 pitcher who would not cost the top price of a player like Snell or Burnes.
At 33 years old, Detroit also wouldn't have to invest in a super long contract with Kikuchi. He could likely be had for a two or three-year deal, assuming another team doesn't come in and overpay to get him.
It will be interesting to see what the Tigers choose to do this offseason. They could swing big and target big names, but if they're open to a middle-of-the-pack kind of starter, Kikuchi might just be a perfect fit.
