Detroit Tigers Predicted To Bring Back Veteran Arm in Free Agency For Third Stint
The Detroit Tigers are heading into the offseason looking to bolster a roster that demonstrated over the last month and a half that it's not extremely far off from contention.
After sitting 9.5 games back in late August, the Tigers became the hottest team in baseball over the final stretch and went on a historic run in order to qualify for the postseason. They weren't done there either, beating the Houston Astros two games to none in the Wild Card before falling to division rival Cleveland in the ALDS. As Detroit looks to improve, obviously spending money and taking big swings will be important, but arguably just as important will be getting value out of players on affordable deals.
One possibility of an affordable contract will be a player that the Tigers are already extremely familiar with in Guardians left-handed pitcher Matthew Boyd. Arriving in Cleveland prior to this season, Boyd has already spent two previous stints in Detroit. He spent seven seasons with the team from 2015-2021, playing with Seattle in 2022 before returning to the Tigers in 2023. While Boyd has struggled through injuries throughout his career, ironically it was the two seasons he's played recently outside of Detroit that were significantly more productive than the average at best numbers he put up with the Tigers. Jim Bowden of The Athletic predicted Boyd to return to the team for a third stint this offseason, a move that Katrina Stebbins of FanSided has a mixed opinion of.
"It'd certainly be wild to see the Tigers take a third chance on Boyd despite his record in Detroit, but he pitched better during his short stint in Cleveland than he did in eight seasons with the Tigers," Stebbins wrote. "Maybe he needed to get over those injury humps before he could really find his ceiling (even though it remains troubling he struggled so much with Detroit)...His success next season isn't a given, and we didn't see quite enough of him this year to be completely swayed that a reunion is the best idea. If he's still available late into the offseason and the Tigers are looking for another arm, though, it could work."
Over his career that has spanned a decade, Boyd sports a pedestrian career ERA of 4.85 along with a WHIP of 1.313. But with experience both as a starter and out of the bullpen, Boyd has done some nice things in the last couple of years when he's been able to stay on the field. Spotrac estimates his market value as a 1-year deal worth a little over $3 million, so it's not exactly a bank breaking situation if Detroit wants to bring him in as a bottom of the rotation starter or bullpen arm.
Ultimately, if the team can bring him back on a bargain, a third stint with Boyd in Detroit isn't the worst idea in the world.
