Detroit Tigers Should Consider Pursuing Former All Star Outfielder on Short Deal
The Detroit Tigers are one of the most talented young teams in baseball, but that doesn't mean that they can't upgrade at certain positions. Riley Greene was the team's best hitter and Parker Meadows made strides, but the outfield could use some improvement until Max Clark arrives. There is an option on the open market that could be brought in on a short term deal to help in Michael Conforto.
Conforto is coming off a two year stint with the San Francisco Giants and had a nice 2024. In 130 games, the 31-year-old slashed .237/.309/.450 with a .759 OPS, 20 home runs, 66 RBIs and a 116 OPS+.
He's dealt with injuries over the past couple of years, and hasn't gotten to his former 30-homer self, but he still provides plenty of power. His barrel percentage was in the 82nd percentile and his hard hit rate in the 77th last season, so he can still swing it.
The lefty makes sense as someone who can take over on a short team deal as the stop gap before Max Clark arrives. While the team has Matt Vierling, he was utilized in a utility role. Wenceel Perez got most of the run in right field, positing just a .683 OPS with nine homers and a 93 OPS+ at the plate.
Although he was just a rookie, and dealt with injury, Perez might be a player Detroit looks to make an upgrade over for a deeper postseason run. Justyn-Henry Malloy, another rookie the team was looking to, struggled in 71 games.
The 24-year-old has just .203 with eight home runs and a .658 OPS in 71 games. He still needs some seasoning, which is where Conforto enters.
Spotrac has his market value as one year, $4.7 million heading into free agency, a very affordable option for the Tigers. They could even lure him with a longer deal that slots him in the outfield for the next couple of years.
Detroit could opt to move Kerry Carpenter to the outfield as well, but bringing in a veteran bat like Conforto to be the DH would also be an upgrade to the lineup. He is a reliable on-base hitter and will provide 15-20 homers a year, which is always valuable.
The future will continue to come for the Detroit Tigers, but many of their top hitting prospects are still a couple of years away. Someone like Michael Conforto could bring in a veteran presence on a short-term deal to help them reach the playoffs again.
