Detroit Tigers 'Unlikely To Bid' for Top Starting Pitchers in Free Agency
Across the entirety of the Detroit Tigers roster, there are potential star players everywhere.
In the infield, Jace Jung at third base, Trey Sweeney at shortstop, Colt Kieth at second and Spencer Torkelson at first, were all former top prospects who have shown flashes at some points in their career, Sweeney and Jung being in a small sample size this year.
Their outfield is a bit more settled.
Riley Greene is one of the best players on this team, and his move to left field after the emergence of Parker Meadows in center could have him lined up to receive a major payday. Kerry Carpenter in right field will rotate with veteran Matt Vierling, one of the few established veterans on the roster.
When it comes to their rotation, though, there are questions.
Tarik Skubal is a superstar who likely will win the 2024 AL Cy Young Award unanimously, but behind him there is Casey Mize who has a lot to prove after his club option was declined, Keider Montero looks promising but needs more reps, Josh Jobe who could be the secondary ace flanking Skubal at one point in his career but not in 2025, and Reese Olson projects to be a backend starter on a true contender.
All of that is to say, the Tigers should be in the market to upgrade their starting staff.
Based on what was seen during their magical late-season run, this lineup is good enough to compete with any team regardless if they add free agent position players to the mix this winter or not, but it's their rotation that held them back when manager A.J. Hinch was forced to throw bullpen games after every Skubal start.
So will Detroit spend some money on an elite starter?
It doesn't sound like it.
According to Cody Stavenhagen of The Athletic, they will sign a starting pitcher, but it won't be one of the difference makers who is available on the open market.
"The Tigers will be unlikely to bid on the Blake Snells or Max Frieds of the world. But they may seek another project such as Michael Lorenzen and Jack Flaherty in years past to round out their rotation," he writes.
That is disappointing.
After this young team put together a fantastic close to the year despite the front office trading away veterans at the deadline, what ownership should be doing is landing at least one star player to increase their chances of winning.
Maybe that still happens.
The Tigers have spent money in the past, especially when it was clear they could win a championship, so it's not out of the question for them to do it again at some point.
But Stavenhagen doesn't believe that time is this winter, despite the clear need for another elite starter.
