Reasons Why Detroit Tigers Signing of Pitcher Alex Cobb Is Head-Scratching Decision
Coming into the MLB offseason, there were a few clear areas of need that the Detroit Tigers were going to look to address.
Chief among them was experienced depth for their starting pitching staff.
Beyond American League Cy Young Award winner Tarik Skubal, the team didn’t have much to consistently rely on in the second half of 2024. Rookie Keider Montero had some incredible moments, but whenever their ace wasn’t on the mound, manager A.J. Hinch went with some “pitching chaos”.
He would mix and match throughout the game with openers, bulk relievers and full bullpen games. It worked, as the staff responded with some elite performances, but it wasn’t a sustainable strategy.
As a result, adding some starting pitching was a must.
Detroit accomplished that goal, signing veteran starting pitcher Alex Cobb to a one-year, $15 million deal.
It is the exact kind of contract the team has been handing out the last few offseasons, bringing on veterans looking to bounce back and rehab value. It worked for Eduardo Rodgriguez and Jack Flaherty; will it work again with Cobb?
However, the move was a head-scratching one for several reasons. Out of all the moves announced at the Winter Meetings, it was this signing that left Alden Gonzalez of ESPN the most confused, and it is easy to see why.
While he fits the mold of the kind of pitcher the team has been going after, they aren’t going to spend at the top of the market, their previous targets were much younger. Rodriguez was in his prime entering his age-29 season; Flaherty was 28.
Cobb is 37 coming off a campaign in which he managed to make only three starts; zero with the San Francisco Giants before they traded him to the Cleveland Guardians.
$15 million is no small chunk of change. For a team that has to be smart about how they spend, that is a ton of money to give a player with as many concerns as the veteran righty has.
As Gonzalez shared, “he recovered from hip surgery, dealt with shoulder inflammation, navigated through a blister and was ultimately ruled out because of a back strain.”
That price tag also speaks volumes to how expensive the pitching market has been and will be the remainder of the winter. Max Fried signed a record-setting deal for a left-handed pitcher with the eight-year, $218 million contract he worked out with the New York Yankees.
Blake Snell signed a five-year, $182 million deal with the Los Angeles Dodgers. Luis Severino agreed to the largest contract in Athletics history, which could total $67 million over three years.
The biggest chip of all, Baltimore Orioles ace Corbin Burnes, is still out there as well. He is likely going to top all of the deals signed to this point, as it wouldn’t be shocking to see him top $230 million.
From that perspective, it makes some sense that the Tigers made an aggressive move early. But, making it to begin in Cobb, when there are several second and third-tier starring pitchers still available, is a head-scratcher.
Kenneth Teape is an alumnus of SUNY Old Westbury and graduated in 2013 with an Honors Degree in Media Communications with a focus on print journalism. During his time at Old Westbury, he worked for the school newspaper and several online publications, such as Knicks Now, the official website of the New York Knicks, and a self-made website with fellow students, Gotham City Sports News. Kenneth has also been a site expert at Empire Writes Back, Musket Fire, and Lake Show Life within the FanSided Network. He was a contributor to HoopsHabit, with work featured on Bleacher Report and Yardbarker. In addition to his work here, he is a reporter for both NBA Analysis Network and NFL Analysis Network, as well as a writer and editor for Packers Coverage. You can follow him on X, formerly Twitter, @teapester725, or reach him via email at teapester725@gmail.com.