Scott Harris has stated that he is looking for pitching help ($$$) this offseason. It makes sense given that both the starting rotation and the bullpen have holes. However, if he wants to fill those gaps through the free agent market, he may need to act quickly.
Two of the better free agent pitchers have already been signed. SP Aaron Nola signed a seven-year, $172 million contract with the Philadelphia Phillies on Sunday. That works out to about $24.5 million per season. That’s a steal for the Phillies considering how good Nola can be and the type of pitcher he is.
One of the best relievers is also no longer available. The Atlanta Braves agreed to terms with RHP Reynaldo Lopez on a three-year, $30 million contract.
Lopez’s swing-and-miss stuff would have made him an excellent addition to the Tigers’ bullpen. However, he is a Brave.
The Braves and Phillies both made the playoffs last season. They are good teams that want to improve rather than just stay good. They acted quickly and will most likely reap the benefits.
Meanwhile, the Tigers were a below-average team in 2023. They acquired Mark Canha a few days after the World Series ended, but have since done nothing. They have a lot of holes to fill, and Harris hasn’t shown much urgency through one offseason and about three weeks of this offseason.
The division is yours to take. The White Sox are a disaster, the Royals are the Royals, Cleveland will almost certainly trade its best pitcher this offseason, and the Twins are reducing payroll. The Tigers have the potential to rise above the rest and take control of the AL Central, but the president of baseball operations and ownership appear to be uninterested in doing so.
Perhaps I’m overreacting. After all, it is still early in the offseason. It isn’t even Thanksgiving yet. We still have a long way to go. I’d like to be wrong, but based on recent history, the Tigers appear to be doomed.
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