Detroit Tigers: Which Tampa Bay Starting Pitcher is Best Fit?

Detroit Tigers starting pitchers have started to turn things around, but with Jordan Zimmermann and Daniel Norris currently on the disabled list, Detroit needs more pitching. The Rays can help.

Detroit Tigers players enter Tuesday second in the American League Central with a 44-39 record. Additionally, the team is only one game back of Toronto for the second of the two Wild Card spots.

While the Tigers are in the thick of the playoff race, one team that hasn’t been so hot this season are the Tampa Bay Rays. Only the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim and Minnesota Twins own fewer totals wins in the junior circuit.

The Scott Kazmir all the way to David Price, the Rays have a long history of trading away pieces. With the team so far out of the race, it wouldn’t be a shock to see Tampa make some moves in order to better position themselves for coming seasons.

It looks like the Rays could be heading in that directing. Fox Sports’ Ken Rosenthal tweeted, “Sources: #Rays actively discussing starting pitchers, looking to jump market with so few quality starters available.”

When healthy, Tampa Bay has as many as seven quality starters in Chris Archer, Alex Cobb, Jake Odorizzi, Drew Smyly, Matt Moore, Blake Snell and Erasmo Ramirez.

Right off the bat, Snell and Cobb are out of the question for the Tigers. Snell is one of the game’s best prospects, and owns a 3.86 ERA in the first five starts of his career at the big league level while Cobb is coming off Tommy John surgery last May.

That leaves Archer, Cobb, Odorizzi, Smyly and Ramirez.

Related Story: Why Ramirez is a Fit for the Tigers

Given the fact that both Jordan Zimmermann wand Daniel Norris were recently placed on the 15-day disabled list, the Tigers could certainly use some starting pitching help reinforcements.

Are any of the five Tampa Bay starters a fit in Detroit?