Detroit Tigers: Ranking All 17 of Al Avila’s 2016 Acquisitions

5. Justin Wilson

WAR: 1.0

WHIP: 1.33

SIERA: 3.02

K/9: 9.97

Despite giving up two controllable young arms in Luis Cessa and Chad Green, Al Avila seems to have found a long-term bullpen piece in Justin Wilson.

The former Yankee’s 4.14 ERA won’t provide too much excitement, but his 9.97 strikeouts per nine innings was one of the best rates on the team. What’s more, Wilson is controllable through 2018 and posted some excellent run prevention numbers.

His .340 BABIP, 3.24 xFIP, 3.18 FIP and 3.02 SIERA suggested that the 29-year-old is much better than his ERA would suggest.

Wilson was partly done in, at least where his ERA was concerned, by a six-game stretch in early August. During said stretch, the former Yankee was tagged for 11 hits, nine runs, four home runs and a walk in 5.1 innings pitched. He only faced 29 batters and allowed them to hit .393 off him in the span.

However, if you look at his numbers before and after the stretch, they’re extremely encouraging. Wilson’s ERA before those six games was 3.46, while batters hit just .252 against him. Following the stretch, the left-hander rebounded and pitched to a 2.51 ERA the rest of the way out, holding opposing hitters to a .226 batting average.