Detroit Tigers: Pitching Staff Set Up for Promising Future

Detroit Tigers pitching was a bright spot last season. Justin Verlander returned to Cy Young form while the team’s young pitchers took significant steps forward. The future is bright for Detroit’s pitchers.

Detroit Tigers fans will see a changed team in 2017. General manager Al Avila is looking to make the team younger and more efficient from a monetary perspective.

While it wouldn’t be a shock to see the likes of J.D. Martinez and Cameron Maybin traded, one area that is likely to remain unchanged is the pitching staff.

Most of the rotation is more or less a lock to be staying. Michael Fulmer, Daniel Norris and Matt Boyd all fit the Tigers new vision perfectly. Not only do the trio have high ceilings, but they aren’t even eligible for arbitration until the conclusion on the 2018 season.

Additionally, Justin Verlander and Jordan Zimmermann shouldn’t be moved.

Verlander has obviously been with Detroit his entire career, and is likely headed to Cooperstown once all is said and done. If the Tigers are serious about staying competitive next season, it would be extremely hard to sell if Verlander is dealt.

Additionally, his contract would limit his potential trade market significantly.

Then there’s Zimmermann, who started 2016 on fine form, only to struggle with injuries and inconsistencies down the stretch. The ex-National ended up with a 4.87 and a 4.42 FIP in 105.1 innings pitched. He only struck out 5.6 batters per nine innings.

At this point, the Tigers may be better suited to hang on to Zimmermann (3.30 FIP, 19.6 WAR from 2011 to 2015) and see if he can rebound.

Detroit should open 2017 with Verlander, Fulmer, Norris, Boyd and Zimmermann starting in the rotation.

In a perfect world, Buck Farmer, Myles Jaye, Chad Bell or an offseason trade acquisition would be the team’s sixth starter. However, it remains to be seen if the Tigers can unload Anibal Sanchez or Mike Pelfrey’s contracts.

The Future of the Rotation

In just a few short years, the Detroit Tigers will have a problem on their hands—a favorable problem that is.

While Verlander and Zimmermann will be in the twilights of their respective careers (and hopefully still performing) the team will be ushering in new a group of young starters.

Recent high draft picks Matt Manning, Beau Burrows and Kyle Funkhouser will all likely be making their Major League debuts somewhere between 2018 and 2020.

Additionally, fellow starters Tyler Alexander, Spencer Turnbull and Sandy Baez have a chance to make their first starts for Detroit in the same time period.

Manning, the Tigers’ first-round draft pick in 2016, leads the bunch in terms of upside. The former basketball player struck out 46 while only walking seven in his first 29.1 innings of professional work. Armed with a mid-90s fastball and a plus power curve, Manning has the ceiling of a top-of-the-line ace.

With Manning and Fulmer heading up Detroit’s future rotation, the Tigers have a chance to be special on the pitching side of things.

Norris and Boyd, who showed extremely well as rookies, won’t be the only other rotation candidates to join the two.

Future Rotation Candidates

Burrows, another former first-round pick with a blazing fastball, mixes in two solid off-speed offerings. He pitched to a 3.15 ERA at West Michigan in 2016 and may reach the Majors before the likes of Manning and Funkhouser.

Speaking of Funkhouser, the Louisville product was a first-round pick of the Dodgers in 2015, but returned to school.

He impressed with Connecticut in his first taste of professional baseball, notching a 2.65 ERA and 34 strikeouts in 37.1 innings. The right-hander also held batters to a .246 batting average while only walking eight.

Both Burrows and Funkhouser look like potential mid-rotation starters at the very least.

Other Names to Watch

This is all without mentioning the likes of Alexander, Turnbull, Baez and Artie Lewicki. All four pitchers enjoyed promising campaigns last season.

Alexander and Lewicki, who both reached Erie in 2016, could be the first of Detroit’s next wave of young starters to reach the Majors.

Lewicki posted a 3.48 ERA while striking out 57 batters in 67.1 innings. He also held batters to a .256 batting average while with the SeaWolves.

Additionally, the right-hander excelled as a reliever in college. With a crowded rotation, he could make an impact there early with Detroit.

While he won’t blow hitters away with his fastball, Alexander has excellent control over his pitches. The former second-round pick walked just 20 batters in 136.1 innings last year while holding hitters to a .238 average at the dish.

The Future Bullpen Might Be Even More Exciting Than the Rotation

Detroit Tigers fans have long witnessed struggling bullpens. From Jose Valverde to Joe Nathan and Joba Chamberlain to Neftali Feliz, the team’s bullpens haven’t always found success.

However, things could change in the coming years.

The Tigers already saw a glimpse of what the future could hold when Bruce Rondon came into his own last season.

Rondon paced Detroit relievers in SIERA (2.95), swinging strike percentage (15.8), WHIP (0.96) and strikeout percentage (31.3%).

The flame-throwing reliever will team with Joe Jimenez in the future to give the Tigers a fearsome two-headed monster at the back of the bullpen.

Like Rondon, Jimenez dominated opposing hitters last season. The top prospect pitched to a 1.51 ERA in 53.2 minor league innings, only walking 17 batters along the way.

What’s more, the right-hander fanned 78 hitters, good for 13.1 punch outs per nine innings. Jimenez also tallied 30 saves.

The 21-year-old’s dominance included 17 appearances with Triple-A Toledo, meaning he could very well crack the Major League roster at some point next season.

Potential Holdovers

In addition to Rondon and Jimenez, it is possible that a few incumbent Detroit relievers will be around for the long term. Justin Wilson is controllable through 2018, while Alex Wilson can be controlled through arbitration through the 2019 campaign.

Additionally, relief pitchers like Blaine Hardy, Shane Greene and Kyle Ryan all still have a year, or years, of team control left before they’re eligible for arbitration.