Detroit Tigers: Why Tyson Ross is worth a flier right now
Detroit Tigers general manager Al Avila should take a flier on Tyson Ross for the rest of 2017 and 2018. Ross, who recently became available, could make for an intriguing bounce-back candidate.
Detroit Tigers fans have seen some significant change in the starting rotation over the past few months.
Justin Verlander has been traded, while Daniel Norris and Michael Fulmer have missed time or are currently missing time due to injury.
There’s also young starters Buck Farmer, Chad Lewicki and Myles Jaye, who have moved into the rotation.
More change could conceivably due the Tigers some good.
Since the beginning of September, Detroit starters rank 20th in the league in WAR and last in xFIP.
With a rebuild under way and the season winding down, statistics obviously don’t matter as much as in the midst of a pennant chase.
That being said, the Tigers need to start taking steps forward with their rebuild next season.
They can’t do that if they’re hemorrhaging runs and taxing the bullpen.
One player who could be part of a potential solution is Tyson Ross.
Ross, who was recently released by Texas, is in the midst of a down season. However, he’s an intriguing candidate bounce-back candidate given his past success.
Track record
The former Padre was highly successful in a three-year run in a San Diego uniform from 2013 to 2015.
Ross worked to a cumulative 9.3 WAR over that span, while totaling 516.2 innings. He struck out 9.16 batters per nine innings while posting a 3.07 ERA, a 3.13 FIP and a 3.23 xFIP.
However, after missing most of 2016 due injury, Ross debuted with Texas in May after undergoing surgery for thoracic outlet syndrome last October.
His numbers in 2017 have been less than stellar.
In 12 appearances, including 10 starts, Ross turned in a 7.71 ERA, a 6.17 FIP and a 6.29 xFIP in 49 innings.
He struck out just 6.61 batters per nine frames to go along with a 1.837 WHIP.
Additionally, his average fastball velocity is down according to FanGraphs.
So yeah, none of that is great, but if Ross can turn things around and find some of the form he showcased in San Diego, he’d make for an excellent trade chip down the line.
As it stands, the Tigers are in need of rotation place holders to hold things down until the likes of Franklin Perez, Grayson Long, Beau Burrows and Matt Hall—all of whom found success in Double-A this season—make it to the Majors.
The future is now—well, almost
It isn’t unreasonable to think that the likes of Perez, Long, Burrows and Hall could be in the Majors by the second half of 2018.
Until the prospects’ debuts, Detroit needs starters to form a bridge between the current rotation and the future one.
Michael Fulmer is an obvious lock for the long haul. However, outside of him there are plenty of question marks in the rotation.
Matthew Boyd and Daniel Norris seem to have taken steps backwards this season, while Jordan Zimmermann and Anibal Sanchez are both sporting FIPs north of 5.30.
Then there’s the Farmer, Lewicki and Jaye trio, who have struggled down the stretch.
Adding Ross to help eat innings as a placeholder for a prospect could be a worthwhile gamble for the Detroit Tigers.
This is all speculative mind you, but bringing in the now former Ranger on a two-year deal (covering the tail end of 2017 and all of next season) could make for an intriguing situation for Detroit.
He’d give the team another option down the stretch first and foremost.
What’s more, should he rediscover the form that made him an All-Star with San Diego, Ross could bring in more prospects in a deal at next season’s trade deadline.
Next: Tigers are in need of SPs
That would help Avila build a more successful and sustainable future, while also clearing a rotation spot for a prospect like Perez or Long.