Detroit Tigers should be aggressive on waiver wire in the offseason

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TORONTO, ON – SEPTEMBER 8: Nick Castellanos #9 of the Detroit Tigers is congratulated by Jeimer Candelario #46 and Dixon Machado #49 after hitting a grand slam home run in the third inning during MLB game action against the Toronto Blue Jays at Rogers Centre on September 8, 2017 in Toronto, Canada. (Photo by Tom Szczerbowski/Getty Images) /

Detroit Tigers general manager Al Avila enters the offseason with a full-blown rebuild on his hands. He and the rest of the front office should be aggressive on the waiver wire this winter.

Detroit Tigers fans could be in for an offseason filled with change.

After a 2017 season that saw the team trade away J.D. Martinez, Justin Wilson, Alex Avila, Justin Verlander and Justin Upton, the team could make more moves over the course of the winter.

Second baseman Ian Kinsler, shortstop Jose Iglesias and closer Shane Greene are conceivable trade chips, while veteran starting pitcher Anibal Sanchez, per Spotrac, has a $16 million option for next season that can be bought out for $5 million.

Detroit should be looking to amass more prospects and young players to build for the future.

One avenue for adding players like that is via the waiver wire.

With the Rule 5 draft—not to mention plenty of trades that are likely to occur— the Tigers will have chances to find useful contributors this offseason as other teams remove players from their 40-man rosters.

Even if the players aren’t long-term fits, Detroit can claim them and try to eventually turn them into trade chips.

MIAMI, FL – AUGUST 27: Dan Straily #58 of the Miami Marlins throws a pitch during the first inning against the San Diego Padres at Marlins Park on August 27, 2017 in Miami, Florida. (Photo by Eric Espada/Getty Images) /

Past examples

Players previously picked up on waivers include Houston relief pitcher Will Harris and starting pitcher Collin McHugh, San Diego closer Brad Hand and Miami starting pitcher Dan Straily.

Harris and McHugh are both vital cogs in Houston for the Astros, a team that finished third in the league in wins behind Cleveland and Los Angeles.

Meanwhile, Hand could very well net a significant trade return this offseason.

Dan Straily

Straily himself has already been traded in the past year.

Claimed off waivers by the Reds from the Padres, the veteran starter turned in a 3.76 ERA and a 1.186 WHIP in 191.1 innings in 2016.

Following the season, Cincinnati flipped him to Miami for a group of three minor league players that included top pitching prospect Luis Castillo as well as Austin Brice and former third-round pick Isaiah White.

Castillo notched a 1.7 WAR, a 3.12 ERA, a 3.41 xFIP, a 3.63 SIERA and a 3.74 FIP in 89.1 innings pitched. The rookie also punched out 9.87 batters per nine innings.

He gives Cincinnati another building block to pair with Eugenio Suarez, Tyler Mahle, Jesse Winker and Tucker Barnhart.

It obviously remains to be seen if the Detroit Tigers will be able to find a player like Straily, who they can flip for a premium return, on the waiver wire.

That being said, the team should be looking to add talent let go by other teams.

It’s not as if Detroit’s 40-man roster is completely set in stone.

MINNEAPOLIS, MN – SEPTEMBER 30: Buck Farmer #45 of the Detroit Tigers listens to Rich Dubee pitching coach for the Detroit Tigers and Bryan Holaday #50 of the Detroit Tigers after Farmer walked in a run for the Minnesota Twins in the first inning during of their baseball game on September 30, 2017, at Target Field in Minneapolis, Minnesota.(Photo by Andy King/Getty Images) /

The 40-man roster

In actuality, the Detroit Tigers do have a full 40-man roster at the moment.

Still, the team could make room if need be.

Buying out Sanchez will create a roster spot. Trades of Iglesias and or Kinsler will also create room.

While Detroit will have to add prospects like Mike Gerber, Derek Hill, Adam Ravenelle and Paul Voelker to the 40-man unit if the franchise wants to protect them from the Rule 5 draft, there are other players who could conceivably be removed from the 40-man roster.

The Tigers could opt to part with veteran players like Victor Martinez, Andrew Romine, Jim Adduci, Efren Navarro, Alex Presley, Bryan Holaday and Tyler Collins in order to give more playing time to younger options.

There’s also the pitching staff that featured a number of hurlers who struggled mightily last season.

Warwick Saupold (5.13 SIERA in 62.2 innings pitched), Blaine Hardy (5.37 xFIP in 33.1 innings pitched) and Chad Bell (1.80 WHIP, 5.47 FIP in 62.1 innings pitched) all hemorrhaged runs at times.

Meanwhile, the likes of Kyle Ryan and Bruce Rondon weren’t recalled to the Majors when rosters expanded in September despite already being on the 40-man unit.

Detroit could also decide to move on from the likes of Buck Farmer, Drew VerHagen, Myles Jaye and Jeff Ferrell in favor of younger hurlers.

In other words, the Detroit Tigers have the ability to create some roster space rather quickly without significantly impacting the team’s future core.

Next: Hypothetical free agent starting pitcher fits part 1

It could also be that the Tigers are able to sneak a player, or players, through waivers if Detroit needs to clear 40-man roster space of their own. This would certainly help from an overall depth perspective.

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Detroit Tigers general manager Al Avila enters the offseason with a full-blown rebuild on his hands. He and the rest of the front office should be aggressive on the waiver wire this winter.

Past examples

Dan Straily

The 40-man roster

Schedule