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Detroit Tigers: Why veteran free agent signings are essential this offseason

By Ben Rosener |
DETROIT, MI - AUGUST 20: Curtis Granderson #6 of the Los Angeles Dodgers hits a solo home run in the sixth inning against the Detroit Tigers during a MLB game at Comerica Park on August 20, 2017 in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo by Dave Reginek/Getty Images)
DETROIT, MI - AUGUST 20: Curtis Granderson #6 of the Los Angeles Dodgers hits a solo home run in the sixth inning against the Detroit Tigers during a MLB game at Comerica Park on August 20, 2017 in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo by Dave Reginek/Getty Images)
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DETROIT, MI – AUGUST 4: Al Avila laughs during a news conference at Comerica Park after he was promoted to executive vice president of baseball operations and general manager on August 4, 2015 in Detroit, Michigan. Avila replaces Dave Dombrowski who was the Tigers’ general manager since 2002. (Photo by Duane Burleson/Getty Images)
DETROIT, MI – AUGUST 4: Al Avila laughs during a news conference at Comerica Park after he was promoted to executive vice president of baseball operations and general manager on August 4, 2015 in Detroit, Michigan. Avila replaces Dave Dombrowski who was the Tigers’ general manager since 2002. (Photo by Duane Burleson/Getty Images) /

Detroit Tigers general manager Al Avila is embarking on a full-blown rebuild. Despite this, the Tigers should sign free agents over the course of the offseason.

Detroit Tigers fans have seen the team trade away number of veterans in the past few months.

First there was the J.D. Martinez trade to Arizona in mid-July for a trio of infield prospects.

Then came the Justin Wilson and Alex Avila transaction with the Cubs, netting the Tigers a pair of potential franchise cornerstones in Isaac Paredes and Jeimer Candelario.

As the month of August dwindled down, Detroit traded two more impact players, this time in ace starting pitcher Justin Verlander and left fielder Justin Upton.

All the moves netted the Tigers plenty of promising prospects for the future.

Some of those prospects, as well as some who were already developing in Detroit’s system beforehand, could conceivably make their debuts next season.

However, outside of Candelario—and perhaps Bryan Garcia and Mike Gerber—much of Detroit’s future nucleus is a year or two away from making it to the Majors.

That means relying on the incumbent roster and potential additions until the franchise’s top prospects are ready for action in the Majors.

CLEVELAND, OH – SEPTEMBER 11: Manager Brad Ausmus #7 removes starting pitcher Myles Jaye #65 of the Detroit Tigers from the game during the fourth inning against the Cleveland Indians at Progressive Field on September 11, 2017 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images)
CLEVELAND, OH – SEPTEMBER 11: Manager Brad Ausmus #7 removes starting pitcher Myles Jaye #65 of the Detroit Tigers from the game during the fourth inning against the Cleveland Indians at Progressive Field on September 11, 2017 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images) /

2018

Based on the Tigers’ on-field product in September, the incumbent roster simply isn’t going to cut it.

Detroit hitters ranked 29th in WAR, while the pitching staff checked in at 19th in WAR.

Of course, the results in September aren’t going to repeat themselves exactly next season.

Michael Fulmer and Miguel Cabrera will both be healthy, while younger players like Joe Jimenez, Candelario and Jairo Labourt will likely take steps forward.

Still, the Tigers need players to bridge the gap from their current roster to the 2019 team, which could feature the likes of Franklin Perez, Christin Stewart, Beau Burrows, Grayson Long, Sandy Baez, Dawel Lugo, Matt Hall and potentially Kyle Funkhouser.

That wave of prospects will be the first of many to make an impact with Detroit, and propel the team back to contention.

Until then, Detroit needs players to bridge that gap.

While another league-worst record might be useful in the long run, there’s impact talent to be found in the draft other than with the first-overall pick.

What’s more, if the Tigers want to turn things around relatively quickly, it would be helpful to try and be somewhat successful in terms of winning.

PHOENIX, AZ – OCTOBER 04: Carlos Gonzalez #5 of the Colorado Rockies hits a single during the top of the fourth inning of the National League Wild Card game against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Chase Field on October 4, 2017 in Phoenix, Arizona. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
PHOENIX, AZ – OCTOBER 04: Carlos Gonzalez #5 of the Colorado Rockies hits a single during the top of the fourth inning of the National League Wild Card game against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Chase Field on October 4, 2017 in Phoenix, Arizona. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images) /

Finding value

This doesn’t mean that Detroit should jump into the free agent market and hand out more bloated, long-term contracts to players like J.D. Martinez, Eric Hosmer and Yu Darvish.

However, more short-term contracts for veterans could be beneficial.

Not only would the Tigers add placeholders for the likes of Perez, Stewart and others, but the team would also start to rebuild somewhat of a winning culture.

While players like Martinez, Hosmer and Darvish may not be fits from a financial standpoint, Detroit can make the team slightly more competitive—not to mention better to watch—by handing out one-year deals to free agents like Carlos Gonzalez, Curtis Granderson, Doug Fister, Luke Gregerson and Logan Morrison.

Each could help the team in the short and long term.

Not only would the veterans help make the team slightly better in the short term, but they can also be used for trade chips in July to stock up on more future pieces.

Signing the right veterans could even help the Tigers surprise some people in 2018.

The team is set for another rebuilding year, but crazier things have happened.

Maybe a hitter like Gonzalez finds his past form. Perhaps a free agent starter turns in a career year. Maybe the younger players take significant steps forward.

It may not be enough to push the Detroit Tigers into, or near, the playoffs in 2018, but a marked improvement from the team would expedite the rebuild significantly. Should it happen, this would do wonders for the team moving forward.

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